bondmates fighting!

[Luluznewz]

Hello,

Some of you might remember me. I havent posted in a while, but i've noticed a bit of a problem with Lulu and Zeppelin. All of a sudden Zepp is chasing Lulu around and she is making these terrible squeaking/ tooth grinding noises. So far there hasnt been any full scale fighting, but she seems really afraid for some reason.

They have been together for over six months without any problems. They are both fixed. Lulu is about three and Zeppelin is probably around one. I have been trying to let them work it out, but their pen is in my room so I can sleep through it. I just had to separate them. I just locked Zeppelin in the cage and Lulu in the attached pen so they can still see each other, but I don't know really what to do about it. Its not all the time, but I feel like the fighting is growing more recent.

I am going to let Lulu calm down then try to put her back. i'm concerned the problem could escalate.

 

[Pipp]

Is there any changes in their environment? New pet? New people in the house? New food? Do they normally groom each other? Any changes there?

Any particular time of the day or anything?

Any sign of illness at all? Is Lulu's teeth-grinding a pain response to anything? I've never experienced it as a fear response although I'm sure it could be. She is spayed I trust?

Until you get to the bottom of it, best to let them have as much space as possible with as many levels, nooks and crannies as you can so they can avoid each other when they get in these moods. That's probably better than separating them, but see how it goes.

sas :clover:

 

[Luluznewz]

They are both fixed. There is nothing new in this house, but we did just come back from a weekend at my parents house. They have been there several times and have never had a problem. They are pretty used to going. There was no changes to the routine there either.

Before this they had the sweetest relationship. They would both groom each other all the time. Lulu would groom him a bit more than he would groom her. I feel terrible for her, she just wants him to stop chasing her. She keeps trying to hop over and groom him but he always goes for her.

I'm pretty exhausted. I keep trying to put them back together but the same thing happens. Her squeaking is really awful...

 

[elrohwen]

This might not have anything to do with it, but I've noticed a lot of bonded bunnies having tiffs on the forums lately and I'm wondering if it's a spring fever kind of thing. Rabbits can definitely act differently in the spring and even my pair (bonded for a year) have had more chasing and bum biting incidents over the last few weeks. When my girl chases my boy I clap my hands, hold her head down lightly, or spray her with the squirt bottle if she's being really bad. I try to snap her out of it before she gets really into it, though at least she's predictable and only does it at breakfast time.

Can you try reintroducing them in another area? Some place neutral? They might need a cage overhaul so that Zepp stops being territorial.

I agree that it's best to keep them together if you can, but if you really don't trust them together you might have to separate and rebond from the beginning.

 

[Pipp]

:yeahthat:

 

[Luluznewz]

After a night of being separated there seems to be peace in the animal kingdom. I saw them sitting next to each other hanging out, but so far there has been no grooming.

Now they are napping at opposite ends of their large pen. Thats okay for now, i'm glad they are taking some time to simmer down. It might just be a 'spring thing'. I just hope it ends soon. Any other suggestions and thoughts are totally welcome!