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This is what it looks like when rabbits fight (apparently)
- Thread starter Sky-O
- Start date
I'm really sorry for all of you that it's going this way.
You know more about rabbits than most of us on here. It seems to me if you've got problems they'll be more difficult to solve than most.
We've considered referred aggression, & drawn a blanck. I'm sure you'll have excluded next door neighbours getting a bunny for Christmas & keeping it in a shed, or wildies/ strays.
It's so odd that they behave themselves when you're there.
Venturing into my own unknown, can fear aggression manifest this way?
Sounding really stupid, a field mouse used to come inside just for winter. Thumper & mouse were equally terrified of each other.:lol: A field mouse hides away much more than house mice, leaving virtually no "evidence" in standard places.
Then there's what I call "the night life". Any fox/cat prints in the mud after the rain?
At least I'm prepared to look at total idiot trying for them
You know more about rabbits than most of us on here. It seems to me if you've got problems they'll be more difficult to solve than most.
We've considered referred aggression, & drawn a blanck. I'm sure you'll have excluded next door neighbours getting a bunny for Christmas & keeping it in a shed, or wildies/ strays.
It's so odd that they behave themselves when you're there.
Venturing into my own unknown, can fear aggression manifest this way?
Sounding really stupid, a field mouse used to come inside just for winter. Thumper & mouse were equally terrified of each other.:lol: A field mouse hides away much more than house mice, leaving virtually no "evidence" in standard places.
Then there's what I call "the night life". Any fox/cat prints in the mud after the rain?
At least I'm prepared to look at total idiot trying for them
I know, it's ridiculous. But they've been separate, until this morning, for about 28 hours, and I wonder if the rest/break has done them good. Flame does appear to really WANT to be with them both- it's been quite sad really.
Hey Judy, sorry I've not replied to your PM yet.
Having observed very closely, I think this is a hormonal thing. Flame is a hermaphrodite (testicles and vulva) but had his testicles removed. We are now in breeding season (anytime after then ights draw out- as I'm sure you know) and the behaviour he is showing is more hormonal than I've ever seen from him. He is marking a lot and even had a half hearted, yet optimistic, attempt at mounting Wish (thankfully she was oblivious otherwise he would have been made to regret that). I can't help but wonder whether neutering Flame was not enough and if maybe he needs a spay- or similar (I don't know what it would be). What a sentence. :lol:
I love that story about your mouse.
It's funny you should mention that but they do appear to be scared of the hamster :lol: although they have only come across her tonight (she's in a cage in the living room- where they are now- but normally they live in my room).
They are inside bunnies so no worries about any outside nightlife thankfully (and all my outsiders are entirely normal, as is our cat, so able to rule that out, thankfully). These are normally 3 very chilled bunnies and I don't think it's a referred aggression issue- those who live in my room are very tolerant of others because there are always others around.
No wildies around here and I suspect, if there was a stray that I would be aware of it one way or another (like by 'evidence' around because it would be attracted to my bunnies and also all the useful things here, but also because if people in this area see stray rabbits they tend to contact me thinking it's one of mine).
Fear aggression- yes it can. That, to be honest, was one of my first thoughts and I think has played a part in this, in that if a bunny is warey of another bunny, they can attack first ('fight or flight'), even if there is no reason to. Sandy was terrible for that- it's why it took me about 10 different bonding attempts to finally find her a friend. So it stands to reason that any other fear could manifest in the same way. I'm not entirely sure these bunnies, any of them, know genuine fear in the same sense other bunnies might, but yes, it was definitely a consideration.
You could never look like an idiot
Thanks for your reply Judy. x
Now why did I think that Sky-O would have a "challenging" rabbit problem & thought of everything?:lol:
I guess that the simple thing to start with would be if Hammy could have a brief holiday to exclude that issue.
If you think it's hormonal, I think that's probably the right answer & we're early in the Spring fever season!
Ooo 'eck. With Flame being hermaphrodite any internal gonads could potentially be of either sex, & may not necessarily be in the "right" place. I've no idea about hormone treatments. At the end of the day, the most important thing, is to weigh up any actual benefit to Flame himself, against what we would ask of him, if any intervention should be possible.
I know you'll choose what is right for him. You always do so with your rabbits.
For light relief.
The full mouse story - I was sat very quietly at the end of the kitchen & watched a lovely field mouse creep from behind the washing machine & along an 1" wide gap between it & a kitchen unit. Meanwhile Thumper had heard it & was cautiously creeping round the units. They met nose to nose at the corner. Mouse jumped in the air, & vanished behind the washing machine. Thumper flew across the kitchen in 3 bounds, & ended up between my feet doing danger thumps!:lol:
Yes I can do some incredibly silly things. I think it's called eccentricity as we get older.:lol:
I guess that the simple thing to start with would be if Hammy could have a brief holiday to exclude that issue.
If you think it's hormonal, I think that's probably the right answer & we're early in the Spring fever season!
Ooo 'eck. With Flame being hermaphrodite any internal gonads could potentially be of either sex, & may not necessarily be in the "right" place. I've no idea about hormone treatments. At the end of the day, the most important thing, is to weigh up any actual benefit to Flame himself, against what we would ask of him, if any intervention should be possible.
I know you'll choose what is right for him. You always do so with your rabbits.
For light relief.
The full mouse story - I was sat very quietly at the end of the kitchen & watched a lovely field mouse creep from behind the washing machine & along an 1" wide gap between it & a kitchen unit. Meanwhile Thumper had heard it & was cautiously creeping round the units. They met nose to nose at the corner. Mouse jumped in the air, & vanished behind the washing machine. Thumper flew across the kitchen in 3 bounds, & ended up between my feet doing danger thumps!:lol:
Yes I can do some incredibly silly things. I think it's called eccentricity as we get older.:lol:
