Frankie, Benny and Willow: u/d 166

[Fee]

Hiya Folks

Need help, hubby woke me up this morning to say there had been a hellish commotion in the run this morning!!! He went out and place was upside down, boxes upturned, water upturned and fur everywhere..

I rushed out and all was quiet. Benny nomming in hut and Frankie nomming in hutch. Willow hyper as usual. Frankie the fearful has always been the quieter more shy of the 2. I picked him up and checked for obvious injuries, couldnt see anything apart from missing fur here and there, no blood or cuts. He was quiet though.... reckon he's had a fright!! Benny has always been more forward and bolshy.

Benny is ok too it seems, he is in a heavy moult just now too and fur a mess...

What should i do to try to prevent a full scale bond break down??? Should I close the run and keep
them confined to shed/hutch??? Need help as I cant have 2 different set ups.

Ps . Should add . Strangely last night was the first time i left run accessible overnight!! Could this have caused a territorial issue?? They are always locked in shed overnight/ run closed

 

[Sky-O]

I was going to ask if there were any changes in their environment and you mentioned it anyway. I would close off the run and keep them out of it completely for at least a week, maybe even longer. In that time, totally neutralise the run. Probably with quite a strong vinegar solution.

How big is the run?

 

[Fee]

Hiya... Sorry have been out to see how things are,,Frankie has been sitting in his bedroom, Willow and benny have been nomming together. My wee boy gave Frankie a fenugreek crunchie to nom and in a flash Benny came tearing in and chased Frankie back nto his bedroom and stole the crunchie... Frankie is still n his bedroom..... Benny has always been the more dominant bunny.. Could it be an issue over food?. There were no pellets or crunchies in the run overnight.. Just hay???

The run is actually 2 x 5'x5' runs shoved together. it has a litter tray, a hay box and 3 cardboard boxes to climb through?..

We maybe thought that there were too many places in the run to hide and fight over... We have removed all but the hay box a tunnel and a cardboard box...

 

[wendle]

Aww sorry fee I can't help but I hope they are ok it's awful when they fight

 

[Fee]

Aww Thanks Wendle........I am really concerned, Frankie is just sitting and every time Willow or Benny move, he runs..... and hides..... Poor wee soul. dont know what to do....He is very sensitive

Just rechecked them.. Frankie is still in bedroom of hutch, Benny is sitting at the entrance to the bedroom... I am stumped...dont know what to do for the best. i need Frankie to be ableto come out cor a drink without being scared...

 

[wendle]

Awww bless him he won't come out if he's scared I hope they not ganging up on him can you ring the rescue where you got them for some advice Fee will he come out if you go to the hutch and stroke them all I don't no what to say

 

[Fee]

I've been out again and actually witnessed whats happening. It would appear Benny is territorial over the run. Frankie dared show his face at the cat flap and Benny came racing at him and Frankie scarpered back into the bedroom. It didnt help that Wllow came charging too.. I think thats exactly it, They ARE ganging up on him... Poor wee darling... I have been in the hut with all 3 but canr get near frankie as he is holed up in the bedroom and every time I call him, he turns his bck to me.

I've locked the catflap now so they are all confined to the shed/hutch now.....

Its actually a bit scary as its almost as if Benny is purposefully planking himself a the bedroom door to prevent Frankie coming out. Its Intimidation on Bennys part....!!,!

Frankie did venture out though for a good long drink while others were in another litter tray and he is eating so at least thats good.. I put fresh new hay in his bedroom to nom and also put fresh new hay in the other two litter trays so they can all have space,,,

I am gutted!

PS.. Have asked Fairly Beloved for assistance...

 

[wendle]

Awww bless can you block the run off and do what Sky O said don't let them back in and neutralise it all then put all new boxes in and then after a week just let them have half of the run to start with for. Week and if they are ok let them have the other half I hope poor bunny gets better and comes out xx

 

[Sky-O]

I think you need to shrink the space right back to something very small and start again, predominantly to allow Frankie to regain his confidence around Benny.

That's a hugely large space to just let them out in (the run that is). I personally would suggest that if you do come to a place where the run is a viable option again, to block off say 3/4 of it, and only allow them access to the first 1/4, and then after about a week then extend to 1/2 blocked off and 1/2 accessible, etc, and carry on like that,, in quarters. Maybe even if less than quarters.

 

[Fee]

Sorry I was editing post as you posted...

Thats what I have done.. Locked the catflap and will totally neutralise the run space. They'll be in there a week a least till I see an improvement. If It doesnt..... well... i dont want to think about what happens next...

Please think positive for them to be a happy bunny family again.. I am devastated..

Thanks for your help!,,:thumb:

 

[wendle]

Fee xx when I brought hatter n smudge home they started chasing and fur pulling there was fur all over one morning so I asked the lady who bonded them for me on here advice, and she told me to put them back in a small space ( as Sky O adviced ) I did this and only opened the space up a tiny bit each day for 2 weeks I never let them in the Run for at least 4 weeks till I knew they were ok in the house and touch wood this worked xxx

 

[Fee]

Thanks pal.. appreciated..... will keep my fingers toes and everything else crossed that things go well...

fee xxx

 

[Sky-O]

Sorry I was editing post as you posted...

Thats what I have done.. Locked the catflap and will totally neutralise the run space. They'll be in there a week a least till I see an improvement. If It doesnt..... well... i dont want to think about what happens next...

Please think positive for them to be a happy bunny family again.. I am devastated..

Thanks for your help!,,:thumb:

You will probably need to go right back to a much smaller size than the shed due to the fear Frankie is feeling.

ET- how big is the shed?

Where were they prior to going into the shed?

 

[wendle]

Keep us posted Fee sending you loads a

 

[Fee]

You will probably need to go right back to a much smaller size than the shed due to the fear Frankie is feeling.

ET- how big is the shed?

Where were they prior to going into the shed?

Thanks Sky-o!!!
They were in a rescue so unsure what size of living accommodation.
My hutch is in the shed and isnt big enough for 3,,, the shed is a 7x5.. Theres no way i could confine them to hutch only. They wouldnt be able to move.....

Here is a pic from 3 weeks ago. I have now removed the hay box from the back and the tunnel.

[/IMG]


:wave:... Thanks too Wendle....

 

[wendle]

I would put that hay box back in and the tunnel so it's smaller again Fee I hope it all goes back to normal for you xxx

 

[Sky-O]

The hutch is probably about the size suggested for bonding? If your shed is 5 by 7, then the hutch is probably 6ft by 2ft? Which is actually bigger than the recommended size to start bonding with, so it wouldn't be the end of the world if you did find you needed to confine them to that.

 

[Fee]

Thanks!!,both of you......! Will put the hay box back in to reduce the space and see how it goes..... Have been sitting with them in the hutch, my bum has gone to sleep.

I think my hutch is 5x 2 . The rabbit rescue werent best pleased about hutch size so I had to get another run and shed.. They also free range too after work and at weekend if weather is nice.
....
Frankie came out to have a look a what was going on then Benny went into bedroom. fresh hay was placed in the hutch, they all nommed together but as soon as Benny turned towards Frankie, Frankie froze then jumped into the litter tray thumping...

As I left the shed. Frankie ran back into bedroom...This is murder,.... Will need to just Persevere....
for all their sakes, its really sad as Frankie seems to be ostracised by the other two....

 

[Sky-O]

It's very common for a bunny to become scared of another bunny, but it can often be repaired.

I personally would go back to one basic space (probably half the size of the shed, tops), pile of hay on the floor (no boxes, no hutches, nothing), water, and let them get reused to each other, with Frankie building up his confidence. However, I also respect that other people do things differently- this is just what I would, and have, done with mine in similar situations.

Is there anyway you could bring them inside so you can supervise them?

 

[Fee]

Sky-O ... no sorry I cant bring them inside.. my hubby would not allow it... He made it quite clear they had to be outside..........

I will remove the boxes and make the space as small as possible as you suggest and see if this makes any difference.... I am a bit worried about removing the hutch as my shed isnt great quality and it freezing up here just now overnight... Its very very cold...

Thanks for your advice, I will o back out to see whats up...

Thanks again
Fee xxx