Bonded bacame unbonded

[user 10525]

I have a small girl bun and a lager boy bun that have been bonded since the day we brought the girl home from the fair.

After the boy was hurt (he jumped off a table) we had him to the vet. The vet told us to isolate him in a small cage so he wouldn't run around and mess up the bandages. We did this for about a month. After he was cleared by the vet as all good we put him back in with his mate and she tried to kill him. I mean cock fighting is nothing compared to this. Well the boy has already had his face shredded and had to have stitches.

Now they live next to each other with a fence between them. The girls tries to rip down the fence to get at the boy. It appears she has turned into more a Tasmanian devil that a rabbit.

Any suggestions on how to get them back together?

 

[Myia09]

Are they nueterd or spayed? That could be the entire reasoning. Unspayed females are very territorial.

 

[tonyshuman]

Myia has a good point. Also, it is not uncommon for bonded bunnies to unbond after one goes to the vet. It's best to take the pair together, and allow them to be together or at least have contact through a gate while the ill one heals. I would try to rebond them, although it will be difficult. It is also very difficult to bond unaltered rabbits, whether male or female.

 

[user 10525]

They are spayed and neutered. The boy is very tame. He spends all his time running from the girl. I haven't tried the bathtub thing yet. They live next door to each other and every once in a while I catch them laying next to each other. Of course with the fence in between them.

 

[Pipp]

Yeah, breeders won't put the males in with the females, the girls are just too territorial.

Future attempts, they girl has to go to the boy, or neutral territory.

If there are two of you, maybe try putting them together in a big room where they don't usually go, or a pen in the yard, and just be prepared to grab one or both if they start something.

Set it up with boxes or shelves and/or furniture that provides a bit of blockage in case of chasing, but nothing where one can be cornered or where they can go under or in and you can't get at them.

Put down a big plate of veggies/pellets/treats to distract them and allow them to share it.

And/or give them something else to do -- graze on the grass, chew on willow or fruit tree sticks, munch on hay...

As soon as they start to fight, separate them and try it again another time.

sas :goodluck: