biting rabbits please help!!

[JillLovesBunnies]

 I just finished up a 3 day move from NY to Arizona.. I have my female netherland dwarf & female lionhead  in separate cages sitting up front with us. At our first hotel I laid out a towel on the bathroom floor so i could have some space to hop around but several minutes after leaving them alone I heard loud noises. I opened the door and there were big chunks of gray fur on the floor  and they were breathing heavy so I had to separate them. After we arrived I let them free in their new room with their food water and toys. I heard again lots of loud noises and evidentally the lionhead again bit my netherland because i heard a high pitched scream! Since then they have been separated. Are they just stressed from the long move? Should I keep them apart for a little while and slowly try to bring them back together? Im worried!

[Beka27]

Were they firmly bonded before the move? How long have they been bonded? It might just be the stress/ change in location, but I think usually the strange smells and sights might make them feel closer to each other… not vice verse. I’m interested to see what others say.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Hi Jill!  My bonded pair have an annual fight that sounds very similar to this, only it did not involve moving.  I would keep them separated but where they can see each other and not nip noses through the bars.  Check for wounds by gently blowing on the fur to expose the skin.  Any injury or break in the skin can infect easily so clean it with a peroxide and water solution (50/50) and dab plain Neosporin (without pain killer on it).  If it looks bad, take your bun to the vet.  If wounds are present, let them heal before you try the bonding process over again.  Usually car rides (i.e. stress bonding) bring buns closer together but maybe they just got sick of each other.  I would suggest starting with square one of the bonding process and since you’ve moved that’s great you’ll have neutral territory to do it in.

Check out BB’s bonding section:

https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO…fault.aspx

 

[MooBunnay]

Hello Jill, welcome to binkybunny!

Had you taken your two bunnies through the bonding process and were they completely bonded before you moved? It sounds like either way, you will probably need to start the bonding process again. There are a lot of great tips in the bonding section on this site (in the “bunny info” section under the section that says “bonding info.”), and on the bonding forum. If you have already gone through the bonding process, I bet this time it will be much easier, but I’d definitely recommend until you are settled before putting them back together.

If there was a bad fight, I’d really recommend taking them to the vet to get looked over. I had two boy bunnies get in a fight, and when I took them to the vet, he found 2 more bite wounds hidden under the fur that I had not even seen, and he was able to help me treat them properly so that they did not get infected.

If you have any questions about the bonding process – let us know!

[MarkBun]

You’re in a new space so they haven’t established who is in charge of it. If they weren’t firmly bonded then there is the territorial fights again.

[JillLovesBunnies]

Thank you for all of your advice! I am taking Sophia (my netherland dwarf) to the vet tomorrow for a pedicure and to have her checked over. She is the poor baby who screamed Today I brought Matilda (my lionhead) and Sophia in the same room, but Matilda stayed in her locked cage. I have never seen them act like this. they are swatting at each other, biting the bars of the cage and grunting. Racing back and forth. Sophia has bit her mommy 3 x! I don’t want them to feel in danger. Bonding them was really easy. I adopted Matilda about 8 months ago..it took a few sessions of them racing each other in circles before they were best buds. I always said they were “ying yangin” because they would sit so squished together. Augh! I am stressed

[skunklionshow]

Moving….especially such a hugh distance can have a major effect on the bond.  I’m assuming you drove.  How long was the drive and how many stops did you have to make?  I moved Chgo to Philly.  I attempted to make the trip in 1 day, about a 12 hr drive, but ended up w/ some car problems and had to stop about 2 hrs from Philly for the night.  That was very stressful on the 3 cats.  They weren’t sure how comfy to get in the hotel room and then when we got to the new place they only stated in one room for several days.

Just imagine not being able to communicate and finding your nice home completely gone!  I think that would stink for any of us!  I think a rebond is needed.  Looks like you will have to do waaaayyy more work than the bond previously.

[MooBunnay]

It sounds like they are both stressed – were they fighting in the car when they were in the carrier together? Usually I recommend car rides to people as a way to get bunnies to bond, but it sounds like the traveling was stressing them out. I’d recommend giving everyone (including you) a break and a few days to calm down before putting them back together again. Try to keep them in just one room so that the rest of the house stays “neutral” territory so that you can do the bonding wherever you want.

Let us know how the process goes once you get started again!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Yup agreed-sounds like they are stressed-moves can do that to animals. They don’t get much say in their lives even if they are pampered, and that’s hard-so they enjoy routine and predictabilty.

Let us know how the vet trip goes! And I have to say, I just got back from a vacation to Arizona and I am thuroughly green with envy that you get to live there! It was fabulous-sooo beautiful!

[(dig)x(me)x(now)]

Hopefully once they are settled into their new location, things will improve. I’m sorry you’re having a hard time!

[JillLovesBunnies]

 Progress!! They stopped trying to swat each other and growling so after about a day I let Matilda out of her cage and had supervised playtime. They’ve been out together almost all day today and I have only heard a few loud stomps but they seem to be humping a lot They are behaving much better and cuddling! phew!…Rabbits are so funny, i swear sometimes they think they are little people!

 

 

Yes it is beautiful here, thats why we decided to move!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Congrats-that’s great news they sound like they are doing much better!

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