Fighting/nipping over food?

I've posted a couple of times before about my bonded pair fighting, they've been together 4 years with no problems. They had two big fall outs where it just started through beano nipping Gordon when they're getting fed then he runs away and she chases then he starts to fight back. I don't know what causes the first time, I just heard banging so rushed in and fur was everything and they were chasing, lunging at each other biting and scratching. Both times I moved them into a smaller pen in the kitchen and rebonded and they were fine in there. They've both been to the vet both timed also and nothing has been found to be wrong.

I moved them back into the bedroom where they have their crate and then free range of the room a few days ago after they were in the rebounding pen for several weeks and they've been fine except at pellet time. Beano nips Gordon and he runs away and she then chases him, I'm worried things will escalate from this! Once the pellets are down (scatter fed) they are fine and are fine after. There is some nipping going on over hay but not as much. I'm wondering if I should separate them to give them their pellets or will this make things worse? Or any other advice about how to avoid squabbles over food?

Loads of people have said they separate their buns at feeding times... If it makes things less fraught. I certainly would,

Good luck, xxx

Thank you I just wasn't sure, so thought I best check. Beano is more inquisitive so follows me into the hall/living room a lot more so I'll just put her pellets down in there and Gordon's in the bedroom see if that will help xx

You could also try scatter feeding if you haven't already. My boys (Dandy and Beano) had a scuffle over a bowl of pellets once but are fine when scatter fed :thumb:

Thank you, I do scatter feed already though

The quad all chase each other round like trains at pellet time.

I put a handful in each (of four) trays and some in the middle and in the (always open) little hutch.

If a rabbit is frozen still (usually Tessie or Snowflake) I put a few by their nose as well. Frosty always gets first dibs with all the food but all tuck in within seconds.

I hope the separate feeding thing does the trick for your two.