Recently spayed female was bonded with male, now fighting, please help

[lucydeprez]

Basically I bonded my male and female rabbit together before they got spayed and neutered as they was both babies, everything went perfect and they bonded so well they was put together full time, I had the male neutered and he was put back with the female and everything was fine, I had the female spayed on Monday and she was so sleepy I was worried about her so brought her indoors, I out her back in with the male on Tuesday lunch and everything was fine and they was grooming each other, I took her back out as she isn't eating normally so I can see what she's eating, when I placed her in again in the evening the male went for the female making that horrible grunting noise. They are next door to each other in hutches outdoors now but I want them back together, I tried neutral grounds and the female went to hump the male which he fought back. I'm so worried now. Please help

 

[Blue eyes]

How recently was the male neutered?

When rabbits are very young and before they are fixed, they generally get along just fine. Until hormones kick in, it often appears they are bonded -- perhaps even appear to be the best of buddies and inseparable. The truth is babies don't truly bond. It is just temporary.

Once rabbits are fixed, they are like two brand new bunnies. They will smell differently to each other so it is similar to getting two brand new rabbits. This means that they need to go through a bonding process.

Males can take as long as 6-8 weeks after their neuter for their hormones to fully dissipate, They shouldn't be placed with another rabbit until that time has passed. Females also need time to heal after their spay so they will have time to get back to feeling normal. Putting a grumpy female with another rabbit isn't likely to work out well.

In short, these two need to be kept apart until the above times have passed. Then they need to be introduced in a new neutral space. They should be treated as if they are meeting for the first time ever.
Hopefully the tussle they've already had will be forgotten and they'll give each other another chance. There is no way to tell whether or not they will bond. It will be up to them. (Their prior "bond" is irrelevent.)

Give them time and don't rush it. You don't want them to remember that they've already had a tussle.

 

[lucydeprez]

How recently was the male neutered?

When rabbits are very young and before they are fixed, they generally get along just fine. Until hormones kick in, it often appears they are bonded -- perhaps even appear to be the best of buddies and inseparable. The truth is babies don't truly bond. It is just temporary.

Once rabbits are fixed, they are like two brand new bunnies. They will smell differently to each other so it is similar to getting two brand new rabbits. This means that they need to go through a bonding process.

Males can take as long as 6-8 weeks after their neuter for their hormones to fully dissipate, They shouldn't be placed with another rabbit until that time has passed. Females also need time to heal after their spay so they will have time to get back to feeling normal. Putting a grumpy female with another rabbit isn't likely to work out well.

In short, these two need to be kept apart until the above times have passed. Then they need to be introduced in a new neutral space. They should be treated as if they are meeting for the first time ever.
Hopefully the tussle they've already had will be forgotten and they'll give each other another chance. There is no way to tell whether or not they will bond. It will be up to them. (Their prior "bond" is irrelevent.)

Give them time and don't rush it. You don't want them to remember that they've already had a tussle.

Meant to tell you they are both happily back together in their newly converted shed house, after many of nights spent on the bathroom floor bonding [emoji23]