Re Introducing Rabbits

[Jem]

Hi I've recently got two beautiful rabbits whom I had to seperate after discovering one was a boy. The boy, Humphrey, has now been neutered and it's pretty much time for them to be able to go back together. All the time they've been living in seperate levels of the same hutch and getting regular supervised play sessions with each other.

All was going well until about a week ago when Rosie (my girl) tried to mount Humphrey and rather than putting up with it like he used to he fought back and it quicly escalated into a proper fight complete with flying fur and much leaping around. Since then we've been trying to get them used to each other, still letting them out together but watching and squirting them if anything starts to develope into a fight ( trying to ignore Humphrey chasing Rosie and biting fur out). They got back to the point of grooming each other and are happy to eat together but Humphrey just seems to turn and suddenly take offense at Rosie sniffing him in that way and kick off again.

So far there's been minimal injuries, a few mild scratches on each side but I'm not keen on letting them fight it out as they seem to just escalate. Is there anything we can do to help this process along and get them back together as soon as possible. Also she's not spayed yet, will the fact she isn't be incouraging him, her temprements pretty much fine and isn't the cause of the fights really.

Thanks

Jem

 

[Angie65]

Hi

Boy Bun needs to wait 6 weeks after his neuter to be introduced to an un-spayed girlie - even for "play-times". She could wind up pregnant otherwise. His hormones may take a little while to calm down too.

If she's mounting, it could be her hormones? Getting her spayed may help that.

If they are living separate & just "playing" together - each time they meet is like re-introduction, so they have to establish who's Boss again (hence the humping).
When i bond, i usually keep the buns next to each other for a few days, so they get used to each other, then introduce on neutral territory. They can get quite territorial, so it's best if it's a room they haven't been in before. A few scuffles/chasing/humping/flying fur are normal, so i would just keep an eye out for serious biting - if there's none on neutral territory, could you leave them there for a bit, then disinfect the hutch sections, so it doesn't smell like "theirs", before putting them back in it? If you separate, they have to go through it all again.

I know it's a worry leaving them to it - my bonded foursome lasted 2-3 weeks, before the quietest,sweetest bun decided to bite the other 3. I had 3 on antibiotics for a week :roll:

 

[Jem]

Theres no humping going on, it did happen before he got neutered but luckily we're in the clear now according to the vet pregnancy wise.

The fighting happens in neutral teratory and while theres been no serious wounds i'm a bit worried by the damage they can dow tih there legs. They've been happily playing togehter today though with only one mouthful of fur on humphreys part so maybe they're setteling. I may still try for this weekend putting them back in a newly cleaned hutch, at the moment their living on two floors of the same hutch, i just need to reconnect them so if they do want there own space at least they can have it.

I guess I'll just have to give it a try.

Oh and my vet said 4 weeks for the gap after castration, is this wrong. The vet seemed to think it was being over cautious as it is.

 

[Angie65]

Theres no humping going on, it did happen before he got neutered but luckily we're in the clear now according to the vet pregnancy wise.

The fighting happens in neutral teratory and while theres been no serious wounds i'm a bit worried by the damage they can dow tih there legs. They've been happily playing togehter today though with only one mouthful of fur on humphreys part so maybe they're setteling. I may still try for this weekend putting them back in a newly cleaned hutch, at the moment their living on two floors of the same hutch, i just need to reconnect them so if they do want there own space at least they can have it.

I guess I'll just have to give it a try.

Oh and my vet said 4 weeks for the gap after castration, is this wrong. The vet seemed to think it was being over cautious as it is.

Some Vets say 2, some say 6. I know someone on here's bun got pregnant 5 weeks after the boy was neutered. :? I'm in the process of bonding 7 (all neutered/spayed). There's been the odd scuffle, over the last 2 weeks, but looking good.