Hi
I have 7 rabbits (4 males and 3 females), all bonded and getting along well until last week.
Last week they were moved from over-winter accommodation (a garage) to a large dog run in the garden - with supervised free range access to the rest of the garden.
I came home one day last week to discover a blood bath in the dog run... one of the males had been attacked by another and had an ear injury. The injured rabbit was then separated from the rest of the group (by a mesh fence within the dog run) until the injury healed.
I've since tried re-introducing the injured rabbit to the rest of the group - unfortunately he now appears to be being bullied by almost all of the others and ends up hiding in a corner if he's put anywhere near them. I've seen a couple of fairly serious fights and so for now he is on his own again - he's got the run of the house whilst the others have the garden.
I'm at a bit of a loss at what to do next. I've successfully bonded fighting pairs before (and know all the usual tricks of taking them out in the car, keeping them confined to a small space at first) but never 1 to a group of 6 where most of them have issues with him. I'm reluctant to separate any of the others from the group to make a pair as they all get on well.
Was wondering if anyone else had any thoughts or experiences in a similar situation, either of successfully re-bonding to a group or of removing a single rabbit from a group?
I have 7 rabbits (4 males and 3 females), all bonded and getting along well until last week.
Last week they were moved from over-winter accommodation (a garage) to a large dog run in the garden - with supervised free range access to the rest of the garden.
I came home one day last week to discover a blood bath in the dog run... one of the males had been attacked by another and had an ear injury. The injured rabbit was then separated from the rest of the group (by a mesh fence within the dog run) until the injury healed.
I've since tried re-introducing the injured rabbit to the rest of the group - unfortunately he now appears to be being bullied by almost all of the others and ends up hiding in a corner if he's put anywhere near them. I've seen a couple of fairly serious fights and so for now he is on his own again - he's got the run of the house whilst the others have the garden.
I'm at a bit of a loss at what to do next. I've successfully bonded fighting pairs before (and know all the usual tricks of taking them out in the car, keeping them confined to a small space at first) but never 1 to a group of 6 where most of them have issues with him. I'm reluctant to separate any of the others from the group to make a pair as they all get on well.
Was wondering if anyone else had any thoughts or experiences in a similar situation, either of successfully re-bonding to a group or of removing a single rabbit from a group?