open wound on back of neck

[Blake]

So I woke up this morning to check on my fluffy bunnies before work. Marshmallow was by the baby gate in their room so I pet her a second and the continued to get ready. Several minutes later I heard Cookie chewing at the gate so I went and pet her. I didn’t see marshmallow. I went back several minutes later and noticed large clumps of hair on the floor. I went to find marshmallow and I found her hiding in her cage. I moved her fur around and noticed a small open wound on her neck.

I’m not sure if it was her over grooming herself or if my bunnies got in a fight. I’ve separated them while I’m at work. My vet doesn’t open for a few hours.

Advice anyone?

[Bam]

It sounds like they’ve been in a wee fight.

You can rinse the wound with human eyewash (saline). You can use plain neosporin cream on it (not the type that has a painkiller added). Then you leave it without a dressing. Check twice a day, rinse and apply cream.

Keep an eye on the buns, if they get into more fighting of a serious nature, you might have to keep them separated, let things calm down, then try to rebond.

[Blake]

That was my first instinct. It’s the first time I’ve skin broken on either of them. I didn’t do anything to the wound this morning. When I get off I will rinse it and apply the neosporin. I’ll have to check what kind I have. I know I have saline though

[Vienna Blue in France]

A wee (are we scottish today?) bit of jealousy from Cookie as you petted Marshmallow first ?….

[Blake]

Not for certain but I think it would have been over a toy more than me. They kinda do their own thing. Most times I go spend time in their room they do their own thing rarely coming to me. I’ll follow and try to pet them, they usually hip away but sometimes will hang out with me

[Bam]

A little scuffle between rabbits is of course not uncommon. The resulting wounds as a rule heal very well, but it can take 2 weeks. Rabbits don’t have the kind of nasty bacteria in their mouths as f ex cats do, and that’s of course great.

Vienna, yes, we are a wee bit Scottish today Probably someone said “wee” on Dowton Abbey yesterday. Double episode again with Bam snoozing in mum’s lap Mama’s lap, I mean.

[Blake]

So my wife called me and said Marshmallow looked sad, probably because she is caged. What should I look for to know if it’s getting better or worse? She couldn’t figure out how to open cookies cage opened lol so only marshmallow is out right now

[Bam]

A simple, superficial bite-wound should scab over and stay dry. There shouldn’t be any seepage from the wound or marked swelling around it.

Sometimes a wound isn’t superficial but looks it. Wounds like that need to be kept open and not heal over – it must heal from the inside and out, slowly, or bacteria that don’t want oxygen can start growing inside the wound and a pocket with pus can form (an abscess). With a wound like that, oral antibiotics might be needed as a precaution and if an abscess forms, it might have to be cut open and cleaned out -just putting a drain is no good with bunny pus.

Bonded bunnies that get separated can become intensely sad, so they should only be separated if it’s absolutely necessary.

Keep a close eye so both buns eat and poop.

[Blake]

Some developments. The bunnies are definitely in some type of squabble. I’m taking turns uncaging them and when I’m home I uncage them together until they start to squabble. I rinse marshmallows wound with saline. Another opinion said neosporin should be used invade of ingestion. She does keep grooming that area where the wound is.

The wound seems to be scabbing over OK. I’ve got her an appointment on Wednesday. If it starts to get worse I’ll take her to an emergency.

[Bam]

If the wound looks good you don’t have to use neosporin. It’s not available where I am so I never use it. It’s more of a precaution.

[Blake]

So there is definitely something going on between then :/ when I try to bond them the time between fighting in each bonding session has gone down. It only takes 1-2 minutes now. I don’t have a way to completely separate them, but o keep one caged and let out for a few hours and repeat. at night I cage them all night and place their cages close to each other but not where they can hurt each other.

I’m just not sure what started it

[Vienna Blue in France]

Do you have an enclosed (ish) area where you could sit on the floor with another person (and the buns), gloves aready to break up fights. Another member does that on here and it seems to work. Comforting buns in the enclosed area and at the same time on hand to sort out squabbles ?

[Blake]

How big of an enclosed area? Their room is an average 10′ X 12′ area. When they start to fight I throw a blanket on Cookie who is typically the aggressor to break them apart.

[Blake]

So it’s been about 2 months and they are still fighting with each other =/ I’ve tried a short bonding session here and there.  Cookie is still super aggressive towards Marshmallow.  When I first put them together They are fine for 2-3 minutes then Cookie just goes after her.  They were both so cuddly with each other and I can’t figure out why Cookie is still being that way.

 I’ve only been able to keep them separated to a point.  They are both in the same room.  I will let one out for a while and then switch them.  Typically 8-12hr intervals. But I make sure the time is mostly split even. If I work one bunny might be out an hour or two longer but nothing significant.  Even when Marshmallow is out Cookie seems to aggressively follow Marshmallow around in her cage.

 They are both spayed.  And were even bonded since spaying.  They were fine for 2-3 months or so after I got the last bunny spayed.  They were bonded before either got spayed. One got spayed and then got territorial.  They rebonded fairly easily.  The other got spayed and then rebonded again.  But since what ever fight they had Cookie won’t be nice to Marshmallow.  Marshmallow sill sniff through her cage and such seems like she is ok with Cookie.  It’s Cookie that’s being a pain.

Anyone have any other advice?

[LittlePuffyTail]

hmmm….I’m not very experienced with bonding but stress bonding (car ride/basket onwashing mashine) is often suggested for aggressive behavior. Have you tried anything like that?

[Blake]

I’ve not tried stress bonding. Making them stress out worries me that they might get scared to a fright episode and hurt them selves

[Bam]

Stress bonding can sometimes make things worse, that is true – and you know your rabbits better than anyone.

Time out is the only thing I can think of. a good, long one.

[Author]

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