Fighting Breaks Out - Advice Needed

My two dwarf lop rabbits (both neutered) have been happily bonded for four months now. They appeared to be completely in love, always snuggling, grooming etc - until this morning!! All of a sudden a massive fight broke out. She started it with a couple of bites and then it broke into a proper fight, fur flying, rolling on backs etc. I have had to seperate them so that I could come to work.
Nothing at all has changed in their environment so I really do not understand this? We have recently been on holiday and they have been at my parents house (no problem), but we have been back for a week with no problems!
Where do I go from here? put them back together tonight (obviously supervised) and see what happens?

Sorry to hear your buns have falllen out. The only thing I can say is to put them back together and see how it goes. Sometimes a pair falls out for no apparent reason but is ok again. It could be one has a health problem so just keep an eye out for anything unusual.

I put them back together last night. Initially she thought about going for him a couple of times but did'nt and they them seemed to settle down - groomed a snuggled etc - although quite warily! Left them together in ther cage together last night, and although they were a bit quiet when I went in this morning they were waiting for their breakfast! However within half an hour world war 3 broke out again and I have had to seperate them again. I've booked them in at the vets this afternoon for a health check just in case one of them is poorly! Its her that keeps starting it - perphaps she has decided she just doe'snt like him anymore!
Problem is i'm distraught about the situation as i'm going to struggle to keep them both if they are seperate!

Been to the vets this afternoon for a vet check on them both - and both perfectly healthy! He suggested keeping them apart for a couple of days (but where they can see each other) and then starting the whole bonding process again!

Poor you. It wasn't food related was it? I hope things calm down soon.

Don't know about this morning, but certainly was'nt food related yesterday! She just suddenly went for him as if she hated him. Doe'snt make sense to me - they were obsessed with each other before that! Then again i'm a mere human and not a rabbit so i'm bound to not understand!

I'm in exactly the same situation as you...have two bonded boys that have been together from 8 weeks to a year and a half. I moved to my parents and a couple of weeks after moving there they fell out. Big fight skin and fur bitten off! I have moved back to my home now and they still fight. Anyway I have kept them apart for a couple of weeks but they can still see each other. I am now starting bonding all over again upstairs in the bedrooms so starting on neutral territory in a large space. I have done this for about a week now and all seems fine. However if I let them out in the garden where their territory is they fight again! I am going to persevere for a few weeks longer of 'gay dating' each night and see how it goes. I would def recommend starting bonding again from scratch in neutral territory first.

Just thought I would give an update - Things not going well!
Tried them again together this weekend and fighting started straight away! For some reason she seems to have developed a hatred for him, and just goes for him at the first opportunity! As he is quite a timid bun anyway, he is now becoming quite scared of her. To be honest I think i'm going to be giving it up as a bad job as i'm too concerned about the effect it is having on him and him becoming badly hurt.

Mine were like this as well...going straight for each other whenever I tried to put them back together. Mine are much better now I can leave them upstairs for an hour a day together and they have started humping again and grooming each other. I still wouldnt risk them being alone yet but its looking more promising. Its taken me a month to get them to this. Where are you putting them back together? If its somewhere they have been before they will keep on fighting. The only way to do it is try them somewhere else where they have never been so they are a bit wary like the bathroom or something and neither thinks its their territory. Sit with them and keep stroking their heads while they are next to each other so they learn to trust each other again. Do this for 10 minutes a day and see how that goes. Never let them in their usual territory together and also try not to let them fight. If any aggression shows split them up before (e.g. look for tail sticking up etc). You will have to be patient and do this slowly. If you try and rush it you risk having to start again.

Have you had the Vet check them both over ? Sudden unexplained fighting can occur if one of a bonded pair is unwell in some way.

She has had them checked by the vet Jane post 4. Mine also fell out after I moved them to my parents (it was also a week later when they fell out, they were fine at first!). I think the fall out has been triggered by moving them.

Lady Logamorph said:

Mine were like this as well...going straight for each other whenever I tried to put them back together. Mine are much better now I can leave them upstairs for an hour a day together and they have started humping again and grooming each other. I still wouldnt risk them being alone yet but its looking more promising. Its taken me a month to get them to this. Where are you putting them back together? If its somewhere they have been before they will keep on fighting. The only way to do it is try them somewhere else where they have never been so they are a bit wary like the bathroom or something and neither thinks its their territory. Sit with them and keep stroking their heads while they are next to each other so they learn to trust each other again. Do this for 10 minutes a day and see how that goes. Never let them in their usual territory together and also try not to let them fight. If any aggression shows split them up before (e.g. look for tail sticking up etc). You will have to be patient and do this slowly. If you try and rush it you risk having to start again.

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Thanks for the advice - problem is I have run out of neutral territories as they have now been in every room in the house! I know I probably sounds mean and defeatist (I certainly feel it at the moment) but it took me 4 months to get them together in the first place and i'm not sure i've got the time, the energy or the nerves to do it again!!!

Furballs said:

Thanks for the advice - problem is I have run out of neutral territories as they have now been in every room in the house! I know I probably sounds mean and defeatist (I certainly feel it at the moment) but it took me 4 months to get them together in the first place and i'm not sure i've got the time, the energy or the nerves to do it again!!!

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Sometimes two particular Rabbits just dont like each other. In that situation then to keep trying to force a bond would not be something I would do. If you do try again then I'd leave it at least a month.

I know what you mean I was so annoyed when they fell out I really didnt have the energy and the time to go through it but I decided to really try and get them back together. I knew that they did like each other as they had been bonded for 1 year and a half with no problems before I moved them. My alternative would be to rehome one and get another and I really couldnt choose one to go so decided to try and rebond them. Anyway its up to you but if they have previously been bonded them I think they will bond again. I understand when rabbits wont bond in the first place why people decide to not carry on but if they have been successfully bonded in the past then in most cases they can be bonded again with a little time and patience. Good luck though I hope it works out whatever you decide.

I too am in this position.

My bunnies have never been snuggle bunnies as such, but do have their moments and have generally got on okay. However, about a month ago Rosie had 2 dreadful wounds - one on the inside of one leg and the other on the outside of the other leg. She had to have surgery to repair them.

My first problem has been - I don't know how they ocurred for sure. I have 3 possibilities - the two rabbits were fighting (not typical fight wounds according to the vet, but still possible), she has injured herself in the garden or may be a cat.

Whichever reason, they have had to be separated (Rosie, spayed female and Teddy a neutered male). We are now having to do a full rebond.

Spent all day Saturday monitoring both bunnies in the bath. Very, very tiring. Their encounters were frighteningly vicious - but oven gloves to the ready, I managed to separate every bout, until the evening, when they seemed fairly settled. I slept downstairs (downstair bathroom) and had an uneventful night with them both.

Sunday, we put them both back into their original accommodation - horrendous. They were lunging at each other, very violently. It was draining and so unrewarding as no progress was made over the day. Consequently they were separated again - original accommodation but with a divider of mesh.

They will be there for the week, when we will try again this weekend. I hate seeing them like this as their quality of life is definately poorer. The accommodation is superb for 2 rabbits, but just about adequate when divided into two. They are also missing out on the free range of the garden.

Today I returned to find Teddy had jumped over the divider into Rosie's accommodation. There was evidence of fighting (fur), but I was amazed no real injuries. I don't know how long they had been together, but it has given me a tiny bit of hope. They are now again separated by mesh, with extra security measures!

I do not know how I can give 2 rabbits the quality of life they had when bonded if they have to live separately so I am sooo hoping this can be sorted.

I have had rabbits for many years and have never had such a problem before. It has been an eye opener and quite honestly, rocked my confidence.

Poor you Furballs, sounds distressing for all concerned.
Perhaps a local rescue that does bonding would do a rebond for you for a donation?
Cheaper in the long run, has both buns interests at heart & takes the pressure & stress off you.
Best of luck with sorting this issue out.

Thanks for all of your advice. I hav'nt really decided what to do with them yet! They are currently in completely seperate rooms as I felt they definately needed some complete time apart. One of my problems now however is that I actually think he seems happier now that she is not there!! As I said previously he is quite a timid bun and therefore I think he has become quite scared of her - now shes gone he's dashing round like a little baby bun all over again! I know that you should'nt have favourites but as he was here first and is quite timid I am very over protective of him!
I think I might need to give it a couple of weeks and decide.

I would also suggest re-bonding on totally neutral territory, and don't expand the space too quickly, or move them back to their original territory too quickly. You will need to treat it as a complete new bonding and follow the rules. Definitely don't put them outside together until they have bonded completely, as outside territory always seems to mess up the bonding and trigger fighting (from my experience). Then there is the option of the car journey, if you have a car and someone to supervise them while you drive. I haven't personally tried that one..but heard that it can help.

fruitandnutcake said:

I would also suggest re-bonding on totally neutral territory, and don't expand the space too quickly, or move them back to their original territory too quickly. You will need to treat it as a complete new bonding and follow the rules. Definitely don't put them outside together until they have bonded completely, as outside territory always seems to mess up the bonding and trigger fighting (from my experience). Then there is the option of the car journey, if you have a car and someone to supervise them while you drive. I haven't personally tried that one..but heard that it can help.

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They are not outside Bunnies anyway - they are spoilt house bunnies!

:lol: I mean if you let them outside to "play" or have "run time"! My four are house buns...but on nice days I open up the patio doors and let them wander outside on the patio and grass...and that is when they usually fight. Mine have been bonded as a quad for a year now, but I know that they are most likely to squabble if I let them have a run outside, so I have reduced the outside area with puppy panels! Also beware "spring fever" ...