Sister fight

Hello, I hope you can help me because I'm really worried about my bunnies and possibly having to give one of them up.

They're sisters who have been together since birth. They were spayed together in January after a couple of scuffles and one (Lily) showing signs of aggression towards the other (Daisy). They're now about 10 months old and are healthy. They normally get on ok but sometimes Lily would grunt at Daisy and try to box her if she approached but Daisy always ran away often a few minutes later they's flop together, groom and seem to be good friends. Lily does seem to be a bit aggressive and will try to box your hand if you try to touch her and she's not in the mood. I thought that getting her spayed would have sorted that but doesn't seem to have helped, it's only really stopped them mounting from which Daisy picked up a little wound by her vagina from getting bitten just before the spay but the vet said it was healing well and was nothing to worry about and they should get better after the op.

Yesterday, they had a big bust up, my wife was in and separated them but you could have made a new bunny with all the fur that was pulled out. They spent the night in separate cages in different rooms and both seemed to be very down, not eating much and not drinking much either. I tried to put them together again in the bathroom today (neutral, unfamiliar territory) but they were itching to fight again. After a few grunts and boxes from both rabbits, I split them up again. I'd never seen Daisy start on her sister before so it was quite a shock.

They're now in the kitchen again, where they've always lived, but in separate cages put close together. I can only let them out to exercise one at a time because even now if one shows interest in the other in the cage and they get nose to nose, they try to fight through the bars.

I read that I should swap them over so they don't become too possessive over one of cages, but how should I approach the next re-introduction? should I try again tomorrow or wait? Is this just spring time fever? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Hi

Hopefully one of the experts on here will help but until then I thought i would respond. They sound like they had a very bad scuffle, there could be injuries your not aware of, its really important to get them into the vets asap to make sure because injuries from rabbit fights can be fatal if left, the not eating much or drinking much is also highly dangerous for a rabbit which can also be fatal if left, personally I would get them to the vets as an emergency, and keep them seperated until you know there okay.

Thanks for the advice. I have checked them over thoroughly and can't find any cuts or injuries on either bun. They're now eating loads of hay and drinking normally again. I'm keeping an extra close eye on them and if I get at all worried about their health I'll be straight down the vets.

I tried putting the girls together again just now, again in neutral space. They sniffed each other for a few seconds, daisy made a noise like when she's scared and thumped, then she put her head down under Lily's, I presume to be groomed and then after a few seconds of nothing happening they started fighting again and I had to break it up.

I'm getting worried that their bond has broken beyond repair and I'll have to give one of them up. Any advice would be a great help!

This sounds like when I got my first 2 sisters at 12 weeks they were together for 6 months then after they were spayed they started fighting , we tried everything to get them bonded the last attempt was awful one of them my little Lily (R.I.P Bridge Bunny) had to have 10 stitches in her side after that attempt I was advised to split them up which I did I took Violet To BARC an they kindly bonded her with Parsley a Male bunny needing a home and they have been happily married for nearly 4 years now 

Thanks for the reply. I still hope to be able to keep them both but I suppose it's not great for them at the moment as neither can be out of the cage nearly as much as they should and if things don't go well then it'd be better for them to split and get new bunny partners. Definitely will get a boy if we do have to rehome one of them.

I'm going to keep trying, hopefully there'll be more promising signs tomorrow.

It *could* be down to 'spring fever' - something lots of bunny owners notice at this time of year when bunny hormones normally go into overdrive (despite them being spayed/neutered).

I have a pair of sisters who always have scraps anywhere from February through to May. Once it was bad and, as you say, there was enough fur pulled out to make another bunny! Fortunately for me, I had to spend one night in the shed with them to ensure no serious damage was done but they got over themselves and settled back into their normal routine. It might be worth trying to re-bond them in a few weeks time rather than keep trying when they're clearly feeling feisty?????? Hope it all works out for you.

we have had this scenario and had to split them in the end. Once the one who has never started the fight before starts to be aggressive (probably as a form of defence) tbh its usually the sign that the bond is pretty irreparable.

Suspect you will soon be on the lookout for two male buns!