Bunny fight :(

[Yaya8a]

So I have a 5 month old female Holland lop who is scheduled to be spayed in 2 weeks. I got a second Holland lop (male at 8 weeks old) and per everyone’s recommendation I’ve kept them completely separate from each other until both are spayed and neutered to try & bond them. The male is now 11 weeks old & today while I was out to run some errands the bedroom door that keeps them separated was left slightly open (by younger son ) and my female was able to get out & they had a huge fight. I feel awful because this wasn’t supposed to have happened. It seems as if the younger 11 week old male was the super aggressive one because there was fur everywhere from the older female but none from the male. It surprises me because everyone always says the older adult rabbit will be more aggressive. After checking both the younger male had no obvious injuries but my female had a small cut to her ear . It’s not actively bleeding or anything but I still feel so bad. She has a vet appointment tomorrow to get it checked out. My question is will they now hate each other when I try and bond them? I never planned on them even meeting until both were fixed & now this happened. I’m so nervous the bond was now completely damaged for the future. Any advice? Has anyone’s bunnies fought badly and then were able to bond?

 

[Preitler]

When you're at the vet anyway let him check the gender of both your rabbits.

To me it does sound quite unusual that a buck that age starts a fight, but nothing is impossible. The doe attacking him, well, yes, that I've seen, at least with older does.

They are still young, puberty is in full swing, don't have experience withexact that situation but I wouldn't be totally pessimistic, but I would decide now which one to rehome if it really doesn't work out.

 

[Yaya8a]

When you're at the vet anyway let him check the gender of both your rabbits.

To me it does sound quite unusual that a buck that age starts a fight, but nothing is impossible. The doe attacking him, well, yes, that I've seen, at least with older does.

They are still young, puberty is in full swing, don't have experience withexact that situation but I wouldn't be totally pessimistic, but I would decide now which one to rehome if it really doesn't work out.

I was actually thinking the same thing, if maybe my 11 week old buck isn’t a buck but a doe instead? It also sounds unusual that the buck being so young would be so mean, but as you said nothing is impossible. I just hope if he does turn out to be a buck that the possible chance of bonding them isn’t ruined.

 

[John Wick]

Yes, they can hold grudges, but if you keep them well-separated from each other, "forgetting time" tends to work (sometimes literally keeping them in separate rooms). To increase your change of success, make triple sure no negative interactions can happen between now and once you try bonding post their spays/neuters.

 

[Yaya8a]

Yes, they can hold grudges, but if you keep them well-separated from each other, "forgetting time" tends to work (sometimes literally keeping them in separate rooms). To increase your change of success, make triple sure no negative interactions can happen between now and once you try bonding post their spays/neuters.

Yes, that is what I plan on doing. Keeping them in different rooms in opposite sides of my home. I hope them having enough time to forget the fight will help once for when actual bonding time comes. I would hate to have to give one of them up.