My babies fight

Rjken6918 · Oct 23, 2020

Hi Guys I am new to this, but really want advice. I bought 2 baby boy bunnies from the same litter when they were 10 weeks old, they live in the house and spend most of the time hopping round in the dining kitchen with me while I work during the day. Evenings they came in the living room (usually pulled my shaggy rug to bits) but just chilled next to each other after they had a mad five minutes. They were so loving towards each other, it was adorable. One night a few weeks ago they had a massive fight and I spilt them up, but they just continued and it was awful, I ended up sleeping downstairs that night - one with me and the other in the cage !!!!. I called the vets and they said they are too young to have them 'done' yet and to wait until they are 6 months old. I keep them separated now (flat A and flat B), but it upsets me and makes it difficult with them playing out as the other one goes mad in the cage when the other is playing out. Will they ever make friends ?

InspectorMorse · Oct 23, 2020

Rjken6918 said:
Hi Guys I am new to this, but really want advice. I bought 2 baby boy bunnies from the same litter when they were 10 weeks old, they live in the house and spend most of the time hopping round in the dining kitchen with me while I work during the day. Evenings they came in the living room (usually pulled my shaggy rug to bits) but just chilled next to each other after they had a mad five minutes. They were so loving towards each other, it was adorable. One night a few weeks ago they had a massive fight and I spilt them up, but they just continued and it was awful, I ended up sleeping downstairs that night - one with me and the other in the cage !!!!. I called the vets and they said they are too young to have them 'done' yet and to wait until they are 6 months old. I keep them separated now (flat A and flat B), but it upsets me and makes it difficult with them playing out as the other one goes mad in the cage when the other is playing out. Will they ever make friends ?

Unfortunately if they have had a serious fight and then are kept in close proximity to each other it is far less likely that they will be able to be re-bonded even after neutering. The chances may improve if you were to keep them in different rooms and to try to minimise the chance of them even being able to smell each other. Bucks can actually be neutered before 6 months of age as long as their testes have descended and that they weigh more than 1kg

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-health/medical/neutering/

Scrappy's Little Helper · Oct 23, 2020

I'm sorry your boys have fallen out. Those pesky hormones have a lot to answer for! It is possible for them to become friends again but it won't be easy.

I agree that the best thing to do for now is to keep them in separate rooms so they can't antagonise each other. Once they have been neutered you will need to wait at least six weeks for the residual hormones to subside.

After that, you will need to rebond them from scratch in a neutral area. Either somewhere neither has been before or you can use a 50/50 solution of white vinegar and water to neutralise a space. Start with a small space and very slowly expand outwards. It's very important that you don't try to rush this process. If you try to rebond them too quickly you'll just end up going backwards.

Good luck and I hope the boys will become friends again.

Rjken6918 · Oct 23, 2020

Thank you for your advice - we are now in the process of taking the large indoor cage up to the 3rd floor (my 18yr old sons penthouse) for smudge and Peanut will stay downstairs in the two tier hutch with me. Fingers crossed they will rebond - they are absolutely fine with my cocker spaniel dog, pippin and they both groom her, which is hilarious !! and she does a great job of cleaning up after them, iof they have an accident :lol:

My babies fight

Rjken6918

New Kit

InspectorMorse

Wise Old Thumper

Scrappy's Little Helper

Mama Doe

Rjken6918

New Kit

Similar threads