Bonding advice - have I made a mistake?

[Ginger&Brown]

Hey all. Just after some thoughts on this situation from ppl more knowledgeable than I.

I got two 18month old Netherland Dwarf brothers in July. They hadn't been neutered and hence were fighting quite a lot. Ginger was particularly vicious, regularly biting Brown and so I had to separate them. They hadn't been separated by the previous owner and Brown had bites all over his bum. One was infected and needed veterinary treatment. We couldn't stroke Ginger because he hated being touched. Goodness knows what had happened to him in the past.

They were neutered in early September. By this point Ginger had started to accept strokes and was becoming more comfortable with people but he didn't really tolerate his brother until November when they could finally sit next to each other without Ginger getting vicious. They would groom each other etc, BUT.. Ginger was still very territorial. If Brown was somewhere Ginger didn't want him he would bite (less viciously) and come away with a mouthful of fur. Anywhere Brown tried to settle in the morning Ginger would chase him away until he finally got too tired. Then Ginger would spend about half an hour trying to claw Browns scent away. At night they would have more energetic scuffles and Brown would jump onto my bed to get away from him (and occasionally just for fun). This was in my bedroom/office so they were disturbing my sleep and my work.

I moved them downstairs on New Year's Eve. About 5 days later Ginger made his way back upstairs in the night. It looked like they had had another scuffle as things were disarranged in the living room. I don't know why I did it but I just let him stay upstairs on his own for a few days. I then brought him back down but after 10 minutes of sniffing around and scaring Brown he'd had enough and headed upstairs again.

Brown is a very anxious timid bun who would never ever bite, and I felt a bit sorry for him being bullied all the time. Although they would occasionally sit next to each other and groom each other I don't think their bond was that strong. But I now feel like I've made a huge mistake by allowing them to separate and maybe they would have gotten on better given more time.

 

[Shimmer]

I'm quite surprised that they've lasted so long together, under the circumstances. Un-neutered rabbits will inevitably fight from adolescence, I'm afraid. Sometimes they can be separated before physical damage is done, neutered, and rebonded a couple of months later. Sometimes the behaviour has become too ingrained, though, and isn't hormonally driven after neutering as it has become habit.

Separating and neutering was absolutely the right thing to do. It's just that the bond is probably now too damaged to be maintained successfully between these two. If you can cope and the rabbits are both ok with the current arrangement, I would just go along with it. If they are together, they would need supervising in case things turn into a full-on fight.

Another option is to pair up each with another neutered rabbit (probably female) and keep them as 2 separate pairs. Maybe look at bonding the one with the least human contact first. Most rabbits prefer the company of other rabbits anyway, it's just that these 2 boys' relationship was already very unstable and stressful before you took them on. Such relationships often end up with a lot of physical damage or the death of one, but it doesn't mean that they couldn't be successfully bonded to a different rabbit.

 

[Omi]

100% my view too. Ideal option for the bunnies is if you could get them each a partner.

 

[Ginger&Brown]

I'm quite surprised that they've lasted so long together, under the circumstances. Un-neutered rabbits will inevitably fight from adolescence, I'm afraid. Sometimes they can be separated before physical damage is done, neutered, and rebonded a couple of months later. Sometimes the behaviour has become too ingrained, though, and isn't hormonally driven after neutering as it has become habit.

Separating and neutering was absolutely the right thing to do. It's just that the bond is probably now too damaged to be maintained successfully between these two. If you can cope and the rabbits are both ok with the current arrangement, I would just go along with it. If they are together, they would need supervising in case things turn into a full-on fight.

Another option is to pair up each with another neutered rabbit (probably female) and keep them as 2 separate pairs. Maybe look at bonding the one with the least human contact first. Most rabbits prefer the company of other rabbits anyway, it's just that these 2 boys' relationship was already very unstable and stressful before you took them on. Such relationships often end up with a lot of physical damage or the death of one, but it doesn't mean that they couldn't be successfully bonded to a different rabbit.

Yeah I worked really hard to get them to bond which is part of the reason I'm annoyed with myself. And now I feel a bit sad when Ginger sits under my desk on his own, where they both used to sit together and groom each other. And I miss them scampering about together.

 

[Shimmer]

The problems started long before you took this pair on. They are probably only still going because of your actions, so please don't beat yourself up over it. There are different ways forward, but it is unlikely that they will truly get along as a pair. You will have to manage that so that both are able to live happily but apart. They are both better off now than they were before you took them on as they are safe, healthy and cared for.

 

[Orenoko]

It sounds like you've given them a much better life than they had before tbh, I'm surprised neither one of them had received a serious injury given they were unneutered. It doesn't sound like they have a great bond, which isn't your fault at all, this started long before you got them. I'd consider either keeping them apart - one up one down - maybe with a barrier that they could see each other through so they still have some "company" but in a safe way, or get them both a female friend, but then you're committed to having two pairs separately in your house so it depends if you have capacity for that. I don't think I'd risk putting them together properly again as I'd be worried about what could happen if they were unsupervised.