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Help! My bonded buns are fighting!

loobers25

Warren Veteran
Good morning every bun.

My mille and Toby have lived together free range your nearly a year.

However when I went to bed last night I heard this all mighty racket and since then they have had three big fights.

I have no cages or spare rooms. My other room is occupied by Charlie the 8 year old lop.

I don't know what is wrong! ! I'm so upset. It's definitely Toby instigating the fights as he just chases mille round please help!!

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Good morning every bun.

My mille and Toby have lived together free range your nearly a year.

However when I went to bed last night I heard this all mighty racket and since then they have had three big fights.

I have no cages or spare rooms. My other room is occupied by Charlie the 8 year old lop.

I don't know what is wrong! ! I'm so upset. It's definitely Toby instigating the fights as he just chases mille round please help!!

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Oh dear

Well first off are both Rabbits free of any serious injuries ? Puncture wounds in particular as these can be hard to detect when 'fresh' and they are the type of fight wound most likely to lead to abscess formation. So I'd have a very thorough feel over both Buns as a few hours after a fight a puncture wound will have 'hardened up' and thus be easier to feel under thick fur. Checking under the dewlap area and around the genitals in particular, also check that their eyes are not weepy/gunky. A fight can lead to a Rabbit getting a scratched/bitten eye/eyelid.

When a previously bonded pair suddenly fight the first thing I consider is could one of them be unwell in some way. For example if one Rabbit has a sore mouth due to molar spurs they may not be able to eat very quickly. So they may become 'food aggressive' and try to stop their partner from eating all the food. Or a Rabbit may pick up on a vulnerability in their partner and start to bully them. So a thorough Vet check may be a good idea.

Could something have scared the pair ? A predator outside maybe ?

Spring Fever can effect even neutered Rabbits, making them rather bolshy and stroppy. But somehow I am not sure that Spring Fever is the main issue in this situation. I may be wrong though, I often am !!
 
Even if neutered can the time of year just make them nuts? I am reading all manner of articles that all point to the effects of Spring madness - I'm not seeing it as fightin Russ, just a very sharp kick in in hormones (just before she goes in for her spay today). What was a very personable bunny has just started huffing, boxing and snapping at me. I REALLY REALLY hope some of it is spring madness, some of it is hormones and we get Russ cuddlesome back.
There's absolutely no other triggers you could see, nothing new, nothing spooked them? If nothing it could just be time of year so do just keep an eye on them - I wouldn't have thought they'd be frequent or harsh enough fights to break bond - just given them loads of space to go their seperate ways if they get annoyed with one another. Maybe go back to scattering food techniques to minimise those points where they could bump heads - just while they get through this. Plenty of seperate toys, places to hide etc.. :0)
 
Good morning every bun.

My mille and Toby have lived together free range your nearly a year.

However when I went to bed last night I heard this all mighty racket and since then they have had three big fights.

I have no cages or spare rooms. My other room is occupied by Charlie the 8 year old lop.

I don't know what is wrong! ! I'm so upset. It's definitely Toby instigating the fights as he just chases mille round please help!!

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I'm so sorry to read this about Millie and Toby. I would check, as Jane has suggested, for wounds and then I would get them both checked by a vet in case one of them is unwell.

I would just add that this time of year does seem to do mad things with neutered rabbits' hormones. When I was sitting outside with my neutered three in their shed a couple of evenings ago, The elder buck started to chase his son to try and hump him. There was no aggression, but he was very persistent. The son just ran away each time. The folowing morning there was a small lump of fur in the shed, so I had assumed it had continued. They have been bonded about five years and are normally extremely close and loved up. I have not seen any further occurence. I am watching carefully for any signs of illness though.

I hope you can arrange somewhere to house them separately. If the vet checks are OK, I think I would keep them separate for a short while and then try to re-bond in a neutral space.

Thinking of you. I can imagine this is not a good time for this to be happening. When is your wedding?
 
Thank you for all your replies. Since I posted they have had two more fights so Toby is currently in the kitchen.

Toby is going up to mille with his tail in the air angry and mille runs away. Then it turns into a big fight . I am really confused because Toby is a very very sweet natured bun. Especially now mille is neauterd she's very relaxed too. As soon as I removed Toby she had some food and went to sleep.

They have both been eating fine and also pooping. Do you think it could be anything to do with Charlie in the room next door?

How long should I leave Toby in the kitchen for? It's not the best set up in the world and the chinchilla tries to bite him through the bars.

I feel so worried because I am due to go back to work full time next month the wedding etc. I have even booked a week's holiday abroad because all my buns where healthy and behaving! I haven't been abroad for so many years :(

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I should add that Toby keeps thumping at me too! Which isn't usual

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It certainly appears that something is upsetting Toby. I think that Charlie has been next door for a while, hasn't he, with no problems. Also if he is still thumping while he is in the kitchen, it would appear that it's not Charlie.

I'm sorry I have no other ideas, but I am upset for you. I hope you find out what the problem is.
 
Ok so Toby was in the kitchen from around 5 am this morning so I put them together in the hallway a minute ago. They where both ignoring each other exploring. Then mille put her head to the floor under his chin. Toby starting sniffing her butt then mille gets scared and runs away. Then Toby spins 360 and gets agressive. Bites her on the butt and chases her round. I've got mille back in the room and Toby with me separate

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I'm really sorry to read that your. bunnies have fallen out [emoji17] The same thing happened with my buns about a year ago. I was woken up very early in the morning by them fighting and they were making a ferocious racket!

I took them to the vet for a health checkup to make sure there wasn't any underlying health issue but they were both given a clean bill of health.

I had to divide the flat in half and keep them separated for a couple of days while I was at work. I didn't feel I could leave them together unsupervised as they kept having spats.

I then rebonded them from scratch, using a small neutral area. I'm not going to lie, the first night was absolutely horrendous. They kept going for each other and I was constantly intervening to break up fights. My nerves were absolutely shot to pieces [emoji17] In hindsight I think my mistake was to put their litter tray in with them. They were both territorial over it and that seemed to trigger the fighting. After a VERY long night they eventually settled and over the next few days their bond slowly repaired itself. I extended their space very slowly over a few days so as not to jeopardise the rebond. They have been fine ever since.

I don't know if that method would work for all bunnies but it worked for mine. If you do try and rebond them from scratch be prepared as it might stretch your nerves to the limit!

Good luck and I hope you can get them back together again.


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I'm really sorry to read that your. bunnies have fallen out [emoji17] The same thing happened with my buns about a year ago. I was woken up very early in the morning by them fighting and they were making a ferocious racket!

I took them to the vet for a health checkup to make sure there wasn't any underlying health issue but they were both given a clean bill of health.

I had to divide the flat in half and keep them separated for a couple of days while I was at work. I didn't feel I could leave them together unsupervised as they kept having spats.

I then rebonded them from scratch, using a small neutral area. I'm not going to lie, the first night was absolutely horrendous. They kept going for each other and I was constantly intervening to break up fights. My nerves were absolutely shot to pieces [emoji17] In hindsight I think my mistake was to put their litter tray in with them. They were both territorial over it and that seemed to trigger the fighting. After a VERY long night they eventually settled and over the next few days their bond slowly repaired itself. I extended their space very slowly over a few days so as not to jeopardise the rebond. They have been fine ever since.

I don't know if that method would work for all bunnies but it worked for mine. If you do try and rebond them from scratch be prepared as it might stretch your nerves to the limit!

Good luck and I hope you can get them back together again.


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This actually sounds pretty much what I would do as standard. I'm glad you got them back together again Scrappy. Your heart must have been in your mouth at times though :shock:
 
Thanks MM. It's very reassuring to know that's the standard way to reconcile bunnies and that I'm not giving terrible advice!

To be honest it was the moments of despair that I wouldn't be able to fix the bond that got me the most. I'm convinced neither of my two could live happily as a single bun so the absolute last resort would have been to return Fudgie to the rescue and try and bond Snoopy with another girl. I really couldn't bear to do that so I was determined to persevere through it!


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I'm really sorry to read that your. bunnies have fallen out [emoji17] The same thing happened with my buns about a year ago. I was woken up very early in the morning by them fighting and they were making a ferocious racket!

I took them to the vet for a health checkup to make sure there wasn't any underlying health issue but they were both given a clean bill of health.

I had to divide the flat in half and keep them separated for a couple of days while I was at work. I didn't feel I could leave them together unsupervised as they kept having spats.

I then rebonded them from scratch, using a small neutral area. I'm not going to lie, the first night was absolutely horrendous. They kept going for each other and I was constantly intervening to break up fights. My nerves were absolutely shot to pieces [emoji17] In hindsight I think my mistake was to put their litter tray in with them. They were both territorial over it and that seemed to trigger the fighting. After a VERY long night they eventually settled and over the next few days their bond slowly repaired itself. I extended their space very slowly over a few days so as not to jeopardise the rebond. They have been fine ever since.

I don't know if that method would work for all bunnies but it worked for mine. If you do try and rebond them from scratch be prepared as it might stretch your nerves to the limit!

Good luck and I hope you can get them back together again.


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:( ok so I've left them until today. Seems as though tables have turnt. Millie is now instigating the fights. I'm so confused as to what to do next. I put Toby in a cage to keep him safe as I tried dividing the room with grids and they tore it down . I feel horrendous putting a bun in a cage that has never had one before. Do you think I should swap them round so that Toby gets to enjoy the room too? I'm worried Toby might claim the cage as his territory. Both buns still eating and pooping ok. My heart is breaking! !

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Thanks MM. It's very reassuring to know that's the standard way to reconcile bunnies and that I'm not giving terrible advice!

To be honest it was the moments of despair that I wouldn't be able to fix the bond that got me the most. I'm convinced neither of my two could live happily as a single bun so the absolute last resort would have been to return Fudgie to the rescue and try and bond Snoopy with another girl. I really couldn't bear to do that so I was determined to persevere through it!


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I don't think you could ever give terrible advice if you tried :lol:

You've hit the nail ono the head though, with your extreme patience and perseverance:


http://rabbit.org/the-most-important-word-in-bonding-is-patience/


By the way - more articles for Loobers in case they are useful :)

http://rabbit.org/introducing-rabbits-in-a-group-situation/

http://www.cottontails-rescue.org.uk/information/bonding-bunnies/ (good for pair bonding)

http://www.fatfluffs.com/info/bonding/

http://www.actionforrabbits.co.uk/bonding.html


Book in RWAF shop:

https://shop.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/product/bonding-rabbits-by-fiona-campbell/



Mischief and Tinker’s Mum
http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?462466-How-I-bonded-my-trios-videos!


(some contradictory advice, but that's the way of all things, isn't it!)
 
Current set up
cf63d3a560098c65d4de4f378919062c.jpg


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Even though they kick off when the gate's opened I would take a lot of encouragement from that last pic as they seem relaxed when next to each other.

I don't know if you've done this already but before proceeding any further I would get the vet to give them a thorough health check. Tummy, ears, teeth, body temperature. Just so you can rule out illness as the underlying cause.

If everything is fine then I think your next step will be to rebond from scratch. Inevitably, as per my post above, you will probably have to expect a lot of hostility in the beginning. I went for the all in method, i.e. keep them together in the bonding area all the time until they had sorted themselves out. It's very tough going doing it that way, especially the first 24 hours, but it fixed the bond a lot quicker. You may find it easier, and more experienced people might advise this as well, to go for the slow bond method.

I know only too well how upsetting it is when they fight. My two acted like they wanted to kill each other. But please take heart that it is possible to repair a broken bond xxx


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