3 Steps to Take When Rabbits Fight

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My name is Amy and I am the Bunny Lady!
I am a lifelong rabbit lover and have been specializing with rabbits at my local animal shelter. I am here to make sure all of you rabbit caretakers have everything you need to have a happy and healthy bunny in your home.
My mission is to help you fellow rabbit lovers get all the resources you need to help your rabbits thrive. A happy bunny is the best companion, and they are worth all the trouble those little fluffballs cause.

[@theultimatereductionist7592]

2:10 a "bunny tornado" sounds like the most adorable thing in the universe, like a black hole of infinite adorability, but, yes - I suppose that IS terrible for them.

[@keboyce1]

I really appreciated this video. I just had a similar experience. I adopted a new friend for my widowed rabbit Francis. They seemed completely bonded and then several weeks later got into a throwdown, fur-flying fight. So it has comforting to know that this is something that does happen and hear some ideas about how to proceed. I’ve been separating them at night (although they can still communicate through the bars of the x-pen), but letting them stay together (free range) during the day, as long as I am home. That seems to be working pretty well. Somehow, if they are together ALL the time, somebody gets grumpy, but if they have some alone time at night, they are just really excited to be together again the next day.

[@andrethefish]

My bonded male pair also recently got into a fight. It started over a particularly juicy lettuce stem, but in retrospect I believe what was going on was that the subordinate bunny was trying to gain dominance. To rebond, I put them in a small neutral space each day for about a week while monitoring them and I rubbed their heads with banana and other yummy foods so they would lick each other to simulate mutual grooming. Then the dominant bunny mounted the subordinate one and I figured that was when they came to an agreement. I have a hunch this may happen again if the subordinate bun tries to gain dominance again. To try to prevent this, I chop their salads now so there are no big pieces to fight over, and I always give treats in pairs. I feel like a parent who has to divide all resources perfectly evenly between his two 6-year-old boys to prevent jealously and fighting!

[@dany.artur1535]

Thanks for sharing this, I'm in the same situation with my bunnies. This is going to be super useful

[@suburbantrapqueen3244]

Lol “particularly juicy lettuce stem” 🤭

[@guitarman4242]

Wow, I had no idea violent fighting can happen between a bonded pair. Thanks your for you insight. This can certainly be a life saver for some.

[@lolacupcake9415]

Thanks needs this am having a hard time bonding the two as one rabbit just went through a lose of a companion about 2 months ago and I hope I didn’t rush things when we got them but they are just really having a hard time bonding. Makes me sad to see them fight but sad to see them seperated away from each others comforts especially cause they had a good start and loved snuggling with each other.😢

[@theultimatereductionist7592]

3:10 Elusive teleports to some other part of the universe.

[@concealedkeri7259]

Thank you! I have a male Cottontail and a female domestic bunny (both fixed). I keep them separated most of the time because the Cottontail can get too aggressive, though they've never fought. I never knew the difference between a fight and a disagreement with bunnies.

[@catmommippy2403]

I’m so sorry they are having fights! How common is this for bonded rabbits to have their bonds break? I have a single bunny and I’m soon taking him for bunny dates, and hoping everything goes smoothly there. I hope Ellie and Teddy can get back together again 💕

[@HeatherCashArt]

I'm not the bunny lady, but at the rabbit rescue I volunteer at it's rare. We only had one couple break up. It was two sisters who had been together their whole lives. They are old ladies now. Recently one got sick, so she wasn't feeling well, and we think that is why they got into a fight (cauz sick = grumpy). The people at the rescue tried to rebond them but couldn't 😢 it is sad. But that's the only case we've had so far. So I think it's uncommon. But Bunny Lady is the true bunny lady so she can correct me if I'm wrong 🙃 🐇

[@flore.9392]

Oh no! Sorry this happened with Teddy Bear and Elusive. I hope the re-bonding goes well and sooner than you expect! I really appreciate you sharing your experience and guiding the public with what to do if this happens to them. Super informative. Always important to stay calm!

[@schrammedia.]

I have a dwarf couple ( male and female, brother and sister, both spayed and neutered). They always were inseparable, until one almost died and had to go to the vet. He came back 2 days later and the female keeps attacking him. Really hope this will help.

[@amandawitherspoon5225]

Bunnies are just like human children. Brothers and sisters fight with each other

[@MMALuke]

We’ve had two rabbits from the 1st Jan that were born together, Benji and Bueno. They’re now roughly five months old. They always got on well together and we choose the two we have because the sales assistant in the shop told us they bonded the best. Benji had an abscess that needed to be drained about a week and a half ago, and we were told to separate them both to make sure Bueno doesn’t lick the wound and cause an infection. We got the all clear by the vet today saying that Benji has healed well and can now be put back with Bueno. We were very excited to see them reunite but it turned into horror when they both went at each other. Doing the tornado. Now we’re a bit stuck with what to do. Thank you for the video, we will try these methods but I really hope they bond again quickly. They were inseparable before.

[@ErinFitzgerald-nn8ym]

I had two bucks that nearly killed each other when they first met, I let them bid first through plexiglass, then through a wired cage, eventually they were able to free roam together and now are totally inseparable❤

[@clairedeshaies1029]

I'm about to be a new bunny mom. Your videos are helping me so much! Thank you for being an awesome human ☺️

[@samanthataylor3372]

I am sorry that happened and hope your buns will bond again!

[@theultimatereductionist7592]

Bunnado! Sharknado has got nothing on Bunnado!

[@MsVirginiaCreeper]

Oh no! I hope they can make up. Thank you for sharing this experience, it’s very useful information.

[@kathleenedwards8472]

So sorry Amy! Hoping for a smooth transition back to being a happy pair.

[@allegrano2131]

Thank you for this video! What a stressful situation! I am so thankful our buns had been bonded for a year when we adopted them and have never fought, but if they ever did, I would want to hear from you exactly what to do! I hope they are able to be rebonded soon. Thank you so much for all your videos!

[@kimberlykhan9477]

I had a pair of males they weren't fixed both i had from young. They were in one cage until they started trying to hump each and i had gotten another cage to separate them! They would both be in the yard at the same time. I use to see them chasing each other but i never witnessed fights so am grateful for that! Hope you are able to bond them again!

[@BlossomHeatwave]

Thanks for telling us

[@hailslm]

oh no! I wondered what poor Teddy did 🤣😬 fingers crossed the fighting through the fencing stops! 🤞🏻

[@ToastersToastToast]

I’m so glad I was able to find your video. My pair have been bonded pretty much since the younger one was out of the nest, but the older one has been chasing the other and mounting excessively to the point the younger one would whimper in distress any time the older one was near. Separated for a few hours and that failed so then tried a day and I thought we were reset but it started back up. Hoping that with scent swapping and having them switch spaces after a few days I can see if they’ve worked it out. Fingers crossed it won’t be a months long process

[@viktorask]

ThNK YOU

[@laurafanner9428]

Thank you for doing a video on this topic I hope your rabbits can make up

[@southsidesweep]

I never knew bonded buns could un bond. I had one pair for 10 years and now on a second pair. Both pairs are/were female. I've never seen this behavior. I'm sorry you have this going on. Thank you so much for your videos I always learn something.

[@adelaney537]

Thank you so much. I have two who are brothers and bonded. But they started fighting. I came on here to figure what to do. Your advise is excellent 👍. I did separate them and now they live separately. They just circle each other and you explained bunny tornado. They live next to each other but separately. Maybe they just like their own space?

[@HeatherCashArt]

Aw this is so sad! I hope they make up!!

[@boomer1770]

Thansk my rabbits just started fighting this morning and they haven’t stopped all day we sprayed them with a water if they went to bight each other

[@maanalsa]

That happened to my two rabbits and they have been separated for about 3 months now. I have tried bonding them again but they end up fighting. I am going to try again soon. They are only separated by a fence so they still groom each other and lay by each other so hopefully the will be able to be bonded again someday.

[@JohnnyOstentatious]

Wow, I did not know bonded bunnies can fight.

[@cicilu201]

Hello! Where did you get the squares with the smaller wire mesh? I haven’t been able to find them. My rabbits keep trying to bite each other through the enclosure bars. Thanks for creating great videos to help us take care of our bunnies the right way. My son and I have been learning a lot here and enjoy watching your videos. We appreciate you!!

[@user-jq7by5cd1v]

I am also wondering where you got the mesh squares.

[@mirasyml]

Both times my bonded bunnies have fought it’s turned out one of them was ill. The first time one had an ecuniculi flare up which caused her to lose sight in one eye, and the second time the other bun had an ear infection that hadn’t visibly presented yet. The fact that illness had caused the first fight put me on notice to look out for illnesses the second time. Luckily both times I only had to separate them for a couple of hours before I was able to house them together again and after those fights they were fine. Though the check up trips to the vet that followed the fights and the car journeys there and back might have helped that as a bonding thing, as unintended as it was. Hopefully it won’t happen again any time soon. 🤞 Hope your rebonding goes well and that both Ellie and teddy are alright. ❤️

[@kippy7883]

That’s been true for me as well. My bunnies fought last year and one started acting sick the next day and ended up having heart disease. I think my other bunny saw it as an opportunity to become the dominant rabbit. I kept them separated for a week or two and swapped them between adjacent enclosures and eventually they were fine.

[@cindychapman5900]

It is so scary when they fight. We have 2 who have been living with a fence between them for several years. Grooming takes place, but when we have put them together in the same space, it never goes smoothly for long. It is not ideal, I guess, but keeps them from seriously injuring each other. Sad you have had this stress.

[@ErinFitzgerald-nn8ym]

It really is scary when they fight, my two bucks nearly killed each other before they bonded!

[@fayewilliams5755]

My two bonded rabbits are suddenly fighting, but we don't have the space/facilities to separately. Currently laying next to the hutch, at 1am. Because i'm so worried they gonna go again! 😢

[@megiplierjanustache3825]

This happened to my 2 bunnies too and now they are separated

[@patrickmartin.493]

My bonded rabbits are fighting for really no reason. I’ve done everything you have suggested and their still fighting

[@user-jq7by5cd1v]

Hi Amy where did you get the mesh things to put between the pens ?

[@laurathomazi]

Hi! Can you give us an update about that? I have two bonded female bunnies that started to fight really bad. I’m stunned with how aggressive they are. They started to hit and thump each other with their whole body and bite 😢. I did separate them immediately but now I don’t know what to do. Where did you find that small screen you have with the fence?

[@tayah9372]

I’m getting a second bunny soon, and I know most things about bonding but are there any extra tips in case? 😅

[@hasmeetkaur8765]

I have 12 week old 2 girls and 1 boy bunnies. Over the last two weeks they have been fighting daily with one girl shedding hair. They cannot be neutered or spayed until 2 months. There from the same litter. What can I do?

[@rajarshichatterjee3111]

Speaking from experience my bonded rabbits fought for the 2nd time today..And literally one pulled off fur from another and there were some abrasions on the skin as well ...I was able to separate them in time and as mentioned in the video i too tried to do the quick rebonding technique which fortunately worked for me earlier but this time it dint work...And in the process i got some bites as well from the aggressive bunny... Maybe I'll have to try the separation for a period technique this time..🤦

[@markp8295]

My rabbits have failed the first two attempts to rebond. I am currently using neutral space each day with treats. If you're really struggling, a technique I haven't tried and would consider a last resort, but is recommended on a few forums, is trauma bonding. I guess if you cannot look after them long term in separate habitats, then this is an alternative to putting up for adoption.

[@rajarshichatterjee3111]

@@markp8295 yeah I too thought of that but it's been a month they have been bonded again and haven't fought..And since they are free roaming bunnies they have a lot of space the only thing that has changed though is that they used to sleep cuddled up togather but now they pick two different corners to sleep or rest ..I consulted a vet and he said sometimes vitamin deficiency or worms in the stomach might cause this so I fed them the prescribed vitamins and the pills(had to make a powder) and they've been better ever since..

[@user-js1ij8vb7j]

Im sorry they are having fights! Do you know what the reason was for the fighting or were they fighting without any reason? I have a bonded Pair too and I hope they will never fight!

[@oliven7491]

Can you please do a video on how to get rid of fleas on rabbits? Cuz I think my rabbit has fleas and I don't know how to get rid of them:( help me.

[@mothghost8553]

My rabbits fight all the time. Mischief tries to bite, pull fur and hump their sister. Ace is really timid and shy. I don't know how to stop these sisters from fights. Ace is older. They're dwarf rabbits. I don't know how to fix this issue.

[@ferlinez2529]

My male rabbit (who's fixed) have started to bite my female rabbit who got fixed 5 days ago through the fence. Idk what to do, i think he actually bit her cheek, he has tried to bite her nose but i don't think he has succeeded yet. Idk what to do, will they become friends again if I let them be? They don't even sleep next to each other anymore (as far as I know)

[@ladiva1123]

Mine did and now they cant stand each other