Fighting?

Just found lump of fur on the carpet, eeek! They arent moulting, when i groom them nothing comes off. No bald patches. I havent witnessed any aggresion between them, the opposite in fact. There is a bit of tugging over cabbage sometimes even though i cut it up. Hmmm, lets hope its not :\

Its willow boxing and nipping felix! Oh no! Beep beep beep, help!

I can't remember if they are neutered yet or not Becki?

How old are theyy? It might be the hormones starting to kick in . Hope felix is okay

They are 14 wks and pre the much awaited spay. I have seperated them while i go to work, willow must have done this twice in about 20 mins, the episode i saw was when i was sat on the floor stroking them and checking them over, willow just tugged at felixs side and started digging her side, felix moved away a bit and sat hunched up with more fluff on the carpet

This is most likely hormonal, you may need to keep them separate when you can't supervise them, but keep them in close contact so that they can still smell and see each other. Doe's are difficult when the hormones kick in, and bonds can be broken easily, but if you manage it properly, you should be fine.

Don't let them fight, it's handy to have a water spray bottle nearby, and any signs of a scuffle, a quick squirt should stop it. Are you due to see the vet soon at all, you could ask when they'd be prepared to do the spey?

The only way i could seperate them today was to keep willow indoors and felix outside. Im going to ask to borrow another cage untill the big dog crate gets here, i think i can get a partition for that. When we went to the vets for the jabs she told me that they were the lower end of healthy weight, and that 5 mnths would be the earliest for both, or perhaps earlier for felix as she is about 200grams heavier than wills. Im really surprised by this, no doubt felix is the easier going rabbit, but willow is always so attentive to her i thought if anyone was going to be the dominant one it would be felix. Bad times

It's not bad times, it's just the way rabbits are - and you need to manage this time to get it right. If you keep them well apart, you could loose the bond, so your idea is a good one

Ok, perspective needed. I saw a rabbit up for adoption on the RSPCA website who was called Arthur, he was named this because he had 'arf a nose' due to fighting! That has worried me they are going to wrip each other to shreds.
Will let them play together when i get home, armed with a water spray and an oven glove! I will keep them together, or close by to each other for as long as poss, maybe this means caging them when I am at work, as i cant seperate them in the hutch/run. What a pants time they will have not having space to run around. I can alternate them in the run, and alternate who has run of the house, while the other looks through the bars with sad eyes
I am going to call the vets the rescue recommended and see how soon they woukd be willing to spey - shame Willow is the smaller one as it is her that needs it by the looks of it! Why cant they put her on the pill? ha ha

Aww naughty willow! I think like Jay says you need to keep them together asmuch as you can. Getting them spayed together is best too so one doesn't come home smelling differently and so that they can stay together. They will turn to each other for comfort at the vets too which can only be a good thing.

Yes............. i wish they would spay them now, only 2 mtnhs to go I suppose, and I will do my absolute best to keep them bonded and hope that being spayed does the trick. I will see how they get on later, in some ways maybe I shouldnt I have seperated them today, but I dont have 2 cages at the mo so I couldnt even keep them in the same room. Willow is going to be having a ****** day in the cage - and Felix has the big hutch and run to herself and probably isnt very happy either. When Felix had the limp Willow was brilliant with her, and they have always been really close.... They have never humped each other, and I there doesnt seem to be a heirachy established. Could it be a case of Willow needing to assert dominance? I dont think Felix would care! Though as i said I thought Felix might be top bun as Willow is more attentive to her than the other way round.

I called the new vet I was reccomended to (we are now registered at 3 vets in 2 mnths, gosh) and the receptionist went off to talk with a vet who advised me to split them up, and that females dont go together - hmph - I wont be giving up that easily. I asked what VHD vaccine they use and they blinking well use Cylap so that will be another thing though not for a year and by then hopefully I would have built up a relationship with one of the vets and can ask for Anivac, or they may change over of their own valition.

Ok, positive thinking, will reunite them when I get home at 3.30pm (thank goodness I finish early today) and give them lots of fuss as a pair like we usually do and see how they go. I will have the oven gloves on ready to swoop Willow up and out if she goes for Felix. It would be easy to be cross with her, though as Jay says I understand that this is what rabbits do, and when I saw her at 3 weeks all limp and fragile I made a promise that I would always do my best for her, and then decided to take her beloved Felix along for the ride. Since then of course I have fallen in love with them both, and I dont want them to be apart, but if they are a danger to each other then so be it.

Worse case scenario I end up with 4 bunnies and 2 boy rescue buns get to join the party, and i will rotate the groups in and out. I also have a small summer house in the garden that is very posh and has electricity running to it. This is Yasmin's 'hideout', if push comes to shove then I can use that space too.

Female bonds are the least likely to work out, but as they are kitlings, it has better chance of working, if you do it right. I wouldn't think about another bun just yet, and would wait and see how this goes first TBH

Fingers crossed this was just a grumpy moment from Willow which may be all forgotten about by this evening.

good luck.

Let us know how they get on hun x

Thanks guys, gosh no, no more untill these 2 are completely spayed sorted and i know where their relationship is x

Oh dear hope Felix and Willow settle soon and start getting on again.

How are they doing this eve hun?

Willow didnt seem herself when i got home, hadnt eaten alot of hay, was a bit concerned. I gave them both individual fuss and then put willow in the run with felix, neither of them seemed bothered or happy by the presence of the other. Myself, yasmin and the two girls i look after on a wednesday took it turns to watch them for 3 hrs straight, and there was no scuffling or anything, but not really grooming either. They are free ranging the house now and seem fine, they are doing everything as a duo- they should get tired now and flop, im waiting to see if they do it together x

Perhaps it was just a tiff then, and willow really missed felix today? Fingers crossed they are happy together again, x x

Thanks katie, the only problem we have tonight is they are constantly under my feet, just accidently walloped felix with my foot! They come from no where! Poor felix isnt having much luck lately!

Lets hope spaying works, it horrible to see your buns fighting.
My 2 are divorced, they use to be free range, now they are on shifts.
Lil got EC and head tilt and now is a screw loose, Ron loves her to bits but she has totally forgot who she is and attacks him.
She also has half a nose after he ripped it off after egging him on after finding the tiniest gap to get to him. Her nick name is 'Marta nose'.
Fingers and paws crossed.

How did they do today hun??