Bunnies on Concrete??

[Lunar~Atticus]

I need to move Atticus and Lunar for they are fighting to the point where they have battle wounds cause of house sitting a new bunny. But they place I can move them to is part concrete and part carpet, it is just a piece of carpet the i can move and whatnot but anyway, i would like to know they are okay to be on concrete? i have them right now on ceramic tile and carpet.

It is the only place i can move them and it will give them a much bigger area to have then my room which is limited. i am just concerned if they will be alright being on concrete?

[KatnipCrzy]

I don’t think the concrete would cause an issue as long as they have somewhere to get off of it to protect their feet- but in this warm weather they might like to lay on the concrete as it would probably be cool.

BUT- concrete is usually porous- meaning it will absorb some urine and smells if they do decide to mark.  So that would be a big disadvantage (unless the concrete has a sealant/finishing paint coat). 

I think you should leave your boys where they are best set up- it is their home.  And put a new bunny somewhere else.  Or better yet- do not petsit bunnies in your house.  It is actually possible for your bunnies to get sick from bringing other bunnies into the house- so better safe than sorry.

I work at a vet clinic and do petsitting for select clients/pets- and I will never do any situation that is possibly detrimental to my own pets.  The only bunnies I will bring into my house are mine- and since they have been “new” at some point- I keep them away from my other bunnies for a couple of weeks just to reduce any risk. Griffin came from a breeder and had been at a 4H fair- so he was kept in another level in my house for 2 weeks- and was fed and handled AFTER my other 2 were taken care of.

[Lunar~Atticus]

i have been trying to rebond them but as soon as they are in their area, they fight and badly. i have tried completely cleaning the area with vinager, changing the litter boxes so they are fresh and dont smell like anyone but it doesnt matter. they fight reguardless. i had them outside in a place they havent been and they got along great and had them together in a tub and no problems. i put the tob in their area with them in it still, they both jumped out and started to fight.

so, with that. i feel and have talked to other members, that moving them to a different room in my house would be best for their bond. the concrete is a finished surface so, if they do pee on it, it wont get absorbed. i want whats best for my boys. i dont want to have to keep them seperated and in the space they are now they have to kept apart or they fight. the new place will give them a lot more room and it will be half carpet and half concrete so they can get off the concrete if they need to. same as for the tile. they have carpet in there incase they dont want to sit on the tile.

it breaks my heart to see them fight and staying in their room, which i feel the space is getting to be too small for both of them ( they are 8.5-9lbs and 6-6.5lbs) but when not in their area, they get along great to the point of grooming each other’s battle wounds the one grooming inflicted.

the house sitting bunny is leaving this evening. i took it in cause it couldnt stay in the house, being treated for mold and the owner, a very good friend of mine, had no place to keep the bunny. they were going to a trailer for the time the house was being treated and would have been waay too hot for a lionhead to go there. my room has 2 parts. my bed room, where the boys are, and my tv room/competer room/ kitchen is and that is where the other bunny is. i had hear near their area and they started fighting so i moved her to the other end but it didnt stop the fighting. i want to move them to my living room which is entirly seperate from what i listed above. seperated by a concrete wall and 2 french doors. and it is a much larger space. the boys are not happy in their area for they just fight so i have to keep them sepaterted so they dont cause anymore damage to each other then they have. thankfully nothing serious but i dont want to push my luck. i stay with them when together but they fight sooo fast and when i break it up, they just go right after each other and have attatacked my foot, wearing a shoe, cause it was in their way.

 i live in the basement of my house and it is always cool so doesnt matter the temp outside. even when the central ac is off, the basement is still cool.

 

[Deleted User]

My rabbits are on concrete in my basement at night. I put down some cardboard sheets to give them the option to get off the concrete and they also have shelves to hop on. They sleep on the concrete many times, I think they do like the coolness.

[Lunar~Atticus]

i just moved them and they are still fighting…now what?

i have been spraying them witha spray bottel if they come together aggressive but its like everytimes they come together JUST to fight. so, i have a very large dog crate in their area and i am going to alternate who goes into the crate and who is running loose for now. this way they are are forced to live with each others scent. and they cant fight. does this sound like a good idea? i am at my witts end with these 2 and am VERY upset to the point i am crying.

[Lunar~Atticus]

But ill take some pictures of their new area as soon as my camera is charged. just so you can see.

[Lunar~Atticus]

Here are some pics of their new area.

[jerseygirl]

If they’re currently fighting at any opportunity, I’d advise separating them and set them up side by side where they were living.  Yes it’s less space than they’re used to but it’s only temporary until the other rabbit has gone home.   I would use this new area for mending the bond once she has left.  You don’t want to risk a worse fight and them holding a grudge.  You might be lucky and find they go back together no worries after the other rabbit has gone home.  But while she is there it will probably continue to be a trigger I’m afraid.  Her presence may have been enough to challenge their bond if it was only a recent one.

You might have to rebond and really cement their bond.  So I’d reserve this space for that.  As the neutral area.  Some stress sessions involving movement (car ride) with them in a box or basket then into the pen after. Possibly make it smaller?

I’d be moving the cardboard box to the wall side rather then by the pen panels. It looks like Atticus could easily launch over it. Actually, it might be best to keep things to bare minimum if you use this as a bonding pen – so just a litterbox if it doesn’t cause issues & food dishes. 

If the new rabbit is going home tonight,observe any changes with them. I’d say you might have to wait a day or so before attempting rebonding.

[Deleted User]

I would cage both bunnies in your room separately without being able to see each other, and have sessions in the bathroom with them daily, and save the basement for their cementing phase. I know the adjacent housing is a popular method but I have never had success with it. you can try having their cages side-by-side but if there is boxing or nipping, slide a piece of cardboard between them as a barrier.
You need to rebond, but it can be done with the proper sessions!

[Lunar~Atticus]

the prblem i have with bonding in an seperate area is that they are absolutly fine! i had them outside together in a small cage. they were cleaning each others battle wounds but as soon as i get them in their area, right back to the fighting. doesnt seem to matter where i have their area. they are hell bent of fighting. so taking them in the car or bathroom or anywhere they are great. as soon as they are both together in their area, they fight. they will run up to each other and instantly start to fight. no hesitation what so ever. maybe if i put a cage on either side of their area and leave the open space empty? with nothing in it? they will fight if the other one goes into their litter box. i had this set up in the bening where they were serperate with their own area and then a common area in the middle and that was how i bonded them first and they didnt fight at all. not even once. there was a lot of humping but that soon stopped after getting them fixed. my boys have gotten meaner since getting fixed. and this i noticed before house sitting that bunny.

ugh, guys i am sooo upset with this. i dont think i should try again until all their wounds heal? but keep them seperate but together in the mean time? i dont see them fighting thru the crate at all. they will go up to each other but i havent seen or heard them fighting.

[Deleted User]

You are saying that in a small space (cage) they get along but not in a larger area such as a pen? If yes, this is quite typical territorial behavior. In a crowded situation like a car seat or bathtub or small cage many rabbits refrain from fighting but in a larger area they do to claim it as theirs.
You must trick them into transitioning to a larger area gradually by using a neitral space that is not too big but neither too small. I see you have a pen there that can be made into a much smaller space. aybe set it up on a tarp or a new flooring such as blanket or even outdoors for some sessions. Don’t dispair yet over this, it really is a matter of transitioning these two the right way but you must be patient and use some creativity!

[Lunar~Atticus]

yes petzy, exactly and if they are out in the yard loose…im with them to make sure they dont wonder, they are fine. but in their space….not at all.

can a fixed male rabbit spray cause i swear lunar is spraying! it is a dark colour urine….like a reddish yellow and only he is doing it. i have checked that area for wounds and whatnot and it is perfectly clean. my vet tech friend did a palpation on him and found nothing…i am getting another cage to seperate them totally and have their commom area and i even bought a brand new litter box for it, brand new dishes for it…is this a good idea??

[Andi]

can a fixed male rabbit spray cause i swear lunar is spraying – Yes. Even female rabbits can spray urine to mark territory. I have a small male who is very good at it … *sigh*

All my rabbits live in the same area in seperate cages with a common run area. They can playoutside together no issues, many more then half can use the common area together without any issues (Only 2 cannot, they bully).
When i was bonding two to each other, or one to a pair, i had them live right next to one another, and would share their toys/blankets for teh scent.
Don’t give up, it takes time, and sometimes lots of it

[Deleted User]

reddish urine is due to plant pigments in their feed. If you ever saw black clots in their pee it would mean blood and this should be seen by a vet.

[Lunar~Atticus]

nope, thankgoodness no black cloes. just a reddish colour. and very strong. i have them in seperate cages in the same area and cleaned the now commom area with vinegar cause atticus was loose in there for the day so it smelled like him. so we will see how this goes… :S cross your fingers everyone!!!!!

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