Bonded bunnies fighting?

[Brucellarosequinn]

I've had Bruce and ella for years and they've been through the whole bonding process. However, recently I've had to separate them because I noticed them getting into fights?

Ella would usually start it and she'd chase Bruce, they'd run in a circle and she'd bite his hair and chunks of his hair from his back would rip out, then they'd tried to mount each other, Bruce usually wins that part.

Both bunnies are fixed, they're free roamed and at the end of these "fights" they'd just go back to snuggling!

Sometimes the fights start from snuggling..

I'm not really sure what to do. They've never done this before, they usually don't stomp either but it's been happening too.

Bruce now has a few bald spots, however he's still eating and pooping. Ella is also eating and pooping.

I separated them last night, but now as they're eating veggies, they're doing so peacefully side by side.

I don't want them hurting each other, so I don't know what to do. Should i try to rebond them or something? Should I take Bruce to the vet for his bald spots?

 

[John Wick]

I don't think rebonding would do any harm, considering you are noticing this happen consistently and there are visible bald spots from the conflict. Two things that come to mind are: 1) are there new scents/changes in their environment? and 2) is there something wrong with either of the rabbits re: their health? Sometimes when one rabbit is becoming sick, it tenses the relationship.

 

[Brucellarosequinn]

I don't think rebonding would do any harm, considering you are noticing this happen consistently and there are visible bald spots from the conflict. Two things that come to mind are: 1) are there new scents/changes in their environment? and 2) is there something wrong with either of the rabbits re: their health? Sometimes when one rabbit is becoming sick, it tenses the relationship.

It doesn't seem that either bunny is sick but I'll definitely keep an eye out. As for new changes, They used to have a "home base" (a giant dog crate, it had their litter box in there) I recently got rid of it because they had no reason for it anymore (mainly for when I'm cleaning and there's a bunch of cords out from the vacuum etc but everything is wireless now). Now that I think about it, I think the fighting started after I took it out. Could that be the problem? Should I put the crate back?

 

[JBun]

Yes, that could definitely be the problem. Any changes in a bonded rabbits environment, can set off dominance and territorial behaviors, like the increased dominance mounting.

There are two options. You could return the crate for now. It could take several days for things to return to normal. So until it does, it's important to continue to monitor their behavior with each other, to make sure it doesn't escalate into real aggression and fighting. That could result in injuries and would require complete separation, and possibly a trip to the vet.

After returning their crate(and everything around and in it back in the same place), once their dominance behavior has calmed back down for a while, then if you still want the crate gone, it needs to be more gradually. Like remove it for an hour then return it, then increase that time the next day if no upset has occurred. Until you get to the point that it's gone most of the day, then every day, and they are fine with it.

The alternative is to not return the crate, but treat this new situation as rebonding, which means, very closely supervised until the behavior calms down, to make sure the scuffles don't escalate in to true fights(always intervene in circling behavior as it can quickly escalate into a true fight), until they are back to their normal bond and the scuffles have settled back down.

 

[Brucellarosequinn]

Yes, that could definitely be the problem. Any changes in a bonded rabbits environment, can set off dominance and territorial behaviors, like the increased dominance mounting.

There are two options. You could return the crate for now. It could take several days for things to return to normal. So until it does, it's important to continue to monitor their behavior with each other, to make sure it doesn't escalate into real aggression and fighting. That could result in injuries and would require complete separation, and possibly a trip to the vet.

After returning their crate(and everything around and in it back in the same place), once their dominance behavior has calmed back down for a while, then if you still want the crate gone, it needs to be more gradually. Like remove it for an hour then return it, then increase that time the next day if no upset has occurred. Until you get to the point that it's gone most of the day, then every day, and they are fine with it.

The alternative is to not return the crate, but treat this new situation as rebonding, which means, very closely supervised until the behavior calms down, to make sure the scuffles don't escalate in to true fights(always intervene in circling behavior as it can quickly escalate into a true fight), until they are back to their normal bond and the scuffles have settled back down.

I'll try the alternative option for now since the crate is super big and heavy and I can't use one of my arms due to an injury. Thank you so much for your reply and for helping!! I really appreciate it! )