Unbonding worry

[Sabine]

Lint has been back from her spay for about 24 hours now. She was only seperated from her companion, Asha, for a couple of hours and when she got back she received a nippy welcome (through the bars of the cage) They are normally always together but I kept them seperate in two adjacent cages. I tried to let Asha into Lints cage to say hello a while ago but she went for Lint , so was whisked out straight away. They are also squabbling through the bars of the cage. Should I persevere trying to rebond them or should I leave it for a while longer. I don't want Lint starting to fight that soon after her op but will I risk totally unbonding them if I wait too long?

 

[Flashy]

Lint is probably still feeling rough, and smelling wrong, so tha would explain why Asha went for her. I would keep them next to each other and not try to put them together until a few days time. If Lint has a post spay check, you can maybe take Asha and Lint in the same carry case because the car ride should be enough to do it, unless Asha is REALLY awkward.

 

[Sabine]

I would have thought Asha would be extra nice to Lint sensing she is feeling rough.
I've heard of the idea of bonding in carrier during a car ride but never tried it. I'll certainly give it a shot if they haven't rebonded by then

 

[Flashy]

If Lint is the dominant one, then Asha may want to overthrow her, or it may be that she senses a weakness and because she smells different (i.e. of the vets, the meds) Asha doesn't actually realise it's Lint.

I have always taken my fully bonded buns with each other for operations like this, but I was bonding a trio with two neutered males and an unspayed female, and when the female went in for the spay, the two boys wouldn't accept her at all when they first remet, we had to go from scratch (and these were near fully bonded, and had been for a good few motnhs, they only reason they couldn't go together was because the girl flirted with them. We had to take them on a car journey for them to realise that they knew each other, and after 45mins in the car they were fine and have been since.

 

[Sabine]

I think you are spot on with the dominant thing. Lint is usually dominant and before Asha forever tried to mount her although Lint is the boss. They are having a brawl through the bars of the cage and I may even have to lock Asha back into her cage if she keeps it up. Mind you Lint is having none of it. I can't believe this is merely a day after her op.

 

[Flashy]

Maybe you either need to look at completely separating them, or making it so they can't catch each other if that is a possibility. Maybe they need a thicker barrier, or smaller holes or something. Just to save their noses and anything else that might get involved.

 

[Sabine]

Asha is going to go back in her cage and I'll put her outside tomorrow for the day. I am hoping to let Lint stretch her legs in the living room tomorrow but I think I'll keep Asha away - she can keep the guinea pig company. Serves her right:grumpy:

 

[Sabine]

P.S. Asha is also dropping tons of poops all around the room although normally litter trained. I wonder is she trying to reclaim the living room to herself with Lint in a cage feeling poorly (not that poorly though)

 

[Amy27]

My buns did this both times Chase went in for surgery. The first time I had to start from scratch but it only took about a week. I think I waited 5-7 days after surgery before I started to try and rebond them.

This time I have given up for the time being because they were getting in huge fights. I have put another gate around the current gate so the holes are smaller and they can't bite through, last time they would try to bite each other through the cage/gate.

As another poster suggested when I took Chase for her post op appointment I took the other rabbit and I really think that helped a lot.

Good luck.

ETA: My buns also did the poop thing. They are usually well litter trained, I think they are marking that spot as their spot.

 

[Sabine]

I am definately trying to take them together for the post op. I should have thought about taking them in together too but I was really stressed out that day to think straight.

 

[Sabine]

Since Lint had really bounced back fast and spent most of the day in a restricted run I thought it may be an opportunity to introduce asha back into her life.
When I put Asha into the runthey first sniffed each other then Lint chinned Asha, then Asha mounted Lits head (as she used to) and kept mounting her from every side and Lint let her. I thought everything was alright but then out of the blue an almighty fight broke out
I had to pull Asha out since I was worried she'd hurt Lint. I am thinking of taking them on that car ride sooner rather than later. The post spay check is only on friday and I feel sad for them being lone bunnies.

 

[Amy27]

Another thing I did wiht mine that I thinked helped was to put them in a small room, I used the bathroom. I then put a gate up in the middle of the bathroom and put one bunny on each side. They would try to bite each other through the gate and growl and I would spray with the water bottle. I waited until that behavior stopped before putting them back together where they could get to each other. They still chased and grunted but it wasn't as bad as it had been before our bathroom dates. This is along the same lines as the car ride and making them a little scared but in the bathroom if they were really mean I would turn on the water in the bath tub. They did not like that noise and they would forget about wanting to bite the other through the gate. Good luck. I know it is frustrating and heart breaking because you want them back together.

 

[tonyshuman]

If you think about rabbits as a prey species, it makes sense. A bunny that is ill that had been dominant upsets the social order--the warren needs strong leaders. I'd keep them near each other (with more than just a single layer of cage wire to discourage nipping) until Lint's feeling better.

 

[Sabine]

Just an update; the car ride to the vet seems to have done the trick. I consider Asha and Lint bonded again! Thank God!

 

[Flashy]

Fantastic!

 

[Amy27]

That's awesome.

 

[slavetoabunny]

I'm so glad to hear that they re-bonded.