Sibling Bonding Question

[AVChang]

Hi! This is our (A and V) first time posting here and had some questions about the bonding process.

Background:
When we first got the bunnies (Speckles and Hazel) we didn’t realize that they would fight since they weren’t neutered  and one day we heard a lot of sound and found them fighting pretty hard (fur everywhere, some wounds on both bunnies…) so moved them to two separate cages.

We leave their cages next to each other and switch them every now and then to try to get them used to each other’s scent. They’ll nip occasionally through the cages (usually put them far enough apart that they can’t reach each other) when we try to put the cages closer but other than that they seem generally ok with each other through the cages.

Now:

We got them neutered about 3.5 weeks ago and have tried to introduce them to each other again a week ago and they found pretty much instantly in a neutral place (bathtub) so we decided to wait a until today to try again. Today we introduced them in a semi-neutral spot (they both use that area for exercise) since that was the only place big enough for us to go in with them. When we let them out they wandered around the area a little and then fought again. After that A kept petting both of them while they were together and they seemed content ignoring each other from about 6-12 inches away (Hazel was facing mostly away from Speckles). Eventually Speckles started inching towards Hazel and seemed to give Hazel a small nip (not as bad as in a fight but caused Hazel to start a bit) so A decided that was the time to end the bonding session.

In short, they seem to be neutral-ish with each other when A is there to pet/hold one/both but when left to their own devices they have gotten in a fight every time.

Does this mean they won’t be able to bond or will A just need to be in there with them every day we introduce them for a while until they get more comfortable?

Thanks for taking your time to read this! Hoping to know whether our bunnies will bond or if we’ll need to go to one of those ‘dating’ sessions.

A+V

[DanaNM]

How long has it been since the fight where they were wounded? Since the fight was serious, you should take a long break from bonding, including pre-bonding, to let them “forget” each other, and start fresh from scratch. 

Even neutered bunnies will fight if not properly bonded first. 

So, if possible, house them in two separate rooms, so they can’t see or smell each other, and give them time to cool off, I’ve heard about 3 months is usually good. Also, 2 weeks is not enough time for their hormones to settle after their neuter, so more time apart will help on that front too.

Then you can start up bonding again. You might want to try stress bonding first, such as a laundry basket on the washing machine, or a car ride in a box together (with a helper of course), so make sure they don’t fight right off the bat again. 

If the small space doesn’t seem to be working (they go straight after each other), try a much larger space to allow them to escape each other. 

. . . 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.  

[AVChang]

Thanks for replying! It’s been about 2 months since the big fight and they haven’t broken skin since then as far as we could find.

We don’t have enough space to put them in separate rooms but can keep the cages on top of each other to minimize visual contact.

So you don’t think it’s possible to continue if they need one of us in with then to stay neutral? We we’re hoping that we could help them until they get along better.

Does the fact that they used to cuddle/groom each other before getting hormonal mean anything?

[AVChang]

Thanks for replying! It’s been about 2 months since the big fight and they haven’t broken skin since then as far as we could find.

We don’t have enough space to put them in separate rooms but can keep the cages on top of each other to minimize visual contact.

So you don’t think it’s possible to continue if they need one of us in with then to stay neutral? We we’re hoping that we could help them until they get along better.

Does the fact that they used to cuddle/groom each other before getting hormonal mean anything?

[DanaNM]

Hi there, So I’m a bit confused on your timeline.

Have you been doing bonding sessions since the big fight? How long has it been, since their neuter? What sexes are they? Females take much longer for their hormones to settle than males.

There are two issues here: one is making sure their hormones are settled, and one is allow them to cool off after their fight.

The fact that they cuddled and groomed before doesn’t matter at this point, as they smell differently to each other now, and behave differently since they are adults.

Even though they haven’t broken skin since the big fight, the fact that they are still trying to fight means they remember it. As I said before, I would stop bonding sessions completely for 3 months (starting at the date of the last bonding session). No dates at all, even with a person with them. You basically are trying to hit a reset button, plus allowing their hormones to settle.

Since you are unable to have them in different rooms, it would probably be ok to keep up with the pre-bonding, but make absolutely sure they cannot nip each other through cages or fencing. Pay attention to how they behave around each other. Are they acting agitated? Territorial? Try to feed them near each other, so they associate good things happening with each other.

. . . 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.  

[AVChang]

Thanks for giving us all this information!

We waited about 2 months after the big fight to try again (although only 2 weeks after them being neutered since we read somewhere that that was enough time, but it seems like that’s still too short). It seems like we just need to take things a lot slower and let them forget about the bad stuff.

They were neutered May 4th (so about 3.5 weeks ago) and are both males.

So the plan right now is basically wait it out for around 3 months to try to make them associate good things with each other instead of the fight right?

Would you recommend cage/litter switching still or just letting them stay in their own cages?

We’ve been putting hay and treats so that both bunnies eat them around the same area and can see each other. They don’t really seem to agitated most of the time, although there some occasional pacing/digging.

What signs would you say we should watch for? Both positive and negative?

Thanks again for all your help!

[DanaNM]

Ok that clarifies things! 

Positive signs include: reduced marking, laying near each other on opposite sides of the fence, and syncing up of behaviors (like grooming themselves at the same time, eating hay at the same time, etc). 

Negatives: lots of marking, trying to nip through the fence, running back and forth along the border together. 

If you notice that the negatives are not getting better after a couple days, I would stop the prebonding and just let them cool off completely. If it seems like they are relaxing a bit with cage swapping, then keep up the pre-bonding. You’ll have to gauge it and go with your gut.  A member here in some thread said “never underestimate the power of living peacefully side by side”. So, even if you don’t swap cages, they will still be learning that the other bunny is not a threat. 

Another pre-bonding thing have might help is to give each a stuffy, and then swap their stuffies. Some rabbits have been known to take out their aggression on the stuffy. You can also brush one bun, then brush the other to swap their scents. 

Have patience, and be sure to give each bunny extra snuggles during this process! Sounds like you are getting on the right track!

. . . 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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