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Help needed, bonding and fights!

Estelle

Wise Old Thumper
Amber and Dexter had a scuffle this morning. They have been together about 3 weeks now. They were in the hutch together and I'd let Hobbes and Phoebe into the garden. I think Phoebe had sprayed wee near the hutch and Dexter got excited and tried to mount Amber but she didn't like it.
There was a big scuffle so i went outside and banged about until they stopped. They both looked ok so i put some fencing round the front of the hutch to keep the other two away from them.
I heard another scuffle 10 minutes later and when they separated I saw Ambers ear was bleeding. I opened the hutch to see if she was ok and she got out and wouldn't go back in even with food.
I had to put Dexter upstairs in the hutch and block off the stairs so she'd go back in as I was late for work and couldn't leave them together.
So now Dexter is in the top half and Amber is in the bottom half. What do I do now? :?
 
Give a few days, & start again from the beginning on neutral territory again. Might be best if you keep swapping what hutch section they are in too, so they can keep smelling each other. I've had the odd scuffle if other buns get near. Mine can't see each other anymore(can smell though), & it solved a lot of it. I'd keep an eye on them though, as if they genuinely dislike each other, the fights will get worse.
 
They seemed fine yesterday, they were grooming each other and all loved up. I think it was the other two that upset them. Just worried incase they hurt each other :(
 
I have to be very careful with my bonded pairs - each pair has their own shed and run (next to each other) and they are fine with this, and they take it in turns to run round the garden. Harry & Heather are the dominant pair, and they will bicker with each other if they are in their run and one of the other buns gets too close (when I briefly had Libby, who they hated, they would fight properly whenever she was near) so I have to block off the sides of their run to stop the others from getting too close. They don't fight if THEY are in the garden and they can see the nethies in their run, it's only if the nethies are out - presumably because they view the garden as their territory and get very grumpy at someone else using it!

Once yours are re-bonded, you may have to do something similar. The bonds between my buns are absolutely fine, they just don't seem to like other bunnies being too close so I just have to make absolutely sure they are kept away from each other to avoid any problems.
 
Thanks, i'm sure Phoebe is the problem as she runs up to them and starts scratching the wire.
Is it best to bring Amber and Dexter indoors and rebond? If i just open up the staircase in the hutch are they likely to fight again since i separated them?
 
Yes I'd bring them somewhere totally separate to rebond and only put them back out there once they're rebonded - and make some kind of modification to stop the other buns from getting too close, naughty buns :no:
 
Estelle said:
Thanks, i'm sure Phoebe is the problem as she runs up to them and starts scratching the wire.
Is it best to bring Amber and Dexter indoors and rebond? If i just open up the staircase in the hutch are they likely to fight again since i separated them?

Are they likely to be territorial over "their" section of the hutch? I'd be tempted to pretend you were bonding from scratch. If they get on fine in neutral territory, you could always just leave them together again. I'd just be wary of moving too quickly so they fight again. My Chocolate is ok in neutral territory if Cracker humps her, but if he does it in their hutch, he's in trouble! Luckily, he knows that!!
 
I don't think they are territoral in the hutch. It was brand new when they moved in and they lie together in the litter tray and on the top floor.
I am bringing Amber in the kitchen to check her over and shall bring Dexter in to clip his nails and then see how they get on in the kitchen.
I've put some fencing round the hutch so the other two can't get near.
Thanks for the help! I'm so worried about Ambers ears, can you buy ear protectors? :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
Estelle said:
I don't think they are territoral in the hutch. It was brand new when they moved in and they lie together in the litter tray and on the top floor.
I am bringing Amber in the kitchen to check her over and shall bring Dexter in to clip his nails and then see how they get on in the kitchen.
I've put some fencing round the hutch so the other two can't get near.
Thanks for the help! I'm so worried about Ambers ears, can you buy ear protectors? :lol: :lol: :lol:

Get some of those finger bandage things you wear over a bandage!!
 
I put them in the kitchen together for a couple of hours and they were ok so i then put them outside in the garden and they went into the hutch later and seem to be fine now. I've put some fencing round the hutch so the other two can't get near them and upset them again. Fingers crossed they will be ok now!
 
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