Fighting

[Tate]

 Man, I have been having so many problems with my boys! For whatever reason, Velvateen and FIevel got in two rather big fights today. I believe it was Velvateen that instagated both times. I haven’t had an issue with them for quite a few months now. Fievel was neutered a little over a month ago. Their last biggish fight was a few weeks before that, as I’m sure Fievel’s hormones were going crazy.

Since Fievel has been neutered, they have been living together in an xpen (4’x4′) without any problems. Both fights today were in my room outside of the xpen. Lots of hair missing…. 

I was hoping that after the first fight, they would be fine.. maybe some brotherly aggression? But about 30-45 minutes later, they were at it again. 

I have Fievel in the xpen for the night and Velvateen will be free to roam around the room, as he is much better with the litter box and spends a large portion of the day out of the cage anyways. I think he will do better out than Fievel would. 

Any ideas as to what this may be? My biggest worry is that if Velvateen did instagate it, maybe he was hurt. I just posted yesterday about cysts that he has on his feet. They are tender to the touch when I put meds on them, but an odd place for Fievel to nip… I have no reason to believe that anything else is hurting him. I plan to take him to the vet in the next week or two, as the cysts aren’t clearing up. I don’t think Fievel is hurting at all either. I’ve checked both of them over a few times now. Velvateen will tolerate me holding him, but Fievel has freaked out everytime I try to hold him since he was a baby, so it’s difficult to tell with him.

 Both of their activity levels are the same, their eating is going well- lots of hay- and they drink as much as they have been znd they love to run around the room and binky. The only time I notce Velvateen getting aggressive with Fievel is when Fievel tries to steal his food.. And he only lunges and grunts. :\

Sorry for posting so many issues on here… I think bad things really do come in threes?

[Helenor]

Was Fievel neutered pretty recently? If so, he might be hormonal still. Also, I’m not exactly sure which rabbit came first. If one was living in the room already and the second came in later, the first bunny will be territorial I believe. Bonding works better in neutral territory where neither rabbit has been living/hung out in.

If Velvateen has cysts, I think it might be good to keep them apart until a vet sees them and they get better.

[Elrohwen]

When they got in the fight, was there anything nearby? A toy? Some food? A litter box? Bunnies can be territorial about objects and it could be that one of them got annoyed when the other got too close to something. You could try removing all food and items and always having two litter boxes available and they might not have a reason to fight.

It could also be that Velvateen is hurting and started a fight out of crankiness.

[Tate]

Fievel was neutered a little over a month ago. Velvateen has been with me since September last year. We moved across the state in January and Fievel came two weeks later.
All of their toys are in their xpen (they are only fed twice a day, so food bowls aren’t usually in their xpen). Last night it happened before I fed them their dinner.
I kept Velvateen out of the xpen last night. Fievel was trying to get out and Velvateen was trying to get in! V would wash Fievel through the bars and Fievel happily obliged. They were doing that when I woke up this morning so I opened up the xpen. They started fighting AGAIN. There is a particular spot in the room where V likes to sit and sleep and all three fights happened here. Fievel goes back there quite often as well though, to sit and sleep, so I’m not sure what’s different now..
I am going to call the vet when they open this morning, but unfortunately they only see rabbits Tuesdays and Thursdays. Fingers crossed they get in today!

[Sarita]

Take out all their toys and anything that isn’t essential and see if that helps.

[Tate]

Will do!
Velvateen has a “drop-off” at the vet this morning at 9… I don’t think they have room for an actual appointment for him, but because of the situation, they will see him. My poor little guy! I’m also worried that the pin in his leg is ok.. hopefully it isn’t causing any discomfort. The vet wanted to take it out originally after he had healed, but when I came back for the appointment, his bone had completely healed and really no way to get it out.
Thanks for the advice! I’ll keep you updated, but I think regardless of what the vet says, V and Fievel will need some time to rebond…

[Elrohwen]

Were they housed in this same room before being bonded? It could be that each has claimed that spot and thinks it’s his own, thus the fighting. I would keep them locked in the pen for a while if they’re only fighting outside of it.

Also, feeding time can be very tense. The only fights my two have had is shortly before breakfast. Even after a year together, Hannah often chases and annoys Otto during breakfast time. Not sure how to prevent it necessarily, but it is a fairly common time for tempers to flare.

[Tate]

yup, they were in the same room and even when they were housed separately, their cages were right next to each other. I think V has claimed a spot. Its right behind their pen and it’s his go-to area, although Fievel sleeps there as well.
They are kept separate when they are being fed. Usually, Fievel is locked in the pen because he eats so quickly and tries to steal V’s food. V is on the outside.

[Author]

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