Rescued a Domestic Bunny Found Outside. Help!

[Vanesssanichole]

Help someone! Idk where to even start. Recently, I found a domestic rabbit running across our yard. I went outside to see if I could find it, which I did. I was able to bend right down and pick her up! She is very sweet to me but I also havent had her for long.

I have a pet bunny who is about 2.5 yrs old and has always been alone. I always wanted to get her a friend, fearing she gets lonely. She’s the best bunny I’ve EVER owned. Super sweet and affectionate.

I decided to let them meet with a bar between them, then slowly without on a hardwood floor. The new bunny seemed a little frightened/permissive. She was almost immediately groomed by my bunny. They stayed overnight together, no problems. Next day, once i put the new bunny on our carpet where it had better movement control, she became aggresive toward my rabbit. They mounted one another at times but then circling begin. Then a few scruffles which led to hair being bitten/pulled off of my rabbit. The new rabbit started to attack mine. I eventually separated them, then later saw a bald patch on mine. What happened???What should I do? In my rabbits cage, the new bunny has started to become territorial over my rabbits litterpan, not letting her in, fighting her. Even though the day before, she had.

My rabbit is a female – 2.5 yrs old. Not spayed.
New rabbit found outside is a female – I suspect to be young. Maybe 1yr old. Not sure if spayed.

Next steps… try reintroducing them but only on hardwood floor. This time with 2 litter pans.

Help!

[Muchelle]

Hello, welcome to the forum

First off, have you taken the new bunny to the vet to check that she has no illnesses? And to see if maybe she’s already microchipped?

Do not try to introduce them. Keep them completely separated until they are both spayed and healed. There can be no bonding whatsoever if the buns are hormonal.

[Wick & Fable]

It’s also wise to keep them separate so the new rabbit can get comfortable in the environment and bond well with you first before putting your other rabbit into the mix. The new rabbit may be stressed from it’s ordeal and not acting 100% as it’d like out of precaution.

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.

[tobyluv]

It’s wonderful that you rescued this poor bunny before something horrible happened to her. You definitely need to keep these bunnies separated until they have both been spayed and a few weeks have passed, then you could start the bonding process. Rabbits who aren’t spayed or neutered can fight viciously and cause severe injuries. They can’t even be together for a few seconds. And their pens should be separated so that they can’t fight or bite through the bars.

You should take the new bunny to the vet to be checked out, especially to check for internal or external parasites. You don’t want anything to be passed along to your own bunny. The vet could also make doubly sure that this new bunny is a female. If the bunny is young, which is when most are thrown out, it could be a male whose testicles haven’t descended, and sometimes males can suck up their testicles when they are nervous or stressed. You certainly don’t want to risk any pregnancy if this new bunny turns out to be a male. While you are at the vet, you can schedule their surgeries.

[Vanesssanichole]

Thank you so much for replying. I’ll call the vet. I didnt know if my rabbit should still be spayed at her age.

[Vanesssanichole]

Good idea. I didnt think about having her bond with just me first. Gonna call a vet.

[Vanesssanichole]

Thanks for your advice. I PRAY that she’s a female! ? I wish I knew her story– like what happened to her. If she had gotten loose or let go. It’s just weird because they were together forawhile and just fine but then the new one became aggressive.

[Rain]

Hi, welcome to the forum!
I agree with all the amazing advice stated above, that you should get both spayed and the new one checked before doing any bonding at all.
I just have to add one thing, in case you were not informed about it before. Female rabbits that are not spayed have a 70 % chance of uterine cancer by the age of three. So, both these girls, especially your own, are getting pretty close to that age where it is common for them to get the cancer. It’s extremely common, and extremely stressful, and then the girl has to get spayed anyways in order to remove the cancer. And it makes the surgery riskier at the age too.
I think you are moving just a little too fast with the steps. Every step in the bonding process should take atleast a couple weeks or a month or two before moving on. For example, at least three or four weeks with them barred away from each other before fully introducing them.

[Author]

Messages