Fighting between bonded pairs

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This topic has 3sd replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 10 months ago by Elrohwen.

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- 06/04/2011 at 5:50 PM
  mia
  Participant
  520 posts
  I was told that it’s normal when I first got my two for there to be fights because they were in a new environment. It’s been a month and I feel that they have adjusted well to their own areas but once in a while, I find a clump of fur torn out from my female. Is this normal behavior? The male fights and bullies the female when it comes to food but I don’t really see any other fighting/bullying between the two. They do play chase and/or the male startles the female resulting in a chase. Is this something I have to deter if possible?
- 06/05/2011 at 12:25 AM
  Monkeybun
  Participant
  10479 posts
  I occasionally see little clumps of fur from Smudge around her and Monkey’s pen. From my 2, it is because Monkey still humps now and then, and needs to grab on in order to stay on. So she pulls out fur. But her and Smudge are as happy as can be
- 06/05/2011 at 1:28 AM
  BinkyBunny
  Moderator
  8776 posts
  You are right it is not unusual for a bonded pair to try and re-establish hierarchy rules in a new territory and they can do this by mounting etc which can cause a few tuffs to fly too. It doesn’t really sound like fights as you describe it, but chasing with a few tuffs pulled out during?? You do have to watch that it doesn’t get out of hand. But in general if they get along, and your male is telling your female he is the boss my getting her to back away from the food but no real fight breaks out— just a chase in which the female doesn’t fight back, then it’s probably okay. Just keep an eye on it.
  
  In the past, Jack always had to make it clear he was the King by making Vivian leave a litter box whenever he wanted in or he would make her leave a fresh pile of greens sometimes. If she didn’t leave, he’d try to mount her and then she’d leave. That was the end of it. If she decided to fight back then that could have been a problem.
  
  It sounds like your female gets chased away, and maybe the males grabs a fur on the way? If that is it, then just watch it to make sure it doesn’t escalate as they work things out.
- 06/06/2011 at 8:16 AM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  Yeah, this sounds normal. Just this weekend Hannah pulled a bunch of fur out of Otto’s bum, but no actual fighting started and nobody was hurt. The chasing and fur pulling is normal behavior for a lot of pairs.
  
  I do try to stop it if I’m around, because I figure I’m the top bunny and can tell them both how to act. Haha. But as long as your girl doesn’t fight back or act upset afterward, it’s ok.
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