Re-introducing spayed female to neutered male

Hi everyone,
new to this forum I have read a few related posts but thought I post my own question for some advice please. I have two minilops, Oscar (2 years) and Fluffy (10months).

I just picked up my freshly spayed Fluffy from the vet, she had the op yesterday and stayed overnight. I could kick myself not reading the advice about taking both bunnies in and am worried I have broken the bond.

Oscar was already neutered when I got him April last year, he is very territorial and bites me sometimes, lunges at me, and wouldn't exactly call him a cuddly bunny. When I decided to get him a friend in May, I was superhappy that they bonded very quickly, within about 4 days. He has since become much friendlier towards me too and likes to be petted now. He won't tolerate me petting her (unless I pet him at the same time) and gets grumpy :-/

Fluffy started to annoy him by humping constantly in the last two weeks and also spraying him with urine. I was surprised he never bit back, he would just hop away a few steps. I thought they are still trying to figure out who is top bunny. Eventually he started to get fed up and they had a fight two days ago, luckily no injuries. After researching I decided to get her spayed to hopefully stop her humping him and peeing everywhere.

I brought her home this morning, and she was fine licking his head, but then he started chasing her quite aggresively and trying to nib her. I have separated them, but as they are both free range I'm not sure how to go on about it. He went outside for now and I fenced of the kitchen with the catdoor, so he can be outside and in the kitchen and they can see, touch noses together through a trellis I put up. Fluffy will have to stay on this side of the trellis and probably best anyway if she doesn't go outside for a few days.

Will I have to introduce them again on neutral ground? The problem is, the previous neutral ground, where I first bonded them in a spare room, has since become their indoor territory with toilets, food etc. Oscar does not have access to this now. Will I really have to wait for 6 weeks to introduce them again, like I read in some posts? Isn't Fluffy then going to think the house is her territory and Oscar will think the kitchen and outside is his?


I guess I have done it before and can do it again, the bonding. I'm just nervous now and feeling sorry for Fluffy, coming from an op and then being rejected by her friend :-( So I wanted to post this to hear what some other people think.

Thanks

Hello there. He probably went for her as she would smell different after her op. What you must do now is ensure your female has time to recover from her op. It is quite a big operation and she will need 2 weeks rest with no jumping or running and definitely no scuffles. You can't risk putting them together sooner as she must not be in a fight now until everything has healed inside.

Then you will have to find somewhere neutral to reintroduce therm. It can be a run moved somewhere in the garden or a puppy pen in a different room. Start early in the morning so you have a ll day to monitor them and go from there. Good luck - they should go back together successfully.

Thanks for your reply. Yes it makes sense that it would take 2 weeks or so to heal, poor little Fluffy. She is doing okay so far, eating, pooing, peeing. I think I re-introduce them in the driveway in a pen, the only place they have never been, because the rest of my house and garden has been taken over by them! :-D