Will Neutering Fix It?

[Lion Head Mama]

First time bunny mom! I adopted little Atticus for my daughter after being begged and begged and doing some research and finding they actually make really good pets. It has been a little over a year now and I just adore him, I can not believe how much I have fallen in love with the little guy. I’ve been very proud of the bond I have built with him and with a lot of research and patience I was very confident that I had a very happy and content bunny. About 2 months ago, my daughters friend found she was allergic to her own pet  bunny and was going to take him to a shelter… my daughter pleaded with me to adopt him (Winston) which I finally agreed to. The first 2 months went very well but just when they seemed to really be bonding…. suddenly a week ago it all changed. They cannot be around each other for a single second without fighting… and I mean viciously! I can tell it is stressing them both out. Atticus wont even eat his treats anymore which he used to devour in seconds and he doesn’t seem to be too pleased with me. I am so upset. I intended for them both to be free range but now they have to take turns being in the cage while the other is out, another reason I think Atticus is not happy with me because he’s gone the past year hardly ever being caged. Atticus had such a happy life and I would have never agreed to this if I thought it would just turn his life upside down. And now we have this other bunny who we have also fallen in love with, I don’t even want to consider having to get rid of him. NOW… here’s the thing…. Atticus is neutered…. Winston is not. I’ve made an appointment to get Winston neutered this Monday…. do you think that will end their constant fighting??? I’m hoping that will make all the difference but I just feel sick to think that it might not.

[Nutmeg]

From everything I’ve learned on this site, unspayed/neutered bunnies can never be truly bonded as the hormones and territory issues are just too much. Boy and girl bunny bonds are easier than two boys, but they aren’t impossible.

Did you do any pre-bonding between them? Unfortunately you can just put two bunnies together…. the new bunny Winston might have been more shy and timid and scared while he got used to his new home… then once he was BAM he tried to assert his dominance and Atticus was like “Wait a minute, I was here first, I thought I was the alpha”.

Have they fought enough to draw blood? Bunnies can hold a grudge. You may have to move Winston to another room completely where they can’t see each other and essentially “forget” about each other.
They have Winston neutered – while they are fully separated. He will go through some hormonal surges during this time and be even more all over the place…. BUT the good news is that everything I’ve read is that after their hormones settle they will smell like a completely new rabbit to the other one.

After a month of healing and hormonal balancing out for Winston you can start swapping their cages, litter boxes, toys… so that they start to get used to each others scent in their space…. then start short “dating” sessions in a neutral location = a place neither bunny can claim as their own and slowly extend the time together.

There’s a few more steps after that. But I think that may be a good enough starting point to get this all turned around for you.

There are people on here with more experience than me – so hopefully they will chime in too.

[Nutmeg]

Ps – DEEP Breaths!! You are an awesome bunny mommy and human mommy.
If anyone can help you get this figured out its this forum!!

[Lion Head Mama]

I didn’t do any pre-bonding I’m ashamed to say. We literally just brought him home, introduced the two bunnies, they seemed to like each other, and they both were given free range… how naive I was! Lol. When they first started fighting I thought they were playing, until fur started flying and then it just got worse and worse. I really do appreciate your suggestions and I am going to try all of that and pray Winston’s neutering on Monday helps a lot; I’m realizing now I should have done it much sooner. I thought I had become such a wise bunny mom but now I realize I still have a lot to learn. I am so thankful I found this site!

[sarahthegemini]

You cannot bond when one bun isn’t neutered. BOTH need to be neutered. Get Winston neutered, let his hormones settle and pre bond. You might need to separate them completely (meaning in different rooms) so they can forget one another for a month or two and then start pre bonding.

[Nutmeg]

Posted By 2 Buns Mama on 6/18/2018 3:24 PM

 I thought I had become such a wise bunny mom but now I realize I still have a lot to learn. I am so thankful I found this site!

2 Buns Mama – you are still a wiser bunny mom than most! The problem is that bunnys a less known about pet than say a dog or cat….. I thought I was a wise bunny mom with the one I rescued, but after she had to be put down a few months ago my husband decided to surprise me with TWO little ones – and one was a boy and one was a girl.
So I’ve had to keep them separated until I get them spayed and neutered – hopefully in the next month.
I got a crash course in having two as well – as I had NO idea.

Everything I posted above was what I learned from reading the “Bonding” section on this forum  

Keep us posted!! 

[Author]

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