Post spay bond broken?

Adopted 2 bonded females 3 weeks ago- smudge 9 month Luna 5 months-1 week ago the younger was spayed. Went to vets together all fine first night- 2 nd day the older one smudge chasing and almost nipping younger Luna- then eat together lay together and groom then nip and chase. Kept them in smaller space but still happening- no real bites. Now day 5 and still happening - nice to her then nip and chase- scared it could escalate but then the groom lay together etc- I’m confused. The older one ( already spayed) seems to have had a personality transplant- from calm cuddly to bad tempered- and she’s started turning her back on me, maybe as I shout smudge no when I witness the nip chase- there was a clump of fur in their pen this morning, but no injury? I’m confused

Vicbt

I’ve newly adopted 2 bunnies smudge and Luna- I’m on a huge learning curve and hope to get advice from this forum. My 2 rabbits were perfectly bonded females smudge 9 months Luna 5 months. Smudge was already spayed so got Luna done last week- omg how things changed! Although at vets together smudge is being aggressive to Luna snapping almost biting but not pushing her about. In between they are eating grooming and sleeping together? Confusing! Smudge keeps going for lunas bum- got a bit of fluff this morning but no bites. I’m just worried it will escalate so scared to leave them alone- although as I say no injuries yet. It’s 5 days post op- should I be worried or is smudge just dealing with lunas new scent? Help please

Hello and welcome.
I am sure that fellow RU's with loads more experience that I will be following this thread and posting advice and theirs will probably be far more knowledgable than mine.
But, from reading what you describe, I would suggest that the behaviour you are experiencing with Smudge and Luna is one of dominance. Rabbits must have a heirachy and this will involve displays like this, including dry humping. Typically they do go round to the tail area and nip in order to assert themselves. My two bunnies (one male one female) are firmly bonded but will continue from time to time, to display this behaviour towards each other.
As long as it's mild fur pulling - and no more, and you monitor it closely for this, then it does sound like them just deciding who is top bun.
Hope this helps. x

I would watch them very carefully as it could escalate into more. It’s probably as a result of moving territories which stresses a bond, ie moving to you and then the vets, then home, also the younger one will smell differently and they would have had to separate for the op. Also the younger one will probably be - and still be - very hormonal now until the hormones die down 6 weeks post spay. 2 females are usually the most difficult pairing to obtain and maintain. It’s possible you may need to separate and attempt to rebond once Luna’s hormones have subsided about 6 weeks post spay, but there’s no guarantee that rebond is will be successful.

Good luck with them :thumb:

I will merge this thread from introductions with your thread on behaviour and bonding so the replies are altogether.

Welcome to RU :wave:

I agree with Zoobec. To add, when the younger was spayed she would seem like a different rabbit to the older one, hence the behaviour change. Give them plenty of time for younger one's hormones to subside, keep separate, then re-bond in about 6 weeks time. Introduce them in a neutral space. You might need patience to re-bond them as they are both females. Good luck.

Hi thank you- they are getting along prob 80% of the time- it doesn’t really happen in the confines of their pen ( 2m x 2m) but when I let them free roam in their room- smudge moves Luna on by nosing her bottom- I’ve only ever seen fur pulled once but I don’t feel happy leaving them unsupervised outside their pen. There are odd chases prob as Luna runs off and smudge follows. Wherever Luna is smudge decides she wants that spot? Do I leave them to it? I keep intervening and have put smudge in the pen alone as time out- a rabbit regiment advised me to do that but not sure how effective that is?

Thank you- I’m struggling to use forum properly yet- maybe as I’m using my phone?

It can take quite some time to bond 2 females so I would proceed with caution and I wouldn't leave them alone for long, so you can keep an eye on them/

Thanks - the buns are in their puppy pen together- all night say 8pm- 7am from what I can tell no issues in there at all. Any conflict is when they roam the room the pen is in- and usually just in 2 flashpoint areas that smudge seems to have taken as her own. When I restrict these areas there’s very little problem- the odd time smudge rushes at Luna but stops short of touching her- in between they groom eat litter sleep together. Are they fully bonded again but just in a different way or will they bond fully given a bit more time? How do I get those areas back from smudge do Luna can also enjoy them without being harassed? I’ve no idea how to add photos or videos to this from my iPhone?

They would need to be together for much longer without any conflict before I could say they are fully re-bonded. Have you tried cleaning the area with white vinegar, it might help. There is a tutorial in the forum showing how to post photos. You have to have a host such as Imgur.

Update

tonibun said:

They would need to be together for much longer without any conflict before I could say they are fully re-bonded. Have you tried cleaning the area with white vinegar, it might help. There is a tutorial in the forum showing how to post photos. You have to have a host such as Imgur.

Click to expand...

We are now 3 weeks post spay and we have taken huge steps- they seem properly bonded again- I’ve opened up their restricted flashpoint area and NO conflict! Yay. Been free roaming the area all day- I’m really happy up to now

Good update!