Hello forum members, my name is Mira. I will be filling out the bonding questions first and get into why I’ve reached out after that. Thank you.

Spay/Neuter
Are your bunnies spayed/neutered? Yes.

If so, for how long (for each)? Willow was spayed at two years old. He is seven now. River was spayed June 10th, 2021.

If not, why not?

Are you aware of reproductive cancer risk in females? If not, please read about it here

Housing
Please describe your bunnies’ current housing set-up (living together, as neighbors, etc.). The two rabbits have been living in their own designated exercise pens that were bumped up right next to eachother, but as I am writing this they have been separated to entirely different  areas of the basement.

Bonding background
Did you allow the bunnies to “settle-in”? Not for long enough. River just arrived less than two weeks prior, so he is still getting used to the space and living with new sounds, sights, and smells, etc.

How would you describe your bunnies reactions towards each other (answer for each bunny): shy, scared, curious, calm, aggressive, excited, affectionate, etc.? First meeting was at home in their own pens, spaced about three inches apart from eachother. Body language was positive, (ears perked forward, relaxed posture, sniffing through the bars of the pen) and they expressed mutual curiosity.

Have you done any “pre-bonding” (cage or litter box swaps, etc.)? Yes. I swapped the litter boxes about a week into things, and started off swapping toys before that. This sparked interest between both rabbits. I originally had three, small stuffed rabbit plushies for Willow that I interchanged back and forth between the two. Even rubbed each rabbit with one of the plushies and handed it to the other to see what the response would be and both groomed them, which I thought was good.

If so, for how long? It’s been just over a week.

Have you started sessions yet? I spontaneously wanted to try getting them face to face for the first time seeing as things were seemingly going well – both rabbits were content, would sit by one another from inside their pens, or just ignore eachother entirely. I set up a neutral meeting in a bathtub upstairs, and once both rabbits were in there, it was obvious that River was stressed. Willow sat in one spot, minding his own business essentially, and River skated up towards him and immediately started to nip and a tuft of Willows hair went up into the air, and then a tuft of Rivers, and that’s when they were separated and put back into their pens. I haven’t deliberately tried any face to face interactions like that since.

How long have you been working on bonding your bunnies? Almost two weeks.

How frequently do you have bonding sessions, and how long are they? Just that one time, and the result of how it played out told me right away that it was a rushed and not well-thought out decision on my part, so I wasn’t planning on anything more for a while.

Have you tried any stressing techniques? Besides the bathtub, no.

** Alright. Just to preface things, Willow has been my first and only rabbit up until River came into the picture just under two weeks ago as of tonight. (July 11th, 2021)

** Willow is a Netherland Dwarf, 7yrs.

** River is a Black Silver Marten, 7months

* What happened this afternoon . .*

I have been having one rabbit out at a time during the day for exercise and play-time with me since River came into the picture. The area that has been closed off for this purpose is also the same space that both the rabbits have their pens as well. This afternoon while River was out doing his run about the room, I was sitting cross-legged in front of Willows pen, with the door open. My hand was on Willow, and we were no more than a couple inches away from one another when River circled around the back of me and swiftly hopped into the pen . . .

I held my breath for a moment when they met face to face and immediately squared up, sniffing at first, and then outright scrapping. Willow took the first nip and then before I knew it, they were both scrambling around Willows pen, Willows hair flying all over the place. Both rabbits were biting and scratching at eachother and before I could even react, Willow suddenly took hold of the blanket inside his bed and kicked at it frantically. That’s when I scooped River around and he hopped right out of the pen and darted for a hiding space across the room . . .

Willow was dazed by the time he sat back up and looked at me. I scooped him up after giving him a once over and grabbed a pet brush on the way out with the intention of combing away any of the excess hair . . .

**TW** **Talk of Blood/Gore**

Once we were in a separate area and I had him down in a place where I could really get a good look at the damage, I saw his right shoulder blade area had been ripped open at about an inch deep, exposing the muscle uunderneath. After a vet emergency visit, he was sent home with me and some new stitches, a bandage vest that was protecting a tooth gash on his spine, and probably the smallest cone I’ve ever seen. He is doing ok, all things considered. River too.

More than anything at this point I would just like some insight on the situation. This fight was not the result of a planned meeting gone wrong, but of a surprise one that I’m almost certain none of us expected. 

I don’t want to give up River right away, because I still feel like neither of them have had an honest chance to settle or really get to know one another, but I also understand that this fight has just put a hault to any plans of bonding for the next couple of weeks while Willow takes the time to heal and recover from his injuries.

Please, someone with experience or understanding of the situation tell me how to navigate here forward.