Monty's Human
Alpha Buck
So - after two weeks of bonding, things seemed to be going really well. They'd moved into a slightly larger space, and this had gone just about all right. There was one fight four/five days ago, but it was quickly broken up and seemed to be quickly forgiven. (We don't know what caused it). Today will be a week since they were let out of the bathroom into a slightly bigger space. So far this morning there have been two major fights. I was in the room for the second - Ossie was being territorial of the litter tray, wouldn't let Monty in and nipped at him. He then chased her and so it started. This was really vicious - as far as I can tell, they have no injuries, just fur pulling, but I almost wasn't able to get them apart. I had them in a corner and was pushing both of them apart, but both had locked teeth into each other's flanks and weren't letting go. It took my partner coming up and startling them to get them to let go of each other (and he goes to work soon, so I am now terrified of being alone with them).
I think this is territorial behaviour. Monty and Ossie have both been chinning things (including each other) and Monty has a couple of times sprayed urine (mainly over Ossie) but neither seemed to mind this, so I was letting them play it out as they would. I've seen them both share all their spaces quite amicably, and usually both will be in the litter tray eating and flumping together - so I don't know why Ossie was feeling territorial this morning. I haven't yet changed it as I have been doing in the mornings, mainly because it's still clean and the hay is good to eat (they have the litter tray and a carboard box, so they seem to have been weeing in the box last night). Monty's just gone into the litter tray with no reaction from Ossie, so I don't know. They're still quite edgy and there's a bit of facing up to each other.
Is there anything I can do, other than break up fights when they happen? Should I, perhaps, move them back to just the bathroom and start again? Is it perhaps that they need more entertainment? Should I be cleaning more frequently to try and stop it smelling of one of them? (We do it once a weekend so one can clean and one can make sure the bunnies don't get in the way of things like the hoover, but I could try and do it solo if this would help). I'm trying to keep cool because I know me getting nervous is likely to make it worse, but I've been bitten twice this morning, the second time quite badly (and Monty did it deliberately - the fight had broken up, he just bit me for pulling him away) so I'm struggling to feel comfortable around them. Is there any way of making this stop? Is it still normal at this stage, or is a sign that (despite all the good bits) the bond may not work out?
I think this is territorial behaviour. Monty and Ossie have both been chinning things (including each other) and Monty has a couple of times sprayed urine (mainly over Ossie) but neither seemed to mind this, so I was letting them play it out as they would. I've seen them both share all their spaces quite amicably, and usually both will be in the litter tray eating and flumping together - so I don't know why Ossie was feeling territorial this morning. I haven't yet changed it as I have been doing in the mornings, mainly because it's still clean and the hay is good to eat (they have the litter tray and a carboard box, so they seem to have been weeing in the box last night). Monty's just gone into the litter tray with no reaction from Ossie, so I don't know. They're still quite edgy and there's a bit of facing up to each other.
Is there anything I can do, other than break up fights when they happen? Should I, perhaps, move them back to just the bathroom and start again? Is it perhaps that they need more entertainment? Should I be cleaning more frequently to try and stop it smelling of one of them? (We do it once a weekend so one can clean and one can make sure the bunnies don't get in the way of things like the hoover, but I could try and do it solo if this would help). I'm trying to keep cool because I know me getting nervous is likely to make it worse, but I've been bitten twice this morning, the second time quite badly (and Monty did it deliberately - the fight had broken up, he just bit me for pulling him away) so I'm struggling to feel comfortable around them. Is there any way of making this stop? Is it still normal at this stage, or is a sign that (despite all the good bits) the bond may not work out?
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