Change in bunny when new one arrives

[Deleted User]

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As you some of you have seen, I have brought this up a few times already. But it is beginning to bug me a little!

Since bringing home Myrtle, Finn has changed. He either doesn’t want to come out of his cage or when he does he will sit in the far corner all night and just groom himself. Whereas before he would lay in the middle of the lounge and venture around. Now he runs away from me, and when I lay near him to stroke him he nudges me away. He is eating and pooping ok and doesn’t appear to be in any pain. He was at the vet a week ago for his Myxi and VHD1 Vacs but that’s about it. He does have a small peg tooth re growing (his had his incisors removed), but I don’t think it’s that as he is eating.

Finn at one point was very interested in Myrtle, now he appears to have retreated back. However, Myrtle is very interested in seeing him!

Is a change in your original rabbit normal? If so is this temporary? Can he scent that Myrtle is un spayed, would that be the issue?

[Deleted User]

I would think that he is just in a funk about Myrtle. Do you smell like her when you go to pet him? That could be a reason that he doesn’t want you around. But it’s good that he isn’t showing it aggressively! Ophelia honestly terrified me when I brought Quincy home. She would just lunge and charge at me all the time, I never thought I could be so terrified of a 3lb fluff ball XD

[Wick & Fable]

Myrtle is definitely a big change in his life and that’s a possibility. The presence of an unspayed females can stir up hormonal instincts in a fixed rabbit, so perhaps Finn is being more cautious because he can now sense a territorial competitor may be in the mix.

If not already, I would have the incisor regrowth formally assessed to make sure it is a healthy regrowth. I can imagine after a removal and exposure to air, a peg tooth may be more prone to growing in crooked or harboring bacteria that may become a tooth infection.

It could be a retractive reaction to the vaccines. Wick never received vaccines (US), but I’ve heard a lot of rabbits are a bit off after receiving them.

Has Myrtle displayed any hormonal behaviors as of yet?

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.

[Deleted User]

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Myrtle hasn’t really shown any hormonal behaviour apart from the odd Thump and buzz noise. She has been ok. It’s just Finn. Finn hasn’t shown any hormonal behaviour either…no sounds…no thumps. Nothing. His just grumpy.

His regrowth has been seen by the vet and is just a slither. It’s not an incisor but his vet will no doubt check it again on Saturday.

Because his Vac and Myrtle happened on the same day it’s hard to figure which is bothering him. His appetite is fine, so I would assume if it was about him feeling unwell this would slump.

In fact his acting in a similar way he did when his sister was around. i want to make sure he will be happy with another bunny. Finn would just put up with it not be aggressive but I don’t want him to be un happy. When his sister passed he perked right up. 

[Deleted User]

Another forum has suggested a Pre spay bonding sessions so he feels less threatened. As I can’t move her to another room due to her crate size. I want going to take them to a bonding service after her spay. So I really don’t know what to do.

[Deleted User]

I personally wouldn’t do a pre spay bonding session. I just don’t see the need for it. I don’t think anything that happens pre spay is any indicator of how they are likely to be once you start bonding after a spay. Except for the fact that if there is anything negative that occurs you risk this impacting bonding in the future. Of course this is just my personal opinion and others may chime in with more useful information. I just think that it’s something Finn is going to have to get used to and things just take time, he will be curious and out of sorts because it is something new and as long as he isn’t severely distressed then I don’t see any issue. I had my two side by side for about 3 months while I waited for spaying and healing time before I started bonding and the more time that passed the more comfortable they got.

[Wick & Fable]

I think the next course of action is solely reactive — no two rabbit bonding processes are alike, so whatever you try, just think about it critically and see if it’s worth continuing, or halting. Pre-bonding may help, but if you find it’s not, then it’s not an avenue this bonding story should take at this time. You know your rabbits best, so trust your knowledge in their body language and expression. If you make a mistake, the realistically worst thing that can happen is they may not bond as quickly. The hyperbole-worst case scenario is they kill each other, but you are clearly attentive and careful enough that that would never happen.

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.

[Deleted User]

Thanks Guys. I am not going to introduce them until she is spayed. I know rabbits hold grudges so i am not doing that and risk anything. To be fair they are already pre – bonding. None have an issue seeing one another. Finn dosen’t seem to care and Myrtle as interested as she in Finn just goes about her daily binkies 🙂
Finn however finds more joy in self grooming. The fact that none are trying to reach one another as much may be a sign that they are use to one another — after all they can see each other from the other side of the lounge all day.

Finn seems to have perked up a little this evening, however I haven’t let him out yet. So I will know more later. If it is his Vacs should i hold off getting his VH2 done this Saturday for a later date? I could take her in instead to see if she can be spayed yet. 

[Deleted User]

He seems to have perked up a little tonight so it may have been the vaccination. We shall see. But I think I might delay the next vaccination until the end of the month since its taken him over a week to recover from the last two.

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