Trouble bonding 2 females

[Cupcakesmom]

I had my bunny Cupcake for about 9 months before I fell in love with a bunny named Dizzie that needed a home. When Cupcake met Dizzie, they got along so well. They really hit it off and played and layed together. When Dizzie finally came home with us, I put them together in a room that neither had been in before. They did great for a few hours, then there was a small tiff, but they continues to be friends after I gently scolded them. They stayed together in that room for a few days. Later, I transferred them into the livingroom together. Dizzie was in a pen for the night, as she wasn’t using her litter box at night. She jumped out sometime during the night and a large fight ensued. I woke up in the morning to puffs of hair and poo everywhere. I later had to take Dizzie into the vet to get stitches. Ever since then, they do not get along, so i do have them seperated. If i let Cupcake near Dizzie, they put their noses together for a bit, then fight through the cage bars, which then i spray them with water so they stop. I have been putting Cupcake in the pen next to Dizzie at night and they seem to getting more used to each other. I havent put them close enough to touch yet though. It scares me when they fight. I dont really know where to go from here.

[bunnyfriend]

Hi welcome to BB The first question usually people ask is are both bunnies spayed? If not that could be the cause.

Sounds like they are fighting for territory, was the living room a neutral territory (one neither of the bunnies have been before)?

[Cupcakesmom]

Hello and Thank you! I love this site already!!
Both of my girls are spayed. When they first met, Dizzie was not, which I thought might have had something to do with it. She may have smelled different when she met her again. The living room was Cupcake’s “spot” which I realized after the fight, was not a good place to put Diz. How would you siggest starting over now that they already had a fight? Am I doing the wrong thing by putting them close to each other at night?

[Sarita]

I think if there is a chance for one to escape and get into a fight with the other, I would keep them in a separate place for safety reasons.

What I would suggest at this point since they’ve fought is give it a few weeks for any anger or fear to diminish.

Then I would start over at bonding them in neutral spaces for small periods of time and work your way up – in other words, start all over again.

When you do put them together – no boxes or toys or hiding places that they can become territorial too.

[Cupcakesmom]

I have them in 2 seperate pens at night. Dizzie in an actual cage (because she is a jumper) and Cupcake in a pen. They are about 3 inches apart so they can see each other and smell each other, but they cant get to each other. They seem at ease when they are close. They dont have aggression unless they can touch.

I will give it some time, then take them to a neutral area. I left a room in my house bare just for that. it has a wood floor, which i know neither of them will like, as they wont set foot on anything slippery. i figured that way they couldnt charge each other as much.

[Sarita]

Then I think that should be fine as long as they can’t get out and terrorize each other :~)

[Author]

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