3 Fixed males fighting.

[hok9]

OK, the three males i have that are fixed have been fighting alot recently. There are 4 males total in the cage, the unfixed male has just started puberty and i thought that was the reason they were fighting but it is not the way it is.

It seems that only 2 fight and the other 2 watch. Their fights are getting worse and one was cut on his abdomen pretty bad the other day. It healed, but i am worried about infection now and am monitoring him pretty close. I need some advice and why they are fighting all of a sudden. Its driving me insane trying to figure it out.

 

[bunniekrissy]

Since this is a repeated event I would separate the ones that are fighting immediately, and the unfixed rabbit as well, especially when you are not watching. Rabbits can kill each other by fighting. If the rabbits got along fine before, it may very well be due to the young buck entering puberty, and may resolve itself once he is neutered. Maybe try removing the unfixed buck to be housed in a different room and see if your fixed males have no more fights while you are watching. I would be very nervous to leave them together unsupervised at this point since they have already had serious fights.

 

[hok9]

I had him seperated for the past week and the fighting got worse. I had to put the little one back with the boys as i do not have enough space to keep them seperate for long.

 

[NorthernAutumn]

Honestly, it is really dangerous to risk fights. Fights can be very harmful, if not lethal to your buns. We're talking 100s of dollars in vet bills, if not fatality.

It sounds like the social dynamic is severely out of whack. I would not trust any of them together at this point. They need to be slowly rebonded (and even that may not be possible- may get a pair and two singles, no guarantees).

I think that you had better re-arrange everybun into individual cages until you sort this out completely.
Clear out the old bathtub, re-arrange your room, gut a closet, whatever is possible.

Your personal comfort may suffer for the next while, but that's better than stressed out, wounded bunnies .


* It is a rule of thumb to always have enough space to house all of your rabbits separately for long periods of time (read months ).
Bonds can and do break.
As responsible owners, it is up to us to ensure all of our rabbits have enough personal space to live solo at any point in time.

 

[hok9]

We thought that and are trying to figure out what to do. The top of the list is that we are going to have to let some go (to the rescue). I know it is not the best plan as i have taken them in, but i need to cut back.

I do need to know something, we are talking about getting rid of the boy we just got about 3 months ago, and our least people friendly bun. That would leave 2 fixed males and 2 unfixed (and young) females. Would it be better to let the older buns go or the newer ones?

 

[NorthernAutumn]

If you have no space/inclination/time to accomodate your rabbits' needs at this point, then I guess some hard choices must be made.

I would point out that it is far harder for a non-people friendly bun to go to a safe home. If I had to choose, I would keep the most unadoptable babies myself (older, cranky/medical issues... these would more likely not find homes or be euthanized when the shelter runs out of space).

That means, sending the really cute, friendly ones on, as they would have the best chance of getting adopted.

I think you need to ask yourself if you honestly have the space, time and finances to care for the remaining rabbits, even if none of them are ever able to be in the same cage as eachother again (should bonds break). It is a hard choice to make, but necessary .

Everyone has a personal limitation: I live in a house (rather than apt.), am a student (tenuous income), and my personal max is 4 rabbits. I currently have 3, and that is a lot for me at this time.

Commit to a set number, and don't go over it (buying a cute little one in a few months from now doesn't work... all of our households have a limit).

Gotta do what is best for your buns and you :hug:.

My $0.02 cents.

Note: It is possible for you to make this situation work... don't give up too easily. But it does take time and energy to re-bond, and money to neuter and spay. You can make it work between all of your rabbits if you give them the personal solitary space they need, then slowly work on rebonding over the next few months.
You are capable of repairing the social situation if you put forth the effort.

 

[hok9]

That actually makes alot of sense. Like i said we are in the process of making a decision. We might now someone that is willing to take them.