Rabbit Just Got Spayed…What Happens with already-bonded Family?

[Jackie237]

I have a post on here about two days ago asking about spaying for one of my rabbits. Daisy’s surgery went fine and she’s currently staying in my room to have some quiet. However, she’s already bonded with three other rabbits. Her family is downstairs in their cage. What can I do to keep them close? Or do I have to wait 2-4 weeks for her not to see them and rebond her to the three all over again?

 

 I would keep her downstairs next to the other rabbits, but it’s more nosier downstairs than it is in my room; and my room is too small to fit another cage for the other three to be next to her….

Appreicate the help, thank you.

[BinkyBunny]

How long has she been apart from the others? Sometimes a bunny that has been in surgery smells funny to the other rabbits and they don’t recognize their friend anymore. So there is a possibility you will have to start the bonding over again. I don’t know. I would suggest that you try to get the other rabbit’s scent on her and vice versa. Pet them, pet her, pet them, back and forth. Can you put in a pen next to them (but be sure to put some sort of netting in between to prevent them from biting each ‘others face.) and put her the pen? It’s tricky situation, but if you are able to at least keep them close without them being able to hurt each other that would be ideal. Another thought is to get her scent on a toy (bunny or some other toy animal) by combing your bunny and then putting the fur from the comb on the bunny and putting the toy in the rest of the family’s pen. See how they react and hopefully if they are aggressive it will die down with the “passive” toy.

But if there is any show of aggression, then I would not risk putting her in with the trio until she has fully healed.   And that means you would have to start over with bonding again . 

[Beka27]

Did you try putting her back in with them right away? They might accept her back. Bonds don’t always break. I wonder if she’ll be more comfortable in familiar surroundings.

[jerseygirl]

Ditto. I would try her back with them & watching closely. If that doesn’t work, setting up area for her near them or doing regular visits.
Rubbing something over her is a good idea too (toy, blanket etc). To transfer the normal scent.

If she does go back with them ok, she might want to hide away somewhere, like in a hidey house, until she’s feeling better.

[Jackie237]

Hi everyone…thank you for the idea of getting her scent to the other three rabbits. I just recently brought her cage downstairs near the others, however, she acts like she’s already healed and okay. Is this normal? I feel that it isn’t safe. It’s only been three days and she already eats normally, sit and walk/hop around normally…and I don’t want her wound to open up or anything.

 

 

She also seems to get too excited near the other rabbits. She leans up a lot and follows the others side by side across the cage…

Yesterday I put one bunny in her cage for a quick second to see if they wil be used to each other right off the bat…but they started to circle one another. Am I supposed to not let her do anything very active? Because she’s really active …despite being just the third day of recovery.

[BinkyBunny]

The biggest things vets worry about is jumping. Being somewhat active after a few days is usually okay as long as she’s not running around doing binkies and jumping up and down on things. I think that you would have to have very close supervised visits, and not let the circling escalate. My worry, (which I am sure is yours too) would be the circling would lead to a fight and she could then use her back feet to kick hard (in those spiraling fights) which could cause ripping of the incision inside…or because she doesn’t have any fur protection on her belly that another rabbit could bite her there during a fight.

I do still like the idea though of having her “safely” nearby where they can see and smell each other, and get used to each other again. And if you want to try to have regular visits, this is definitely a situation I would hover on. Be right there to stop any signs of aggression. Wear gloves so you can separate without getting bit yourself.

When you she say she leans up a lot — what do you mean exactly? Are they in a cage or pen situation? I remember I was so surprised when my bunny Jack, after a bladder stone surgery, was so excited to get to Vivian, that he literally tried to jump over the pen. I thought he would hurt himself because he got to the top and was basically half way over with the pen putting pressure right on his tummy. So if you have an pen, then I suggest putting a top over it too if you are noticing the pacing.

[Jackie237]

Oh, by leaning up I mean she “periscopes” a lot. Standing on her hind legs , and most of the time she would stretch out and put her front paws against the cage like she wants to jump out. The top is covered , though.

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