Bunnies123
New Kit
Hello all,
We would like some advice on how to rebond our male brother bunnies.
A bit of background: we adopted the bunnies at approx 5 months old where they were very well bonded and shortly after adoption we got them castrated. We have never seen any issues with the brothers before or after castration, other than minor mounting on the day we brought them home from the larger one to the slightly smaller one but this was only for the first day.
Our bunnies are indoor bunnies and last week the larger bunny binkied and kicked the smaller bunny accidentally in the face. Shortly after they begun tight circling each other rapidly and tearing hair chunks out so we separated them before any damage occurred to either bunny. We tried a re-introduction on neutral territory however, the same bunny tornado appeared to unfold so we intervened before this got violent and separated them again. We were advised to try a small enclosure bonding which we did in their pet carrier where they snuggled upto each other and groomed each other however, on exiting the pet carrier the same event unfolded. It appears that the larger dominant rabbit is attempting to mount the smaller submissive rabbit, however now the smaller bunny is fighting back.
It has been about 3 weeks since the castration (they are now approx 6 months old) and so we were unsure whether this was hormonal even though we’ve never seen this behaviour before until this one off occasion.
The bunnies are living in their large pen now with a central partition in it so they are able to see and smell each other without contact. Initially they would attempt to bite each other through the partition when we first tried this however now they lick each other’s faces and lay next to each other through the partition.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated as we are unsure whether this dispute should be addressed now or within a longer period of time once hormones have reduced from the castration. Neither bunny has been injured however in all occasions if we didn’t intervene we feel it could have got violent.
Thank you in advance!
We would like some advice on how to rebond our male brother bunnies.
A bit of background: we adopted the bunnies at approx 5 months old where they were very well bonded and shortly after adoption we got them castrated. We have never seen any issues with the brothers before or after castration, other than minor mounting on the day we brought them home from the larger one to the slightly smaller one but this was only for the first day.
Our bunnies are indoor bunnies and last week the larger bunny binkied and kicked the smaller bunny accidentally in the face. Shortly after they begun tight circling each other rapidly and tearing hair chunks out so we separated them before any damage occurred to either bunny. We tried a re-introduction on neutral territory however, the same bunny tornado appeared to unfold so we intervened before this got violent and separated them again. We were advised to try a small enclosure bonding which we did in their pet carrier where they snuggled upto each other and groomed each other however, on exiting the pet carrier the same event unfolded. It appears that the larger dominant rabbit is attempting to mount the smaller submissive rabbit, however now the smaller bunny is fighting back.
It has been about 3 weeks since the castration (they are now approx 6 months old) and so we were unsure whether this was hormonal even though we’ve never seen this behaviour before until this one off occasion.
The bunnies are living in their large pen now with a central partition in it so they are able to see and smell each other without contact. Initially they would attempt to bite each other through the partition when we first tried this however now they lick each other’s faces and lay next to each other through the partition.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated as we are unsure whether this dispute should be addressed now or within a longer period of time once hormones have reduced from the castration. Neither bunny has been injured however in all occasions if we didn’t intervene we feel it could have got violent.
Thank you in advance!
I think I would leave them as they are for another 3ish weeks and then give it another try in a small, neutral area. I would put them in a small pen, rather than their carrier and give them lots of food to concentrate on. If they tolerate that OK, I would leave them like that for several days, before expanding the pen gradually. It could be hormonal even though it hasn't happened previously. I hope you are able to re-bond them successfully.