Our bunnies just had a fight! what to do?

[mabster]

Well the bunnies have been acting a bit odd lately..
Bailey has been humping oakley and they have been circling each other quite a bit now. They go head to tail then spin? What is this?

Then suddenly tonight they were scuffling outside their cage and biting each other! A few mins before they were snuggledup together. Oakley must be around 11 weeks and Bailey around 9. Are their hormones kicking in? Should I sperate them tonight?

So worried boot me buns. theres fluff everywhere :(

Just noticed where a bit of fluff has been torn off Bailey. I felt a lump and had a look. :'( theres bloody skin. Oh no.. She's not bleeding but it looks so raw

[Happy Hopping]

are they spay?

[mabster]

Not yet. Should I get them done soon? I thought they might be too young. Poor Bailey. The patch is about 2cm wide and its just the skin underneath. Its like the skin has been torn off .

[Happy Hopping]

they should be spay when they are 5 mth. to 6 mth. old. If it's a pair of male and female, they could be in heat. IF they are a pair of male or a pair of female, they are most likely fighting for territory.

[mabster]

They are both females. I don't know what to do about Baileys wound? The surrounding skin is damaged and peels back slightly. I cant get to the vets till the morning (about 10 hours time)

Cheers for the reply. Will supervise them for a bt but I'll keep them seperated tonight,

[Tamsin]

Yes, their hormones are kicking in and they are fighting over who is the dominate rabbit. The circling is often a precursor to a fight.

If you can keep an eye on them leave them together otherwise seperate them preferably where they can see each other.If you do seperate them, you will probably have to keep them apart until they are neutered. You'll need to discuss with your vet what age they'll do this at. A very few vets will neuter at 3 months otherwise 4-6 months is the earliest.

For the wound, boil water and allow it to cool and use that to clean it. Then poke the skin flap down and just leave it. It should have formed a scab by the morning. After that just keep an eye on it. If there is swelling, it goes red or weepy then she'll need to go to the vet for antibiotics.

Tam

[mabster]

Thank you. I shall do that just now. There is no flap of skin though :( I think Oakley ate it! The surrounding skin is a bit lose but should gue itself over night. I'll get some gauze oot and try and get cotton buds tonight. I don't want to hurt her.

Mabs

P:S how are you up so late ;)?

[Tamsin]

Ewww, but yes, it should scab over and close up :)

I'm a bit of a late night person, I work for myself so I don't have to get up early. I've got a baby bun that will want his milk in a minute too ;)

Tam

[mabster]

Aww a baby? :) I saw a loverly headhog as I was out learning to drive. I slowed right down and watched him dissapear into the fields :)

On the wound front: Keep it clean, stop hairs from sticking etc? I currently don't have a bunny first aid kit. I do have some pure tee tree oil that requires dilution. Would this be suitable for the wound? Any human meds be ok? Germaline etc?
Mind you germaline might sting..

Poor kids. The O/H is fast asleep, bless her. Don't want to wake her up. I think I'll stay up most o the night keeping an eye on them.
I mind when we got bailey ( 2 weeks ago I think) I stayed up till half 3 as we put them together the first night.

It often looks like they are in love :)


Mabs

[Tamsin]

I'm not sure about tea tree. Avoid anything that stings as that may make her scratch at it.

If it was me I'd put a blob of sudecreme on if you've got it :) Otherwise just clean it up and leave it :) They heal amazingly quickly so don't worry to much :)

[purplebumble]

bif is having her wounds bathed with salty cooled water..and shes on baytril and has bene given dermosil cram to heal it all up..

in the meantime bathing it and applying sudocrem i agree is th ebst thing to do.

yup willow was fighting bif as willwo had escaped her pen and was hormonal and unbonded to bif and bertie..she coul dhave easily killed bif..
the vets ais you must keep them well apart till theyre healed and even better..spayed!!
the raw neck thingy makes me gringe..poor bif..and shes got anasty bite on her shoulder..
best see vet in case they think antibiotics is needed as well..
it looks so nasty but turns out to be falry superficial but your git churns doesn ti..its awful.
does eh..scary creatures!