Bunnies fighting after 4 years being close friends

[Busmalis]

Hi,

I'm new to this forum, and looking for a solution for this problem.

I have 2 bunnies: Busmalis and Patatje (Little Potatoe in English). I have them since at about 4 years, both from the Wildlife Rescue Centre where I work. Busmalis is a male bunny, Patatje the female. They are both neutered.
It took 1 week to couple them. It went easy; in the beginning they chased eachother, riding, but no fighting.

Until June this year they have been very close friends, they were always together. Except for 1 time that they were fighting, when another bunny stayed at my place for some time: but that was easily solved by moving this other bunny.

They live indoors and have the whole 1st floor which is at about 80 m². They are never in a cage. They have their 'corner' with cardboard, their litter box, toys and they adore the place in front of the stove

. Both are very sweet to people, and they show that they are enjoying themselves.

Anyway, all went great until June. We were on holiday for 1 month so we decided to bring them to a friend who has bunnies as well. They have been there before and that went perfect. Her 2 bunnies live outdoors, so there is no contact. Now she took care of a 3th female bunny of a rescue centre which leg was amputed. This bunny didn't stay in the same place, but 2 rooms further. Plan was to move her new bunny outdoors after her leg was healed, but then she got 5 babies.

And since then problems started in between Busmalis and Patatje. Now they are biting, fighting, chasing, ... Back at home (after trying first) I gave them a time out for at about 2 weeks. I prepared a neutral place on the 1st floor where they never have been. I've put 2 cages next to eachother, and every day, several times I let them run together in this place. There is a box where they can hide and I try to distract them with some sweets. Like they say in some manuals/forums I try to leave them together for as long as possible, and split them up before they are fighting so they have a good feeling when they go back in the cage. But that's almost impossible. If I wasn't there to distract them, I'm sure they would start fighting immediately.
Busmalis looks afraid and runs to the box a lot of times, but they are both attacking and biting.

Does somebody has advice? How long can it take do bond again? Or is bonding impossible when they are fighting so hard?
I don't want to split them up and rehome 1 of them, and I hope I can find a solution. If not, I have to think of rehoming which will be a sad decision, but the interest of the rabbits is the most important issue. But I want to try everything that is possible first.

Thanks a lot!

Sophie

PS. They had a detailed vet check in April. This veterinarian is specialised in rabbits and discovered the beginning of hock teeth problem with Busmalis. He didn't show any problems at home, was eating normally and showing normal behaviour. So I was glad that she discovered this in a very early stage. So she operated him, and he recovered well.
At the end of May I went back for a check-up and everything looked very good.

 

[bunnymother22]

Maybe the stress of the surgery and vacation is to blame. Is there a way you can keep them seperated, but together, like having a gate?

 

[Nancy McClelland]

We had Lilli and Molly together for almost five years--than one day they started fighting for real and had to separate them. After that, it was separate hutches and separate time out or it was "battle royal".

 

[Busmalis]

During April and May there were no problems, so I don't think it has to to with the operation/vaccination. I still think it's the other bunnies in my friends house.
The cages are next to eachother, so they see eachother constantly.

10 days ago I've put them in a cat transport box, and scared them by walking around. In this box, they weren't fighting, but they started licking eachother. After some days I've put them together in their neutral area. If I'm there and cuddle them when they approach eachother, it works out fine: they start enjoying themselves. But often they start attacking again (I don't know what's the trigger, when my hand is not there it never works). I try to put them back before the fighting starts after a great moment, and that works almost every time.

So first I was so happy that they can enjoy eachother again. And they still do, alternating with fighting. But now I'm afraid I won't see another improvement. I'm not giving up yet, tips are welcome.

 

[Pipp]

Two of my pairs will fight like crazy when other rabbits come near them -- it's a misdirected aggression thing.

You're on the right track. If you happen to be going on a long car ride, put them in the carrier and take them along for the ride. Our UVic rabbits were bonded pretty tightly after four hours of transport.

Otherwise, set up the area with a lot of boxes with two holes in them, tunnels, etc, and see if that helps.

If the fights are brief or it's just hair pulling (aside from the fights where the other bunnies were around) it may be an option just to let them work it out.


sas :clover: