10 days post bonding - Bitten ear and unprovoked nipping

Bobby and Charlie have been together since last Monday so 10 days, we had a few bumps in the wrong on a few of their dates but I believe that was due to Charlie insisting on humping Bobby and Bobby getting angry due to the pain from his arthritis. I've had no problems with them at all in the last 10 days.

Gradually moved up area sizes and Monday moved back onto their kitchen (originally Charlie's kitchen but split on half for 3 weeks when Bobby moved in). All has been fine, noticed a few bits of the yesterday but nothing that worried me. Came home to night lots more fur and Charlie has a bite on his ear. Then I watched Bobby nip Charlies thigh for no reason at all on 2 occasions.

Bobby currently has PUPD and weightloss that we are trying to get to the bottom of (see health thread) so I'm assuming it's either his poor health making him a grumpy ****** or I moved to the kitchen too quick.

Not.sure what the right thing to do now is? I've taken them on a car ride and put them back in the 4ftx4ft pen in my bedroom. Charlie is fine and eating his hay, Bobby is lying in the litter tray. Is persevering with the bonding the right thing to do? Or go back to side by side living for a while?

Sorry you've not received any responses yet.

Am I right that the fall-out happened after you moved the bunnies to a new room? One they hadn't been in before?

With some rabbits, during the bonding process, when you move them to a new space, they can re-set and start trying to re-establish dominance, as the need to re-assert who is the dominant bunny in that space. When I was bonding our two, I had to supervise them whenever they were moved into a new space, and there was an increase in humping behaviour, but it eventually dies down again.

I would consider moving them to their intended final living space for some side by side time, and just supervising them when they're together for a few days.

Sorry I thought I'd replied to this days ago! The aggression coincides perfectly with when he stopped eating hay, I believe that it was triggered by the pain from his dental issues and the sheer hunger he was constantly feeling.

They have been back in the split kitchen now since Friday evening after another flight so I'm trying to go back to step one.

Charlie isn't affraid of Bobby in the sense that he with happily approach him but he does get very jumpy if Bobby approached and sniffs his rum.

They are fine to eat together and Bobby doesn't immediately attack but when they food has gone he does seem to give Charlie a death stare.

I did a couple of short meetings yesterday and things went ok it's just so confusing because Bobby was always sooooooo laid back so to see him biting him without provocation is really unsettling and I'm not sure there's actually a way back from this!

Sounds like the fact Bobby was under the weather affected the bonding. Personally I’ve never tried stress bonding in the car etc, and I’ve always done it where I’ve put them in the bonding pen in a neutral area together, and left them together afterwards, barring any incidents happening. Given that Bobby was under the weather it’s probably worth trying again in a neutral area, I would neutralise the pen in the bedroom with vinegar/water mixed 50/50 if you are going to use that again.

I've just put them together in neutral territory and within 5 minutes Bobby was attacking Charlie �� he literally just glares at him like he's hates him ☹

I'm not sure if it's fair to keep putting Charlie through it when the time they can spend together before I fight breaks out is less and less ☹

Buzzwizz619 said:

I've just put them together in neutral territory and within 5 minutes Bobby was attacking Charlie �� he literally just glares at him like he's hates him ☹

I'm not sure if it's fair to keep putting Charlie through it when the time they can spend together before I fight breaks out is less and less ☹

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Personally, from what it sounds like, I would stop trying to bond them. It sounds like despite your best efforts, they aren’t getting along

That's what I'm thinking now, I've emailed the RSPCA lady Bobby was from just encase she has any ideas but I think after everything he's been though it might be best of Bobby lives as a lone bunny and I go back to the plan of finding Charlie a girlfriend.

I'm so sad for them, everything was going so well but maybe Bobby just wants a peaceful retirement ☹

Update - so after speaking to the RSPCA lady I had Bobby from I kept them side by side for 2 weeks before trying again. I really wasn't expecting it to work after how mean Bobby go r but it's been 15 days now and we haven't had a single issue. Bobby is back to his normal laid back self, Charlie isn't afgriad and This time they seem to like eachothers company. They lie next to eachother and follow eachother around and I don't have to feel guilty for being at work or going out at the weekend!

They have full run of the kitchen when I'm out, an hour in the outside run in the evening and more at weekends and run of the livingroom when I'm home.

I'm now slowly Introducing their toys and if all well for another 2 weeks I'll consider it a success

This is really good news Well done Charlie and Bobby, I bet you're so pleased.

Omi said:

This is really good news Well done Charlie and Bobby, I bet you're so pleased.

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well my happiness was short lived! After 3 weeks of getting along perfectly Bobby is back to hating Charlie! I have no idea what happened, they were oustide for hours (not unusual) went out and there was fur everywhere, let them in a Bobby kept going for him. Took them on a car ride and back to restricted space, still really going at him.

seperated for 24 hours, not quite as nasty tonight but still really going for him, poor charlie!

Right now Bobby isnt happy at seeing Charlie even through the divide!

Theories :-

- It was going dusk outside, maybe they saw a cat and it spooked them?
- Bobbys eye issues (infection) has flared up again, pain?
- Dental issues are back? but hes still eating fine and pooping fine
- Bobby is just abit of an ass

arggggg!

Buzzwizz619 said:

well my happiness was short lived! After 3 weeks of getting along perfectly Bobby is back to hating Charlie! I have no idea what happened, they were oustide for hours (not unusual) went out and there was fur everywhere, let them in a Bobby kept going for him. Took them on a car ride and back to restricted space, still really going at him.

seperated for 24 hours, not quite as nasty tonight but still really going for him, poor charlie!

Right now Bobby isnt happy at seeing Charlie even through the divide!

Theories :-

- It was going dusk outside, maybe they saw a cat and it spooked them?
- Bobbys eye issues (infection) has flared up again, pain?
- Dental issues are back? but hes still eating fine and pooping fine
- Bobby is just abit of an ass

arggggg!

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awww, I'm so sorry to hear your update. It does sound like their bond is unstable for one reason or another. With me I'm talking hours rather than weeks but in my recent attempted bond i found the bunnies going from relaxed & loving to scrappy very disconcerting indeed

I'm gutted I really thought it was going to work out this time I'm now looking for a female for Charlie, although I'm wondering if a Trio MIGHT work, could a female act as a buffer between the males?

Either way I need a female, waiting to hear back off Walsall RSPCA atm about a female they have

I'm so sad I just don't understand how things could be comepltley fine, not even a minor squabble for 3 weeks and now we are right back to devil rabbit!

It's possibly because they were not truly bonded. A boy/girl is the best and they "never" fall out. I can say never because it is true 99.5%. Hope you can get them sorted out.