Broken Bond

So the two Netherland dwarf rabbits we have were getting on amazingly well for several months (one of them was 8 weeks so naturally wasn't the most dominant one. (the older one is 8 weeks or so older) Just before we got both of them neutered they started circling and began somewhat fighting, one time they rolled around on floor pulling hair off each other so I removed them from each other and they have been separated from each other.

They are in the same cage but one of is on the top and one is on the bottom (the bottom one has the ability to run around in a pen) and we swap them around daily so that they both get to run around. Sometimes we close the bottom door and put the top one in the pen so they can still go to the cage and smell each other etc. The older one tends to put his head down near the little bars and wants the younger one to groom him. Just earlier today the older one was licking the younger rabbits paws through the bars. I am not sure what to do to actually rebond them so I don't have to have bars in the way. Do I let them fight for a moment to see if it sorts out dominance so they can hopefully be together. When we have held them next to each other they have been fine but I know if we were to let them go so they can run around they will probably cause a fight as they want to establish dominance. My only issue is I don't want them to hurt each other. Any advice on this is greatly appreciated, I just want them to be like they used to be.

How long have they been neutered for? You should let a good 2 months go by with boys then put them in a small neutral space and see how it goes. There is no guarantee that they will live happily together, you might be lucky but boys quite often start fighting after living together for no apparent reason. It is not as reliable as boy/girl bonds.

its been 2-4 month since the neuter and ive not let them run close to each other for over a month now. Been very hesitant since the time they rolled about and ripped some hair from each other. Do I let that happen or instantly stop it? Part of my mind is like...are they actually trying to sort dominance or is this just something I break up. Naturally I stopped it as I personally can't sit there and let it happen.

It can be a tough judgment call with bonding as to whether they're fighting or just sorting out the hierarchy. Having said that, I would say that if you see any circling, ears back and ready to lunge or any locking on then intervene immediately. You don't want things to progress to a full on fight. They will remember it and it will make it a lot harder to achieve a successful bond.

On the other hand, some chasing, fur pulling and mounting are normal signs of bonding. If that's the case then you should leave them to get on with it, but monitor very closely and be ready to intervene if you need to.

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One thing I noticed when they wanted to chase one another. Their body felt like it tensed up (the muscles hardened type thing) not sure if this says anything at all. Should I try put them near each other in an area they both are familiar with (the playpen) ? or somewhere completely new?

As people have already mentioned, unbonded rabbits should only be put together around 2-3 months after they have been spayed or neutered. As one of your rabbits had not been neutered in the pair, many would argue that they were not truly bonded in the first place, as rabbits are only properly bonded when they are fixed due to their changing hormones. Are your bunnies both boys? If so, bonding two boys is probably considered the most difficult type of pair to bond and a male-female pair is what is mostly recommended, however this is not to say that it couldn’t work out. From what you’ve explained it seems like initially the younger rabbit had assumed the submissive position, leaving the older rabbit dominant, but as the younger one has matured it has challenged the other rabbit and wanted to become dominant, leading to fighting and their relationship deteriorating. I would also like to add that rabbits should not be housed in a hutch/cage, especially if it is small as this could have added to the stress due to the confined space with no escape where they are being housed; possibly leading to frustration and worsening of their bond. A suitable sized x pen, spare room, or even free roaming, if possible, are far better alternatives if you are able to rebond them.

Ultimately, I can’t say if you will be able to rebond them as I do not know the rabbits personally and you will have to make that judgment call yourself given their personalities. But definitely do not house them together when they are displaying the behaviour you have mentioned above as this could lead to serious injury in such an enclosed place. If you decide to rebond them then definitely do your research and feel free to post about any questions you may have as I’m sure many people on here could offer some advice.

Scrappy's Little Helper said:

It can be a tough judgment call with bonding as to whether they're fighting or just sorting out the hierarchy. Having said that, I would say that if you see any circling, ears back and ready to lunge or any locking on then intervene immediately. You don't want things to progress to a full on fight. They will remember it and it will make it a lot harder to achieve a successful bond.

On the other hand, some chasing, fur pulling and mounting are normal signs of bonding. If that's the case then you should leave them to get on with it, but monitor very closely and be ready to intervene if you need to.

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I agree!