Bunny Bond Recently Broken

[Jenny Blades]

Hey There,

I am having some issues with my two female hollands (both spayed.) My one Stella had a visit to the vet this week due to a bit of an upset stomach (wasn’t eating and acting abnormally) she had a belly exam and everything seemed to be normal, they gave her some fluids and sent us off with instructions to come back if she has a sudden change. Stella shares a large cage (more like a bunny mansion) with my other female Luna, both are free roam in the day and only get locked up at night. I let Stella out of her carrier and she went hopping into the litter and just stayed there for most of the day. Later at night I was getting ready to tuck them in, and get their dinner ready, I placed their veggies down and all of a sudden Stella lunged at Luna and took a chunk of fur and a bit of skin from her, thinking that maybe its because she isn’t well I separated her and placed her on the coach to “cool off” while I grabbed their hay. While I was in the garage getting hay, my mom came in panicked and holding Luna in her hands, saying that they were going to kill each other. I guess Stella had lunged off the couch and headed straight for Luna and this time managed to get her pretty good in the ear. Knowing I wouldn’t sleep with this going on I brought Stella upstairs and set her in an old cage I had. During the night she was fine, munching on hay and eating some greens and pellets. 

The next day I tried to reintroduce them and again they just went at each other, kicking, bitting and brawling. My mom intervened this time and got a nasty bit on her hand. I decided to let Luna out to roam, and keep Stella in the cage, Luna kept coming up to her to try and be nice but was only greeted by nips to the face and cheeks by Stella. Again I decided to remove Stella from the equation and took her upstairs to roam in my room. Come today I decided to reintroduce them again, Stella was less aggressive, but now Luna was being super aggressive, marking the cage, and lunging out when Stella got near. I read that people tried neutral areas to reintroduce, so I tried the bathtub thinking that would help as they have both never been in there, Stella was fine but Luna kept bitting at her behind, and eventually Stella turned around and they both got into it again, Stella again grabbing a hold of Luna’s other ear and tearing it up on the inside. Now in sitting here, thinking about what to do next. I’ve been rotating them in and out of the cage all day today trying to ensure it stays both their space, and its somewhat calmed things down but they still fight through the bars constantly. I am also using a squirt bottle with water which seems to be doing something but there is still aggression coming from Luna. I am at a loss for what to do next? Maybe the car thing people have mentioned, I’m going to try the set two cages up beside each other tonight (making sure they are far enough apart that one can’t get the other) but I am not sure what else I can try. I know bonding can be tough, they two hit it off right from the beginning after coming home from the breeder and I havent had a problem since. 

Any and all help is MUCH appreciated.

[Sirius&Luna]

Unfortunately it’s quite common for bonds to break when one bunny goes to the vet alone, as they come back smelling totally different, and their friend doesn’t recognise them. In the future, bonded buns should always go everywhere together.

Since they seem to have had a couple of bad fights in the last day, I don’t think some simple ‘rebonding’ will do it. I would go right back to basics, and prebond them for at least a month – swapping them between areas/litter trays every day. If either of the bunnies were seriously injured during these fights (blood drawn) then they may well hold a grudge, in which case it is recommended that you keep them totally separate for three months, before starting the prebonding.

After the month of prebonding, you can then reintroduce them in a neutral area and slowly increase their time together.

I’m sorry this has happened, it sounds stressful!

[Bunny House]

I agree with S&L. Wouldn’t it be nice if buns were easy haha

[Jenny Blades]

Thank you both for commenting. This is all so new to me. Now my next question is, my family and I are moving cross country and are driving to our new home in about 3-4 months. The girls will be coming in the car, should I have them in two different enclosures or together? I’m hoping that they will “bond” over this experience but am still expecting the worst. I hope by then anyway that they will be less aggressive towards each other. Let me know what you guys think? The new house will be neutral which I think is great, and hopefully we won’t have anymore issues.
Jenny

[Nutmeg]

I say wait and see how they are by then… after a month of going to full pre-bonding and then re-introducing in nuteral territory they may be all chummy by then.

If they are still holding a grudge by then you can re-post asking about it a month away from it if its still a concern then.

I would also suggest not using the spray bottle – personally – as the bunny getting sprayed may start to contribute the other bunny with the negative experience only escalating it more.

But with you going back to basics and separating them they wont even have access to fight through the cage bars.

Big Hugs to you – you must be SO stressed and heart broken.

[Jenny Blades]

Thanks Nutmeg!

I thought about that with the water bottle as well, I honestly hated doing it, but was frustrated by their behaviour. I’ll post again closer to the move date. It is so sad to see these two fight like this, they always slept beside each other, and groomed each other. I have no clue if this relates to anything but I use to have a third bun in with the girls. My male holland Odin, he recently passed away (about two months ago) but he was great when the had little tiffs because he would basically body block both of the, forcing himself in the middle and they would both calm down. Miss him like crazy right now even though he was with us for only 6 months. A

Anyway I really appreciate all the help and support and will try and keep you guys posted with anything that changes, so glad this is such an amazing and welcoming forum. It has helped to keep me sane knowing this is not an unusual thing to happen with buns!

[Sirius&Luna]

Another option is to just wait until you move house – it might make it much easier if you prebond up until the move, then drive them in a carrier together (monitored of course) and then putting them in the totally neutral space and monitoring there… Although of course that does add a whole extra level of stress to an already stressful event!

[Author]

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