Bonded Bunnies fighting-losing freindship

[alfi]

Hey guys,

My partner and I have 2 bunnies, a Mini Lop(Bapu) and an Angora(Nelson). Both born at the same time, are around 15 months old we have had them since they were 5 weeks old. They have been together from the start, both males who have been de-sexed. They have been excellent mates from the start-snuggling and grooming etc. They have always shared a hutch in our living room. They are inside bunnies so have a high level of interaction with my wife and I.

We have a month old baby and since the kid has come along the bunnies have had less attention. We noticed changes in their behavior fairly quickly, particularly Bapu was doing a lot of sitting around looking fairly depressed. 

Around 4 or 5 days a go we started noticed a lot more of Nelsons fur around. With didn’t realise it was a result of Bapu attacking hime until my wife heard them 2 days a go-Nelson screaming in distress with a lot of his fur ripped out. We immediately separated them for about 12 hours, set up another hutch next to their other one in the living room.

Now we have re introduced them to one another, but still separating them in the night. They are not being as aggressive
now, but every now and then Nelson starts trying to bite Bapus bum and he chases him around the room a bit but mostly they are just co existing in the living room but not snuggling or grooming or doing any of that nice stuff.

Has anyone had experience with something like this? Is it likely to be a permanent change in their behavior? We are sad  and just want them to be mates again.

Thanks in advance

[BanditCamp]

Bunnies can be territorial, even thought their desexed it sounds like bapu has claimed dominance in an agressive manner. You need to possibly rebond them and introducr them in a neutral enviorment such as a bathroom or the kitchen area. You can also try stress bonding them later on as this will make them unite check out somve videos su h as stormyrabbits or 101rabbits and look at binkys own bonding info in rabbit info tab.

Stress bonding is like driving them together in a car for a few times around the block then do one cday of peaceful bonding. Check the house rabbit society for more info

[Author]

Messages