Bunny fights, when and how to break up?

[Mubunny]

I read that when bonding two rabbits you are supposed to let them do whatever as long as it isn't to the point of a bunny fight.
I've been letting my bunnies smell each other through the bars of their kennels. When they are doing this they do sometimes try and claw at each other but it is so brief that there is little time to correct it (I've been using a spray bottle). If they claw at each other and back down quickly is that still a 'fight'? What qualifies as a full blown fight?
They haven't dome much when I have them out of the cage together (maybe from fear?) but Winston (the bigger/older one) nips Poplar on the head and runs at him a bit. How do I know when it's a fight and when it is just asserting dominance? Is a spray bottle the best way of getting them apart?
:bunnydance:

 

[kirbyultra]

I've read a lot of things about bonding methods... what seems to be the ultimate no-no is to END a bonding session after a bad experience like biting, nipping, fur pulling, chasing... even if a fight breaks out, try to gain control of the situation and make the session end on a good note.

I think that if at all possible keep the two buns separate if they fight through the bars. Stick something in between their cages so that they can't poke their noses far enough into each other's space to do these things. Bonding should be done in a controlled environment so that you can prevent nipping and biting hopefully before it happens...

Whenever one of mine gets into position for a REALLY fast nip& run, he gets down low, hind legs bent but mostly upright, like he's going to pounce. This is not body language you want to see, but it really depends on how they interact. If one bun is already looking submissive, the dominant bun may not feel so threatened that he'll actually attack...

A "full blown" fight could burst out in a matter of seconds. I would not even let them go a second round to see if it really is a fight. I usually intercept and get control of the buns, calm them down first.If you think they can handle each other for more bonding, thenstep back and see if they interact better.

I still haven't gotten my boys together yet... they are a really tough pair and I am always on the lookout for a fight about to happen. Everytime I think I might err on the side of "wait and see", I regret it because it always ends up being a fight.

 

[Mubunny]

I think I might op for getting them both girlfriends since I think they'd be a little more happy with that.
They have been able to be within each others sight but not able to touch for several months. I let them out together in the bathroom so they have neutral ground. I want to get them to be alright hopping around each other so they can at least have playtime together.
If I see my rabbit getting into a stance that shows he is going to bite etc. how do I stop them before they follow through? Should I give them a touch or use the spray bottle?
If they smack at each other through the cage but still groom or eat is that a good sign?

 

[kirbyultra]

I don't think that there is a gray area between unbonded and bonded buns where they can peacefully coexist and have playtime together. I mean, I would not trust two buns that I know have not successfully bonded because you just never know when they'll go bonkers on each other and somebun can get seriously hurt, if you are not supervising. I know, I have been so frustrated at times that I just say to myself heck, I'll settle for just peaceful coexistence so that they can have playtime together instead of splitting playtime in half and letting one out at a time. I have been told it just doesn't work that way, and having seen my boys together, I wouldn't trust them!

If they start to show aggressive body language but have not yet done anything naughty, I usually try to relax the aggressor. Pet him on the head, and behind the ears. Let him know it's ok and he's not being threatened.

I would personally skip the spray bottle altogether.I have found it frustrating for the buns if I use it BEFORE they fight but show negative signs, and completely ineffective when they have begun to fight. If you are afraid of being clawed, scratched or bitten, put some gloves on or wear socks over your hands, or maybe slip your hands intoa pair of suitable size shoes to use as an interceptor. I go in with my bare hands because I know the limits of my bunnies' aggression and it's never been beyond nips and scratches.

They say girl & boy bonds work out most successfully/easily. Boy & boy bonds are not impossible but typically take more work and have less of a love-at-first-sight potential. Girl & girl bonds are sometimes the most difficult if the girls are not litter maids and grew up together. My boys have been side by side in pens together for a whole year almost. Toby still grunts and lunges at the fence when Kirby walks byat unpredictable times and for inexplicable reasons. There'll be times when Toby is perfectly fine and civilized when Kirby is nearby though. It's odd. I don't know what goes on in the bun brains

 

[kirbyultra]

Mubunny wrote:

If they smack at each other through the cage but still groom or eat is that a good sign?

I don't know for sure the answer to this but my gut says no, it's not a good sign. Are they grooming each other (through the cage)or grooming themselves?

My two buns sometimes box at each other through the cage bars, but then they'll sit on their respective sides and be totally satisfied with themselves, and start eating and licking their own fur. This does not mean that they are happy with each other though. For my buns, it's not a good sign. They are still at a standstill as to who's the boss in the house.

One thing is certain. The boss ain't me!

 

[Mubunny]

Ha, well I'll just keep working with them I guess.

Good luck with your buns also

 

[Katmais_mommy]

Mubunny wrote:

I read that when bonding two rabbits you are supposed to let them do whatever as long as it isn't to the point of a bunny fight.
I've been letting my bunnies smell each other through the bars of their kennels. When they are doing this they do sometimes try and claw at each other but it is so brief that there is little time to correct it (I've been using a spray bottle). If they claw at each other and back down quickly is that still a 'fight'? What qualifies as a full blown fight?
They haven't dome much when I have them out of the cage together (maybe from fear?) but Winston (the bigger/older one) nips Poplar on the head and runs at him a bit. How do I know when it's a fight and when it is just asserting dominance? Is a spray bottle the best way of getting them apart?
:bunnydance:

When my sister and I got a 3rd bun, we didn't know that rabbits had to be "bonded". So, we just put him (he was little at the time) in the play pen with our other two. All of a sudden, a full-blown brawl broke out. There was lots of growling, biting, and thumping. It all happened so fast but luckily we got the baby out in time. No one was hurt but it was a scary full-blown fight. The baby has been seperated ever since.