Re-bonding two squabling rabbits...

HELP!!

We've had two male rabbits for about a year and recently they have started fighting.

The eldest Fudge is about 12-months old, with Gizmo (dwarf lop) about 3-months younger and slightly smaller. They have always shared a large hutch and (apart from the teenage hormones, which resulted in them both being neutered) they have always seemed best of friends. They both have distinct personalities with Fudge being the more confident and inquisitive of the pair and Giz the one that pinches the food! Gizmo has always been the more the nervous / submissive of the pair and Fudge seems to do all the grooming.

Last week we caught them chasing each other around and fur pulling. We immediately separated them. We assumed that Fudge was the aggressor, especially when he attacked me leaving me with a nasty bite on my hand. When I approached him a few minutes later, he was as placid as usual and happy to be stroked. It was then that I noticed that he had a big scratch on his nose.

As soon as Gizmo went near him though, Fudge's ears went back and he chased Giz away.

We have kept them apart since then, leaving Fudge with the large hutch and Giz with a conventional one. We have been letting them see each other and sniff each other through the mesh of the hutch and they seemed to be getting on ok. When we let them get face-to-face without the mesh, they sniffed at each other gently until Gizmo tried to bite Fudge's nose. Fudge then attacked him and I received another nasty bite (I'm a slow learner!) separating them.

We've tried neutral places to 're-introduce' them, but the same thing always happens - they nervously approach and sniff each other and then Giz tries to bite Fudge's nose. Fudge then attacks him.

When we put them out into the garden with one in the run and the other free to roam, they usually end up very close together, or looking for the other. They appear sad when they are apart.

Please can any one give us any suggestions as to why this might be occuring and how to get them to be friends again? We don't think that this is terratorial squabling as it is occuring wherever they are.

Many thanks
Dave & Tracey

Have you just brought them a new hutch then? New territory can trigger a squabble as they might check the heirachy of the new place and one try to change the ranking. It could also be just one anoyed the other and it got out of hand.

You need to break the pattern of Gizmo biting and then Fudge attacking. You could try holding them both next to each other on your lap and giving them nose rubs. Keep up the stroking action so they don't get a chance to turn and nip. The idea is to get them next to each other and make some good associations. Buns seem to have very good memories when it comes to a bun that nipped them and Gizmo may just be pre-emting the attack he thinks is coming.

You can also try distracting them with food. Put them together somewhere neutral just before dinner time when they are both hungry and give them their favourite food. Supervise very closely so they don't get a chance to bite.

Letting them spend as much time together with just mesh between is a good idea. That lets them get back to the idea they can be near each other without fighting.

Whereever they meet without the mesh needs to be neutral territory. Although it might not be territory they are squabbling over its good to take that out of the equation. Putting them somewhere they aren't used to also put them off balence so they are abit more casious rather than leaping in.

It may take quite abit of time/work to get them back together, and there is a possibility they won't. Try doing the short, closely managed meetings atleast once a day. In this suitation I'd think its better to have a short meeting that ends on a positive note rather than try to go for length and end up with nose nipping. They need to start associating each other with good things again rather than remembering they nipped last time they met.

Good luck!

Tam

Tamsin,

Thanks for all your advice. Nothing has changed around the rabbits recently, except that with the improved weather they are being allowed into the garden again. They usually live in their hutches in the garage and are allowed to roam the garage and into the conservatory when we are home.

We agree with your suggestion that a tiny squable might have got out of hand and that Giz is nipping pre-emptively. We now need to break the cycle...

We are going to try your advice for getting them together in a neutral environment today. I'm not sure about your food suggestion as Giz normally pinches Fudge's food virtually out of his mouth and noses him away from the pellets when hungry. Fudge is so laid-back he usually lets him... but with the current situation might not be as agreeable.

We'll let you know how we get on... Fingers crossed!

Dave & Tracey

Day 1
Tried the 'drive in the car' - obviously we did it wrong because the buns started fighting straight away!

Tried holding the rabbits 'nose to nose' - after a few minutes of staring and sniffing each other, Fudge started grooming Giz. Success! Then Giz bit his nose... :?

Day 2
Tried holding the rabbits 'nose to nose' - they were staring at and sniffing each other only, no grooming or nipping. Is this a positive step?

Day 3 (today)
Planning on taking them for a drive in the car. This time we'll introduce them AFTER we've set off! :wink:

Thanks for all your advice

Dave & Tracey

I'd definately say day 2 is a improvement. If you can keep repeating that success then your on the way. Day 1 has its positive bits too, it does sound like Fudge atleast still wants to be friends.

I imagine the car trick will work less well if the bunnies are used to traveling and not bothered by it as the idea is it gives them something other than biting each others nose to think about

Good luck!
Tam

Day 3
After taking them for a drive in the car, we let them out of their boxes looking petrified. Giz approached Fudge and they sniffed each other - then he bit Fudge's nose! WAR!!

I ended up sat in the boot with them (it's a people carrier so plenty of room) and every time they approached each other I started stroking Fudge or Giz. Having my hand (sort of) between them seemed to make them more careful and meant that they didn't bite each other (or me!)

Eventually we put Giz in the run in the garden with Fudge running free. We left them sniffing each other through the mesh. When we checked on them later, Giz had escaped (it looks like I forgot to bolt the door) and a fight had occured - Fudge had a big scratch on his nose.

Day 4
We kept them totally apart - Giz in the garden and Fudge in the conservatory.

We'll maintain the 'one in the run - one running free' approach and daily nose rubbing, but Tam, have you any suggestions as to what to do next? We really want them to be friends again, but Giz seems to be getting more agressive and Fudge seems more nervous - even when Giz is outside.

Thanks
Dave & Tracey