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Can Human Pregnancy Upset Rabbit Bonds??

Eloise6

New Kit
This may be a mad question, but I am 38 weeks pregnant and my two lovely, sweet, bonded boys have suddenly started visciously fighting :'(

Bit of background - we have had our two rabbits a year and 8 months. Prior to this they were living at another home, also as a bonded pair. When they moved to our house, there was a bit of the expected humping - the seller had fibbed and said they were both neutered when only one was. After getting the 2nd fixed, all the tiffs cleared up and they have been completely content and happy together for a year and a half - all the usual grooming, snuggling etc all the time. As of last week they were both trying to mount each other, then yesterday this escalated into a "tornado" - chasing, pulling out chunks of fluff, even boxing and kicking! It was such a shock!

We have had to separate them unfortunately, and will try to rebond next week when they have cooled off. My question though is what could have caused the problem?! Nothing has changed in the house that I can think of - their food / litter tray area is the same, no new people or animals, no change in routine, no new cleaning products (although I have been cleaning a bit more lately getting ready for the baby). Neither of them seems ill at all, they are both their normal, greedy, energetic selves. So could it be my hormones causing the upset?? I am hoping so! As that way they might settle down once our baby is here.

Also, at the moment one is in the conservatory (with the heater on) and the other is in the kitchen / living room, as these are the only rooms we can keep them separate in. However, I feel so sad for the one in the conservatory, away from everyone where it is colder (we did sit in with him for a few hours but still). Can I swap their rooms daily, so each has a turn in with us in the main house? Or will the mixing of the smells just keep them annoyed at each other?

Thanks for reading this long post!
 
When I was pregnant, several years ago, my bunnies didn't fight but were definitely different. The only way I can describe it is they were really fussy around me, constantly near me!
I hope they settle down soon.
 
They could be reacting to a change in routine and smells (cleaning, baby stuff, etc), there could be something else that spooked them (fox outside?), or maybe one of them is not 100% and the other has picked up on it. I would be careful rebonding them as things are going to change a lot in the household in the coming weeks, so you need them settled together quickly, or be prepared to bond later when they are settled and you have time to watch them (with a new baby.....). It's a good sign that they are both eating well. Maybe find a room that is neutral to both of them and rebond thee, where neither has the advantage.
 
Thanks all :) It's interesting to hear changes in the behaviour of other rabbits too - was it very noticable or quite subtle when it happened to you olices?

Will try rebonding in the bedroom where they are normally not allowed.

The vet recommended bonding them after baby is here (he's being induced next week anyway), as a) if it is my hormones, it will be less of an issue and b) if they rebond and then there is another big change (baby living here), it might upset a newly patched up relationship.

Either way I will update in a few weeks - I have found another forum with women asking the same question but no solution or follow-up. No research about this topic anywhere either that I can find, although I suppose it is quite niche!
 
Just to post a follow-up, although it's a but inconclusive, in case anyone else is ever in this predicament. My partner managed to rebond said rabbits when I was in hospital for a week (!) having the boy. My gut says that my hormones did play some part in the upset as they do seem calmer now. HOWEVER, they have had two little tiffs since I've had the baby. Both times their hay was low. Or I should say, the hay they will deem to eat (they turn their little noses up at anything that has been in their rack more than a few hours). On reflection, this may also have occured when I was heavily pregnant as I was asleep most of the time and so probably only changed over their hay twice a day, rather than three or four times. So the (perceived) lack of fresh hay may have sparked the fights. Correlation and causation and all of that....
 
Glad thaings have settled with your bucks. A week in hospital! Congratulations. Hope you are enjoying your baby.
 
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