Bonding problems- how would you proceed?

[SnowyShiloh]

Sigh. Why do my bunnies all hate each other? Background: Max and Macie are brother and sister. They lived together until 10 weeks, when I separated them into different cages. After they got fixed, I tried to bond them in March. Things went great for the first 3 sessions, but then there as an incident and they fought It was actually a complete accident. I had a bonding pen with a litter box set up, and they were both in the litter box when Macie went to investigate behind the litter box and got her upper body stuck, which led to her thrashing her back feet and kicking Max, which he apparently interpreted as an attack, so he attacked her and there was a tussle. All over in 5 seconds or less, but it seemed like a long time!

Anyway, we decided to cool things off after that and hope they forgot what happened. Their cages are right next to each other and I swap them back and forth. This afternoon I took them for a 20 minute car ride in the carrier, then put them into the pen in our backyard (a neutral place) in the hopes of a 10 minute bonding session. Everything was fine at first, but 8 minutes in, Mabel ran after Max and bit him on the bum. I got them separated immediately and there was no actual tussle, just a butt nip that resulted in a little poof of Max fur in the grass. Mabel let me pick her up fine, but Maximus was REALLY mad and growling at me and trying to bite me. He has never done that before. Poor guy!

What do I do now? We're doing the cage swaps and side by side cages, I did a 20 minute car ride, put them in a neutral place, and this happened. Is there any hope at all? Are they not a good match? I don't know what else to do as far as prepping them for bonding sessions. Gas is expensive and I don't want to be driving around for an hour. We don't have a washing machine or dryer to put the carrier on.

 

[Happi Bun]

They need to work out who is the boss, but that cannot be done unless they are allowed to express their dominance. Instead of ending the session when there is a confrontation, try putting them at different ends of the enclosure or providing a distraction.

Make sure to end sessions on a good note. Don't wait for a problem to start and then separate them. So if they are behaving good and being relaxed, even if it is only for a few minutes, that is when you end it. Then during the next session you can let them stay a little longer together.

I think there is a good chance they can be re-bonded, since they are related and now fixed. How long ago were they neutered/spayed? Hormones could still be a issue if it has only been a month or two.

 

[SnowyShiloh]

Thanks for the reply, Erika Good to see you around!

They were both fixed in January so hormones shouldn't be an issue anymore. A 10 minute session seemed like a good time to start with and I don't think I was being unreasonable by trying. I had a timer going and was going to separate them at 10 minutes exactly. How can I let them work out their dominance, but also not let them fight? I got them apart before the little tiff today resulted in a fight, but I'm sure it would have been a big fur yanking war if I hadn't picked up Mabel right away. Once they get mad, they stay mad and distraction does not work because they just want to go after each other. Max was angry and growling and trying to bite me for a good 5 minutes after! Can't end things on a good note like that.

I guess tomorrow I will try again, but only let them stay together for a couple of minutes I miss Nomi... she was their mama and when all 3 of them had bonding sessions together, there was no fighting. They all just bounced around together, happy as can be. The issues started when the bonding sessions excluded her.