Question on messing up the bed

Hi

I have recently taken on 2 new rescue rabbits, they had always been caged and not lived in the same place so went through the bonding process and they are not the best of friends, both female.

I had a pen built so that they could have a good 8ft by 5ft run on their hutch and I dont tend to close it as don't like to keep them locked in (I will of a night once the weatehr changes)

However, they are the messiest souls alive lol! I put shavings ont he bottom of the 'communal' area and the enclosed bed area and filled with hay and straw. within minutes everything, and I mean everything is kicked out the dorr, even down to the last piece of shavings. Its mkaing everywhere look very messy as it sticks to the grass and looks a site!

Any ideas why this might be?

Thanks

x

How big is their hutch? Is there enough room to but an under-bed storage box as a litter tray? This would help prevent them kicking out their bedding. I'm not sure why they are doing it, as my 4 live in my dining room I haven't had experience of hutches for about 30 years.

Its quite a bit hutch and has a concealed bedroom up a level (jumping level) but they kick everything out and like to lie on the bear pine. I had a litter tray in there but that got chucked as well. I was feeding them last night, next minute half a carrot came flying out lol. They are funny

The garden looks awful though and I am having the landlord round on Friday for an inspection and can't possibly let them see it like this hahaah.

They have lots of space and because they have been cooped up all their lives I thought they would be pleased with the extra space and they seem to be, always playing about and busy around the run but this bed thing is a nightmare. I stuffed a huge amount of hay in as the temperature dropped and I thought they would like to burrow into a slice of a bale of hay, obvisouly not haha

Have they both been spayed? I'm wondering if it is a territorial issue, i.e. one can smell the other's scent on the bedding and is kicking it out to make room for their scent....or just playing. do they toss toys? My chloe tosses her ball out of the litter tray if I put it in (just to watch her toss it out :lol and Bugsy loves to toss plastic flower pots (empty thankfully!)

You say they went through the bonding process but are not the best of friends.

For rabbits to live happily together they really do have to be good friends and I wonder how long the bonding went on before putting them together permanently?

To put together two rabbits who are not properly bonded is a recipe for disaster - will lead to fighting and can result in serious injury to one or both. The behavious being displayed could therefore be territorial.

Are they spayed?

You say they have a large hutch - what size is it?

Sorry my mistake - I meat to say the very best of friends - they do everything together. Always cuddling up and playing together.

rabbitwilks said:

Sorry my mistake - I meat to say the very best of friends - they do everything together. Always cuddling up and playing together.

Click to expand...

That's good!
What size is their is their hutch?
Are they neutered?

The hutch is 7ft by 4ft and has an extra hidey part in the roof that they can get in. they then have the run on the front which is 8f long. they also come inside everyday for a play in the front room

They are not spayed as yet, I am booked in to have them both done together afterwhich I will keem them seperate but so they can touch noses and see each other until they are healed.

I think I know who the culprate is. One was very clean and loved her litter tray and the other was a reprebate! weeing and pooing everywhere. They now both insist on using the bedroom area for poo and wees as well as a corner of the run. if I put a tray in either spot it gets moved out.

I do think its probably game play as you say as they are forever tossing things around incuding my slippers when they come in theyre good sports the pair of them

You should not need to keep them separate when they are spayed, they should be fine. I'm sure they will calm down then.
Just a bit of a warning - rabbits don't react very well to changes in temperature, so be careful about bringing them in and then putting them out again, particularly as it is now getting very cold.

Arrr right! Thanks Babsie, I will maybe not bring them in now that the temperatue is dropping (plus they are chewing my piano to bits lol). I started to bring them into really to get used to me and the cats and vice versa but to be honest they always look a bit bored when in side and I think more so now they will notice the change in temperatue.

i have removed all the bedding again just now which was thrown everywhere and have left it until bedtime, i am going to lock them in tonight with their bedding in as a bit worried that if they kick it out tonight, its going to be a cold night so dont want them freezing. this way its locked in with them to keep them snug (although i am sure they will clear a space free of any bedding to lie lol)

Thanks again for your help