Fighting AHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ldoerr · Dec 6, 2012

Earlier today I noticed some of Shiny Things fur on the ground. I was not sure what had happened (my kitten was in the room with the rabbits running around and I was on here or on youtube). I checked her over and felt nothing and the only thing out of the usual was some tuffs of fur sticking out on her (and the fur on the ground). Then at about 9:50pm today I herd a noise coming from my room where the bunnies are kept (I had just locked them up for the night after being out since 7am). There was more tuffs of fur sticking out from Shiny Things again. What I am assuming is that her and Beauty were fighting. When I came in they started it up again. They were moving to fast for me to tell anything at all about what was going on. I moved Shiny Things into an old wire dog crate that we have for when my dog visits. Gave her a litter box, food, water, hay, veggies and a piece of fleece.

Now some details. Both were spayed a few months ago. Beauty is about to turn 2 and Shiny Things is 2.5yrs old. Both are does that were former show animals. I breed Shiny Things and then sold her for a year until I realized that I could not live without her. In the process of getting Shiny Things I got Beauty from a breeder friend of mine who was going off to college and had to get rid of her rabbits. I got them within a week of eachother. At first they hated eachother and tried to kill eachother. Within 3 weeks of them being spayed they were in love with eachother. Now this. They have had disagreements a couple of times before. They have been bonded for a few months now.

What do I do? I do not really have the space or time for 2 unbonded rabbits (especially so that they can get out to run enough). Any thoughts on anything? I NEED HELP!!!!

Imbrium · Dec 7, 2012

I really don't know what to tell you >< my girls got into another tiff the other day and Nala pulled out a couple tufts of Gazzles' fur, but I got them to knock it off and they were settled down and right back to snuggling in no time. I'm wondering if it's not just part of the F/F bond's trickiness that they have periodic disagreements that they have to work out

can you try taking them to neutral territory to play together under supervision and see if that gets them back on track?

MiniLopHop · Dec 7, 2012

I'm having sort of similar issues right now. My pet sitter let Panda and Bunnicula escape, and they beat up Gary. Now Gary is all defensive and going after everybun other than Becky. I used to be able to let Becky, Gary, Sohie, and Houdini play together nicely, but not any more. I'm going back to seperate run time for the pairs and will go back through the bonding process. Luckily their home enclosures are always in the same room so that makes it easier. Once they calm down they will get to play together again, but it may take a while for the scratch on Gary's eye to heal and for him to feel confident again. It's going to be a very long time, if ever, for Panda and Bunnicula to join the group runs.

ldoerr · Dec 7, 2012

So they spent last night seporated. I brought them back to my parents house in Spring TX in seporate cages and put a devidor down the cage. I also (hopefully) fully bunny proofed my bedroom so they could spend the days running around instead of being in a devided 3x2x2 NIC cage. I put an x-pen down the middle of my bedroom. After a little while they looked like they wanted back together (grooming eachother through the fence). So I opened the x-pen devidor so they could play together. They were fine for a few minutes and then it happened. They started in a big fight. There was no end in sight so I scooped one up and put the devidor back up with 1 bun per side. Something tells me that their days of being happy together are over. My dad now says that I need to get rid of 1. He says that I can not have 2 unbonded rabbits. So I have to get rid of Beauty. If anybody wants her let me know. She is a pedigreed Jersey Wooly. She is almost 2 years old so still young. She is spayed and in perfect health. I really hate to get rid of her but my dad is making me.

agnesthelion · Dec 7, 2012

Imbrium said:
I really don't know what to tell you >< my girls got into another tiff the other day and Nala pulled out a couple tufts of Gazzles' fur, but I got them to knock it off and they were settled down and right back to snuggling in no time. I'm wondering if it's not just part of the F/F bond's trickiness that they have periodic disagreements that they have to work out

can you try taking them to neutral territory to play together under supervision and see if that gets them back on track?

^^^^this is what i think

I can't tell you the amount of research I did on bonding before I got Archie. And the most stories of spontaneous fighting came from the f/f pairs.

I also think that their intense fighting at the beginning is a huge variable too. Fighting to where they want to kill each other and then on top of them being same sex is alot working against a relationship that will "last".

You know your buns the best and if your gut is telling you they won't work out then you are probably right. I think if I were in your position I'd probably do the same thing. I'd just be too worried that these spontaneous fights would keep happening. Especially if you don't have the time to rebond. Because at this point I think it might involve separating and then start bonding on neutral territory again.

So sorry you are going through this

cwolfec · Dec 8, 2012

A horrible fight broke out between my two boys totally out of the blue a few weeks ago. I thought they would never live in harmony again. I had to have them separated for 2 days and 2 nights. Then, after they had been ok for an hour or so, I piled them in the same crate and took them to the vet. It was a good long trip and a long time at the vet (and I did want to get them checked out because I thought Pip might've been sick and maybe that's why they were fighting). Ever since, they've been fine.

Definitely try the neutral territory re-introduction! Oh I hope you can make it work...

ldoerr · Dec 8, 2012

I do 2x 1.5hr car rides with them each week as it is. I wish that I had some neutral teritory to try them out in, but I do not. I also do not have an x-pen to take them to neighbors for (and my neighbors do not want a bunny in their house.

holtzchick · Dec 9, 2012

Awh, sorry to hear about this. All of these stories about spontaneous fights in bonds are making me nervous! I've done my research but it still seemed different now that I am experiencing it.... Hope you find a good home for Beauty! :bestwishes:

Imbrium · Dec 9, 2012

is it possible to separate them for 2-3 weeks (so they forget about the fights, which they can hold grudges about) and then take them through the bonding process again? I'd hate for you to have to give up one of your bunnies... if they lived together happily before, it seems like it should be possible to repair the bond.

tmaddox9 · Dec 9, 2012

Car rides are great especially if its a rough road. Putting them together in a slippery bath tub works too sometimes...no water of course! They can't get a grip with their feet to go at each other plus it frightens them just enough that they seek out each other for support. Yes, I have tried this method as well as the car rides. I found roads that had lots of ups and downs and curves worked best.

Chrisdoc · Dec 12, 2012

Fighting between them is so upsetting when they´ve always got on so well before. I have boys and had problems with them as they got older, had them neutered but after that, the fighting got worse. I had read about rebonding on neutral ground and I did it in the bath. I used a blanket so they wouldn´t slip and put them together for around a week, increasing the time each day. They suddenly stopped fighting and have been fine ever since so I´m sure you can do it. You just need to be supervising them at all times just in case and I wore a thick pair of gardening gloves so I didn´t end up with any nasty bites. I´m sure you´ll sort things out with them, it would be a shame if they can´t be together.