Fighting

[BunBunandBailey]

(First off I Know that there are others who have posted about this but i wanted a bit more specific answer for the situation)

      We have 2 rabbits currently that were fighting a lot. We have an about 8 year male named Bunbun and an almost 1 year old female named Bailey. (My old rabbit passed away who was previously bonded with Bunbun for most of her life) Bunbun is and has been fixed and Bailey is not. When we got bailey we went through the bonding process with both of them and she was very submissive to him. For the majority of there time together they were both doing great. Bailey was very energetic and panicky but Bunbun help calm her and she helped Bunbun be more active at his old age.This was all until a couple weeks ago when i noticed a change in their behavior. It started as just a small bite to the other to move out of the way but it turned into chasing each other in circles, aggressively biting fur, and attempted mounting. We decided to separate them so we made a big cage with a divider in the middle cover in a sheet so they cant see or touch each other.This is where the are currently. We have tried several times to re-introduce them but it always ends up in a brawl. I’m not sure what to do now.

Is it just because Bunbun is getting old and grumpy?

Should we keep them apart permanently?

Could it possibly be something related to their recent location change to upstairs instead of downstairs?

Please Help Thanks!

[jerseygirl]

That was a good call. Separating is best for now.

It’s possible the new space or even certain items have triggered some territorial squabbles. With Bailey being intact, she could be more territorial.. have you seen other behaviour changes in her at all? Loss of litter habits?

What age was she when you started to bond them? If she was in “bunny puberty”, the reaction to each other might have been influenced by hormones. Often that results in fighting then but it can also be opposite.

[DanaNM]

I agree with Jersey, separating was the right call!

I’m guessing by Bailey’s age of only 1 year, that she was either in “bunny puberty” or still a baby when you went through the bonding process. The recent change in location also could have set things off. Unfortunately when one rabbit is in-tact still the bond can be more easily upset.

If you would like to try to re-bond them (which BunBun might like), you’ll want to get Bailey spayed (this is a good idea anyway to prevent reproductive cancers) and give her time for her hormones to settle down. Then you can go through the bonding process with them again and see how it goes.

Poor BunBun, he’s probably a bit confused by it all!

. . . 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.  

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