Bonding Neutered Males Again

[XandNLeo]

  Hello Everyone!

      So, I have two neutered male rabbits. They did not know each other from birth and fought immediately. My boyfriend and I separated them and tried a variety of bonding techniques. The last method we used was keeping them in a small enclosed space with surveillance in a neutral area. The area was build so that the size of their space could be altered based on whether or not they were getting along. They were there for a couple of weeks and I was getting worried that they would never be bonded. Soon after they started grooming and we immediately introduced them to their shared hutch. 

  They enjoyed a good 8 months of bonded bliss until one day I started to hear them chase each other. I noticed they were fighting and that one of them, Xander, was bleeding. I was mortified. I separated them and immediately took both of them to the vet. I was concerned from what I researched that the one that scratched Xander, Leo, was ill and lashing out. The vet said the rabbits seemed healthy but gave me antibiotics for both of them (I suspected from a reddish discoloration in Leo’s urine that he might have an infection). And Leo actually got Xander a lot more than I thought. His elbow and his side were scratched very badly. 

   Now, both buns are being kept in separate rooms while they heal. My question is will my boys ever be bonded again? Should I even try bonding them again if Leo hurt Xander this badly? Would it be better to bond them both (after they are healed of course) with a spayed female bunny? 

[DanaNM]

I had an experience with a broken bond (after 5 months of peace, no obvious trigger), and I opted not to try to rebond them, because I felt that the bond wasn’t particularly strong to begin with (I had also used a marathon technique) and I felt that even if rebonded I would never be able to trust them.

My understanding is that to rebond after a serious fight, you must separate them out of sight and smell for 3 months, to allow them to forget each other, and then start over at square one (short dates in neutral territory). There is no guarantee that you will be able to bond them…. Were they very closely bonded before the fight? Do you know what might have triggered the fight? Any changes to your household?

Personally, given that the bond was very difficult to begin with, and the seriousness of the fight, I wouldn’t try this pairing again. But that’s just me, and I don’t know your buns. There are many that believe all bonds are possible, but it probably isn’t worth the stress and risk to you and your fur babies. Are you able to have them live side by side, but separate, permanently?

I don’t have any experience with trio’s, so someone else will have to chime in on that one.

. . . 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.  

[bunnyfriend]

The adoption counselor I talked to the other day about finding a new mate for my rabbit said that usually for trios two girls and a boy works best because two boys will have a difficult time sharing one girl. I’m sure there are exceptions to this though! My suggestion would be to consult your local House Rabbit Society or Humane Society if you plan on trying to add another rabbit or even just reach out to them for advice on bonding males together. Typically they’ll have the rabbits go on “bunny dates” to see which rabbits are a good fit in hopes that bonding will be more successful. I hope something can be figured out soon and relieve some of your stress! 

[XandNLeo]

Thank you so much for your help. When I just started using this site i thought my post was deleted! I’m so glad to see that it wasn’t. I still have them separated entirely and they both seem happier for it. The bond before was forced and it appeared to be more like they “put up” with each other than true love. I don’t think it’s fair to them if I keep trying to make something work that isn’t. My partner is saying we could have them live separately permanently, but I’m not so sure that’s fair to them either. I want my bunnies to be given all the joy they could have in their lives and I think having suitable companions are part of their long-term happiness.

[Quartz]

Just as a note about red urine, it’s not necessarily blood:
http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-1/red-urine.html

[DanaNM]

Thanks for the update, glad to hear your boys are doing well.

Again, I don’t have any experience with trios, but I’ve heard they can work, they can also be a challenge. It may be easier to have two pairs, which many people have. It’s really up to what you are up for, and what your household can handle!

Many people report having two solo buns living side by side very happily, so if your guys seem happy, then don’t feel bad. You can also try giving them a stuffy, which some folks say their solo buns love to snuggle with.

. . . 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.  

[Quartz]

Are there any tricks with stuffies and single buns? I got mine a sheep stuffed animal at the same time as we adopted him. It’s been a year, and he still happily ignores said sheep. Never even as much as leaned on it.

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