Aggressive Bunny

[Nara mk]

Hi guys, I recently spayed both my bunnies and one of them has gotten even more aggressive towards the other? I was hoping she’d become friendlier but the exact opposite happened. Even though she’s an angel with people.
Can it be helped or am I out of solutions?

[Wick & Fable]

There’s a hormone spike following a spay, thus I’d keep them separated for a few weeks. Once they seem calm, start the bonding process from the very beginning.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Mikey]

Youre supposed to keep them apart for two to six months after their spay. Wick is likely right that its a hormone spike, which can happen in females for up to six months after their spays.

[Nara mk]

They are both in the same room, one is in a pen and the other (the aggressive one) roams free.
Should I separate them even more? No contact whatsoever?
And how can I tell when if the spike is over? It’s been almost a month?

EDIT: I forgot to mention that my buns are not young, they’re both two and a half years old and that worries me, maybe Ruvik will just stay aggressive ?

[Mikey]

They should both be penned as youll need to start prebonding in another month or two, and that requires both rabbits to have a similar spaced territory. Letting one roam free, especially the aggressive one, can make bonding very difficult when you start bonding sessions.

Spikes can last a few days to a few months. Again, its not uncommon for females to take two to six months to drain their hormones after their spay. Youll be able to tell when its over when she stops acting aggressive. Note, that she may have multiple hormone spikes in the course of the next six months. Its her body’s way of adjusting to being spayed and having her body’s main hormone generator (uterus and ovaries) removed.

A month is too short. The minimum is two months. Again, it may take up to six months.

[Nara mk]

That’s good to know!! I really want them to bond ?
So now I have them both penned in adjacent pens, they can smell and lick the tips of each others nose but still keep to themselves if they want , will this do? Or should I cover up the panels between them??

Also just to make sure, her aggressiveness towards animals only and not humans is still due to hormone spikes not her personality?? Because it used to be mild prior to the spay…

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By Nara mk on 9/23/2017 1:54 AM

That’s good to know!! I really want them to bond ?
So now I have them both penned in adjacent pens, they can smell and lick the tips of each others nose but still keep to themselves if they want , will this do? Or should I cover up the panels between them??

Also just to make sure, her aggressiveness towards animals only and not humans is still due to hormone spikes not her personality?? Because it used to be mild prior to the spay…

If they can make contact, they can fight so it’s best to separate the pens by at least a few inches to be safe

[jerseygirl]

Hi Nara mk

I just have some questions to get some background info. Were the girls together before the spay? If so, you noticed some aggression starting then? Or they weren’t co-habiting but had time out in the same space together? How long had the mild aggression been happening prior to their spays?
Is her aggression at the other now more obvious when you are giving attention to the other? Or when you allow them in the same space?

Did the vet find any anomalies on the uterus/ovaries of either of the girls? How was their recovery right after the op?

There are not only changes occuring within her, but also your other girl. So there could even be changes in their smell only detectable to them. ie. your other rabbit smelling more foreign to her and her reacting to that.

[Nara mk]

Posted By jerseygirl on 9/23/2017 3:36 AM

Hi Nara mk

I just have some questions to get some background info. Were the girls together before the spay? If so, you noticed some aggression starting then? Or they weren’t co-habiting but had time out in the same space together? How long had the mild aggression been happening prior to their spays?
Is her aggression at the other now more obvious when you are giving attention to the other? Or when you allow them in the same space?

Did the vet find any anomalies on the uterus/ovaries of either of the girls? How was their recovery right after the op?

There are not only changes occuring within her, but also your other girl. So there could even be changes in their smell only detectable to them. ie. your other rabbit smelling more foreign to her and her reacting to that.

They were always in the same room with Hazel in a pen and Ruvik roaming free, sometimes I’d let them out together and they would smell each other or sit a few feet apart. If Ruvik started a chase she’d immediately stop whenever I called out to her and she never tried to hurt Hazel through the pen (of course that all changed now that’s why I’m worried). It had been for quite some time, it started when I first separated them. 

I used to have three girls: Ruvik and Leslie came together and adored each other, then I got Hazel. Leslie fought a lot with Hazel so I separated the couple from the late comer, and then Leslie got an injury through the pen from Hazel and died from the complications (My best guess since the vets know nothing). then I let Ruvik roam free because she didn’t want to stay in the pen and kept jumping over. That’s my best guess as to when the mild aggression started. about a year?

Ruvik’s aggression used to be only a tiny harmless nip through the pen and a silly chase, and she didn’t mind me giving attention to Hazel. Only when they are in the same space.

Yes the vet did find a big cyst on one of Ruvik’s ovaries, he said we’re lucky to have done the spay at the time or the outcome would’ve been bad. Both their recoveries were perfect as the vet said.

[Author]

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