Babies fighting

[Lisa_43]

My hubby and I just saw the 5 boys in a group huddle running around in circles trying to hump and bite each other, one or two of them ran off and started thumping.

They have now all retreated and seem to be in shock and are resting.

I guess this is hormones and trying to dominate each other.

They are now 9 weeks old, and the one that started it is my little runt.

Surely I don’t have to start separating them as I am defiantly running out of room.

When they do it again should I leave them or Intervene?

[BinkyBunny]

You will need to intervene as they can begin to hurt each other.  I have seen babies inflict serious wounds to eyes, noses and mouths.   Usually there is one or two instigators or one that is being picked on.  So you will have to separate them out.    

[Lisa_43]

I already know who started it, my little runt Gizmo and Tiger Lilly came in a close second all my others are quite placid. (so far)

It has been nice seing them together and happy, Im not looking forward to this part, watching them fight sure breaks your.

[Sarita]

Those dang hormones! Hopefully they will be fine until you get them neutered but you will have to watch carefully. Sometimes this happens and sometimes they are just fine together. We had a trio with 2 males and a female and they never ever fought even before being altered. I guess something must have set the boys off. It is a large group so I imagine there has to be one bully in the group.

[babybunsmum]

  sorry to hear hormones are entering into the picture for you.  maybe just isolating gizmo would help for the time being?  or tiger lilly.  little buggers!

[Beka27]

if you’re gonna do the neuters in stages you may want to neuter the troublemakers first…

[osprey]

The same thing happened with the last litter that we fostered.  At about 10 weeks or so the boys started to fight.  it was quite scary, and I got bitten a couple of times trying to break up fights.  You may have to separate the trouble makers until they are neutered.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Lisa I am so sorry to hear about the disharmony with the boys.  Since Osprey mentioned biting, you might want to keep a metal strainer on hand to place over their head to keep them separate but they can still breathe and not bite.

This is what I am talking about:

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[Lisa_43]

I like the strainer idea Scarlet, Greg also has police gloves that are toughened for needle stick injury so both will come in handy.

 

I should of known something like this was going to happen, Gizmo has been starting to nip me and generally being a pain. (I still love him tho)

He is the instigator and Tiger Lilly follows his lead.

It seems to start happening when they have the full run of the outside pen.

I will just have to keep a close eye and if it happens again Gizmo is outa there lol.

I still have another 7 weeks before they can be neutered, I sure will be counting the days down.

 

 

Another question, any reason they seem to be very interested in grooming or sniffing each others butts?

Sorry it sounds a bit gross.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Thanks! Oh my well you may soon see if those gloves are bunny-proof too! The sniffing sounds like something dogs do, a sort of signifier for who it is and maybe they are checking to see if the other is a girl or not? I have no idea.

[Lisa_43]

I am a little worried; I hope the vet got the sexes right as he was not a rabbit savvy vet.

He looked like he knew what he was doing he checked their privates as well as feeling their lower tummies for the testicles; I just don’t want anymore babies.

Beka, I am going to get them neutered all together, Sarita and yourself had said it will be a good idea and I trust your judgments.

I think if they all get done together they can then recover together, easier on them and me.

 

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