need advice with boy bunnies starting to fight

[DUSTBUNNY-CLYDE]

Dustbunny and clyde had their first fight today. they are 10 weeks and 12 weeks now. some fur was pulled out of clyde. they've been in the same cage since I got them. I know I need to seperate them now. Do I put another cage up against each other so they can touch one another since they are bonded since day one or do I totally move their cage away. After they are neutered in a month should I put them back in the cage together or keep them apart and have to rebond them slowly? They were out running around together when this happened. now they are laying together in the cage nicely being closely monitored till I set up the other cage.

 

[agnesthelion]

I would cage them separately but have the cages near each other so they can still see/smell each other. The only time you would need to separate them completely is if they are "fighting" through the bars and building resentment towards each other. Those are the times that separation is needed to have the buns forget about each other and restart bonding from the beginning.
But with your two it definitely sounds like a hormonal fight so seperate but keep them near each other. After the neuter, do not just stick them back in the same cage together. You will need to do some bonding at that point. Whether you have to go to bunny dates in neutral territory or can start with playtime out together in their regular area will just depend on them. Keep in mind it can take 6-8 weeks for hormones to dissipate after the neuter. I'm a more cautious bonder so I would take things pretty slow because a fight between buns can put a huge damper on their relationship.

Best of luck on their neuter and let us know how it goes!

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

I would not really consider rabbits that age to be bonded. Young rabbits do tend to get along with others fairly easily, but it is very common for them to stop getting along once puberty hits.
If you plan on trying to bond them again later, I would cage them close to each other. Leaving a bit of a gap between the cages is good so they can't attack each other through the bars, but that only needs to be a few inches. You can try switching bedding (a towel or something similar) between cages so they get to have the smell of each other. Supervised play time might be ok, but it really depends on them and needs to be 100% supervised.
Once they are neutered and healed, you should go slowly with bonding them. You never know how rabbits will react after that sort of surgery and they might need time to get to know each other again. Hormones can be an issue for a few weeks after a neuter, so they can still be a bit hormonal.
Males can be tricky to bond, even when neutered. You do need to be prepared that they won't bond.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

:yeahthat:

 

[DUSTBUNNY-CLYDE]

thanks so much for the quick response. have a another cage all set up and supervising their activity now. it was very heartbreaking to see them fight earler. all should be good now!