Rabbit wounded

Hi

https://imgur.com/a/g0vEm

I've got two male rabbits. Because they've been together since they were small, they never fight. But one likes to mount the other. The other tries to run away, but eventually gives in.
I noticed wounds on the rear and side of the submissive rabbit. Is it possible that the cause is being mounted too often? Maybe the dominant rabbit uses his nails? Or is it due to some sort of bacteria or fungus?
I've separated the two rabbits, just in case.

Does anybody recognize this type of wounds?


Best wishes,
Sascha

Good that you separated them - rabbits can inflict horrendous, sometimes fatal, injuries on each other How old are they and are they neutered?

They're a year old and are not neutered.
I've never seen them fight, and the submissive rabbit just runs away for a couple of seconds and then lets the dominant rabbit mount him.
I never thought that it would lead to those kind of wounds. That's why I'm thinking that it's a fungal infection or something.

Belgian Bunny said:

Hi

https://imgur.com/a/g0vEm

I've got two male rabbits. Because they've been together since they were small, they never fight. But one likes to mount the other. The other tries to run away, but eventually gives in.
I noticed wounds on the rear and side of the submissive rabbit. Is it possible that the cause is being mounted too often? Maybe the dominant rabbit uses his nails? Or is it due to some sort of bacteria or fungus?
I've separated the two rabbits, just in case.

Does anybody recognize this type of wounds?


Best wishes,
Sascha

Click to expand...

Hi Sascha and welcome to the Forum :wave:

They look like repeated bite wounds to me. The dominant rabbit is using his teeth to assert himself I would say and it's been going on some time. It's quite common for males to treat one another like that I'm afraid. You may not have seen it, but it goes on.

A year old and not neutered that behaviour doesn't surprise me. Rabbits that niggle at one another frequently also bite one another on the bum.

I should get him checked out at a vet to be sure it's nothing else, and that the wounds are not infected. Then perhaps think about how you'll keep them in the future, having taken advice from your vet.

Good luck

It does look like physical damage by the other rabbit. Hopefully there is no infection / abscess in any of the wounds, but I would suggest getting him checked out by your vet just in case, and discuss getting them both neutered. It would be preferable to keep them separated until they are neutered and the hormone levels have reduced (so for several weeks after the op) - then re-bond. Putting them back together before then risks further injury and infection which could become much more serious, and if they start to fight, it may not be possible to re-bond them.

Shimmer said:

It does look like physical damage by the other rabbit. Hopefully there is no infection / abscess in any of the wounds, but I would suggest getting him checked out by your vet just in case, and discuss getting them both neutered. It would be preferable to keep them separated until they are neutered and the hormone levels have reduced (so for several weeks after the op) - then re-bond. Putting them back together before then risks further injury and infection which could become much more serious, and if they start to fight, it may not be possible to re-bond them.

Click to expand...

Everything Shimmer said! The dominant rabbit must have been making this guy's life unpleasant, for quite a while, as a few areas are scarring on top of scarring. Are the wounds on his sides, straight lines (incisor bites) too? A couple on his ass look as though they are oozing? In my experience, it's very difficult to re-bond two bucks (even after neutering) once the bond has broken down to the extent theirs has.

I would advise you to seek prompt Veterinary attention for the Buck with what appear to be quite nasty wounds. I'd check both Buck's undercarriage too. Fighting entire Bucks can sustain very serious injuries to their testicles as that is where a Buck will often try to bite hardest.