These two lovelies want to kill each other.

[Binkis Mum]

Hi I have these two: Binki and Spots (can anyone offer info on their breed?). But the main issue is that they cannot be in the same area without bites and fur flying!.

I tried the bathroom with newspaper. I've tried a totally neutral room that neither has been in. Their hutches are next to each other and the room they share is divided by a pet fence. (We now get exercise by having to walk around the island to other rooms or to the computers, because neither of them go on the shiny floor... thank heavens!)

Binki was a rescue from a lab somewhere - we fostered her, then she went to her home, but ended up back with us (they say she tried to bite someone, but she lets me rub her tummy, look in her mouth and everything - so that is very hard to imagine). She has been with us for a few months. She doesnt like being picked up and if we do put her up on the couch, she only stays a while before she jumps down.

Spots was with another couple - I think since she was a kit, and she grew up with her brother and another rabbit. She has had one litter. We took her because people had moved and needed to find a home for her. She will stay up on the couch with us while we watch tv.

They will occasionally nip and scratch through the fence, but will also sit or lay beside each other on other sides of the fence with no problem. But as soon as thee is nothing between them - its time for protective clothing and then inspect the wounds and patch them up.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Some can be bonded and some, never.

 

[Popsicles]

Are they spayed? Female rabbits can be particularly nasty when hormones are raging, if they aren’t then I would get them to a vet ASAP, give time for hormones to dissipate, usually 6-8 weeks (with them separated completely, no smell or visual access) and then try again. The fact they have fought before can be a bad start, but if you separate them long enough they might forget.
Laying against the fence isn’t necessarily a good thing, it can be a passive aggressive way of saying “this is where my territory starts, you better not cross this line!”
If they have already been spayed, unfortunately, as was said above, not all rabbits will get on; sometimes they will never be friends!

 

[Binkis Mum]

I was wondering about that with the fence. I have already called a vet - and waiting to make an appointment. I thought Binki was already spayed, but that's not confirmed - and I know Spots isn't. The quote I got for spaying them came up to about $1,000 for both - not exactly what I signed on for when I said I would help because she had nowhere else to go

It would hard to keep them totally separate cause Binki has been free roaming since day one, and Spots has taken over one half of the main room. I would have to spots in the one room Binki doesnt go in - and thats the room they fought in.

 

[Popsicles]

That is pretty expensive for a spay, but things are different in UK so I can’t really compare.
It might be an idea to start restricting binki’s space now, and also spots, because you will want the area you try to bond them in to be as neutral as possible, and then when/if they finally live together you will want to gradually give them access to more of the house so that neither tries to establish part of a room as a territory