Loss in a Bond, New Bond

[PointyFloops]

Hello,

Over summer I’ve taken in 3 rabbits from a school (they were a 4 but one passed before coming to us). They got on pretty well in our garden with the odd chase and hump. They were 2 sisters and mum. We had them spayed in November so brought them inside to recover, the mum (Stripey) needed some extra care and nursing back to full health so they’ve ended up staying in over winter (they shed their winter coats).

Stripey unfortunately passed away a couple of days ago, we took her to the vets who said she had an infection but tragically went into seizure on the way home 🙁 ! The 2 sisters are now on their own and I commonly observed Stripey (mum) stop them from chasing / generally keep the peace.

The 2 sister (Pointy and Floopy) have been ok with each other alone but Pointy is getting a little nervous, running away from Floopy a lot (which then starts a big chase round the room). I found when I’m playing with Floopy she does barge / nip every so often, never a proper bite though. This morning it looked like Floopy was scaring Pointy away from their greens for breakfast, I’ve never seen this as a 3 they used to share the food bowl with no arguments at all.

I’m still pretty emotional from losing Stripey and in the way we did I wanted to make sure there’s anything I need to look out for in this behavior or anything I can do other then leave them to it whilst they sort their politics out?

All help much appreciated.

[Wick & Fable]

Rabbits do not really acknowledge family units, so them being sisters does not guarantee they’ll get along, especially after a spay, where a hormonal spike occurs during recovery. Following puberty and being spayed, it is normal for rabbits to need a bit of a “booster shot” of the bonding process, if not need to go through the entire process. You will find many topics on our forums where two siblings/young rabbits got along fine, and then things go awry once puberty occurs. It also sounds like Stripey may have been a really important part of the trio-social-hierarchy, and now that she has passed, a new dynamic needs to be agreed upon.

If them “sorting out politics” is leading to something dangerous, like escalated fights, one rabbit bullying another, and/or injuries, it is probably best to separate them from each other and go through a formal bonding process. There is really great overview and steps of bonding in the RABBIT INFO section of this website.

Lastly, I’m really sorry to hear about Stripey. You are probably providing a much better space for her children than the school would have ever done, and your concern just shows how much you care and love them.

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.

[DanaNM]

I’m very sorry for your loss. It’s great that you were able to take them in and get them all spayed.

Agree with Wick, sometimes in a trio the loss of one will trigger the remaining two to have some issues. The dynamics of groups are different than pairs, so you likely will just need to do some bonding sessions with the girls to help them reestablish their hierarchy as a pair (as opposed to members of the trio).

If you have time and space, you could move them to a completely neutral space and supervise them until they seem good again (lots of positive behaviors, no more food aggression or charging).

. . . 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.  

[PointyFloops]

Thank you both for your replies and great information.

I prepared to separate their spaces but realised they’d each claimed a portion of the space available (they’re currently taking up whole dining room and most of the kitchen). I’ve got a small WiFi cam / baby monitor so used that to see what they were like overnight, fairly chilled out, small snuggles for warmth I’m guessing.

Having worked from home since posting I’ve sat with them during and after each meal or treat and things have dramatically improved. Both will happily eat together, grooming a bit more and pointy looks far calmer.

Still the odd chase but hoping that’s playful, I haven’t seen anymore chunks of fur. Lots of stretched out sitting.

[DanaNM]

That’s great news, sounds like they are re-settling into their bond as a pair.

. . . 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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