Two bonded rabbits hates each other

[BettyandValentin]

I got a new bunny two months ago, Betty, 3y.o. female, to be with my bun Valentin, 5 y.o. male I had for 3 years. She is from a rescue, like Valentin, and the lady told me that sometimes she has a bit of a temper with other rabbits. But the bonding went really well, they never showed signs of aggression, Valentin was mounting her for 2-3 days to show his dominance, but after that they where in the same pen, always cuddling. She always presents her forehead when he approach, to be licked. 

But two nights ago, they started a terrible fight at 2 am, I was really afraid, I had to separate them. It seemed that Valentin was trying to mount her and she wouldn’t let him and riposted. In the morning I tried to put them together again, I freed them I the living room like always. At first they were happy, Valentin doing his morning binkies and Betty exploring, but when they met, they would snif their nose intensely and started to show signs of aggressions, ears down, open mouth and grunting. By petting them I am able to calm them a bit, but if I let them, it would turn into a fight. And they never stop, I went on until I removed one. I tried to pet them on the sofa, the two close to get them to relax, and sometimes Valentin was licking Betty’s nose. But when they are near the pen, they are aggresive and the one that is in it don’t want to see the other. 

I tried to put them in another room, in a new environment like for bonding, and it doesn’t work. They can’t stand each other. It seems that Betty is afraid or angry at Valentin, when he is near she is tensed and attack him. They even fight when one is in the pen or the cage and the other is free. They have a big pen and are are free most of the day, or in the morning and the evening. And they are very stimulated, I play with them all the time. So I don’t tink it comes from boredom.

I am really lost and heart-broken. Betty is not bonding with me or my boyfriend even if we try, she was always with Valentin, so now she is always alone in her cage and don’t want to be touched. At least Valentin have us to cuddle. She seems lost, afraid, but so aggresive with Valentin. 

[LongEaredLions]

I would try some stress bonding. Put them together, and when they fight, put them in a box and shake them around a bit. Then try again.

[Zombie-Sue]

Is she always in her cage or always free? I’m confused a little

[Tate]

Sounds like a similar thing happened to my rabbits Yours are both altered already, correct?
My two HATE the car and I figured out that even when they were fighting pretty bad, they did really well in the car. I put them in a carrier and drove them around. At the time, they were separated at home. After the first few car rides, I put them back in their separate areas, although they only had an xpen between them so they could see each other. After that, I’d take them in their usual car ride and then bring them home and put them both in the bathroom with no blankets or mats down, so if they tried to chase each other, they would lose traction and slip (mean, I know! But it works…). I put them in the car before every single bonding session for quite a while (weeks!) and then tried them without it. The trick with my two was the stress of the car rides. Fight mid-bonding session? In the car we go! Hope that helps some.

[Doula2007]

OK, I’m currently having this problem with my two bunnies. They’re both altered.

Explain this car ride to me….Do I put them in the same carrier?? I’d be terrified they’d fight in there and kill each other while I was driving! Mine can see each other all the time, we just have the younger one gated off in a room, or in a superyard in the living room. Weird thing is, they will lay right next to each other while he’s penned up, but if he’s free – he’ll attack her and it will take two people to pry them apart.

[BettyandValentin]

I am a little afraid to try the car ride, I don’t wan’t to scare them to much. I love them so much and the idea to let them harm each other is really painfull.

The first time I wrote, they were fighting but not too much and I would calm them when they did. But now the situation is far worse. I read somewhere that they have to fight to resolve their problem, like to establish the dominance of one, so I tried to let them meet, without interferring too much. I put them in a new room, they where curious at first and they bumped their head with each other… Before starting a war. Their fight was horrible in a matter of seconds, I separated them but they would only try to bit the other. I got bit really bad trying to separate them, and the two have some scratches. This was a week ago and since I never put them together again. Before that, I could put them together on the sofa and pet them and they would lay close and didn’t fight, but now I can’t, if the other is near they start to fight no matter the situation.

When I free one in the living room, I have to hide the cage or pen of the other because all they do is try to bite the one that isn’t free. At first I tought it was the female (the new one) that was the trouble maker but now I think it is because of my male, and she attack because she is scared. Durring the day, it let the female’s cage near the pen so they can ear and see the other, without fighting. Maybe spending time like that will slow the aggressive behavior.

[LittlePuffyTail]

With agression, the best approach really is stress bonding.

Have them in an open box or basket while you sit in the back seat of the car while someone else drives. You have to be ready to intervene, if necessary. Most bunnies will simply stay still. This is not to harm either bunny, but for them to establish trust with one another. After stress bonding, separate them. They will sometimes take out their stress on each other after the car ride, so it’s best to wait until the next day to do some neutral-space bonding.

[Author]

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