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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

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Forum BONDING 2 Male Bunnies Still Fighting After Castration

  • This topic has 6sd replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 2 years ago by LBJ10.
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    • Lynn
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        We had a bunny for a year, he has full run of the house and started chewing carpet and tipping wallpaper etc, we didn’t realise bunnies aren’t meant to be on their own, so we bought a 2nd boy. All went well for the first 6 weeks then they started humping, which eventually led to circling, then fighting. Only one injury,more loss of fur! Got both bunnies castrated and put in large cages which were touching. Let them out to play separately for a few weeks, before trying to let them be together. The first time they hummed on and off, then after 25 minutes started to fight. Again we kept them separate, but cages touching. They sniff each other and lick through the bars, but everytime we re introduce them, they start to fight! Last night was the first time we had tried fir z couple of weeks and the oldest one literally chased the younger one around the flat at full speed and then there was a fight, only fur lost, but really upsetting. So they were separated again, but as soon as they are separated, the free bunny will go lie next to the other one that’s still in their cage. Again sniffing and licking through the bars. We have no clue how to fix this, but don’t want to keep them in cages, can anyone help??


      • Wick & Fable
        Moderator
        5813 posts Send Private Message

          How long have they been neutered for, and where are you introducing them? Bonding is a process that often takes a couple weeks to months and generally starts with short dates in smaller, neutral territory, and then over time making the dates longer and neutral space bigger as they safely figure out a hierarchy.

          The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.


        • LBJ10
          Moderator
          17024 posts Send Private Message

            Yes, we are going to need more information. How long have they been neutered? And what methods are you currently using?


          • Lynn
            Participant
            2 posts Send Private Message

              They have been neutered about 6 weeks. What do you mean by method?? We introduce them in the livingroom where their cages are.


              • LBJ10
                Moderator
                17024 posts Send Private Message

                  Wick & Fable provided a link. I was just trying to get a better idea of what you are doing for these bonding sessions. If they aren’t occurring in neutral territory, then that may be the issue.


              • Wick & Fable
                Moderator
                5813 posts Send Private Message

                  I recommend stopping all bonding attempts until you review and better understand the general bonding methods for rabbits: https://binkybunny.com/infocategory/bonding/

                  You should not be letting them meet for bonding sessions in the living room, which is space they have both been in (i.e., not neutral). Rabbits are very territorial animals, so when starting bonding, it is recommended to start in neutral territory for a short time (ex. 5 minutes in a small space neither have been in before). This is better explained in the link above.

                  The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.


                • DanaNM
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                    Yes, agree with Wick&Fable. Rabbits are very territorial so they will almost always fight when you introduce them near their home turf or in an area they spend time.

                    You are on track to bond them though, since you got them neutered. The link shared above gives a great over view of the bonding process. Basically you will want to start by locating a neutral area of your home, which is someplace the rabbits have never been, ideally not within smelling range of their areas. Many people use their bathrooms for this because they are easy to clean and most rabbits don’t hang out in the bathroom.

                    You can also start swapping which bun is in which cage every day or two. That helps them lose track of territory and get used to each other’s scents. Keep doing this throughout the bonding process.

                    After a week or two of side swaps, start doing short dates in the neutral territory. It’s very important to prevent fighting during these dates, so it’s OK to have your hands on them a lot. You can pet them when they approach each other to keep them calm as well. I like to start with short time goals when the rabbits have fought previously (such as a minute or two). Try to end the dates on a positive note, so either before they fight, or once they have calmed down again.

                    Then the idea is you gradually increase the amount of time they are spending together in the neutral area. You can do multiple dates a day if you have time and the buns are not getting overly stressed. Once you get up to dates that are an hour or two long, you can increase the date length more. So for example when you get to 2 hours, you could then try a couple 4 hour dates. In general if something goes well, it helps to repeat that exact date again.

                    In the bonding area, start out with nothing (no litter boxes, food, etc.). Once dates get longer I like to add pee pads on the floor and a pile of hay. They can also share salads during the longer dates.

                    I’ll stop there so as not to overwhelm but feel free to ask more questions!

                    . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

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                Forum BONDING 2 Male Bunnies Still Fighting After Castration