All my Rabbits are Fighting

[lynn's Cavies]

I'm quite upset to say that today I noticed that my rabbits are not getting along. I have had NeNe and Mojo together since Spring and they have always cuddled and cleaned each other. But lately I've noticed that Mojo was losing weight and his fur was thinning. Not to mention he has very weak backlegs that were getting worse. I thought it was all old age.

Tonight as I was watching them NeNe kept mounting Mojo over and over and he was struggling to get away. She kept pulling his fur and chasing him. It was horrible to watch. I immediately opened the cage door to get NeNe out. She jumped out herself - there is a wooden box below that gives her access to the shed floor. I didn't trust to keep it open all the time because of fear that Mojo would attempt it and fall. After NeNe was out I shut Mojo's door and he started eating frantically as though he had been harassed for a long time. After eating he fell asleep.

I tried to introduce my rabbit, NeNe, to Tamago, my other neutered male, who was living with Mushi, a female. Tamago was picking on Mushi and I decided to move her into her own cage today. I thought perhaps with Tamago having a stronger personality and being young himself that they would get along. They have at times played in the shed together - NeNe and Tamago. But they got into a huge fight with fur flying. I separated them and put Tamago back into his cage.

I just feel horrible because it seems they all hate each other. Or maybe they are just like people and need their own space? I always thought rabbits loved to have a buddy and bond with them and clean each other. Now I'm beginning to think they are better off separated.

I"m hoping that when Mushi's brother gets older and he gets neutered that perhaps they can live together. I also need to get NeNe spayed. I think that is why she goes spastic at times because her hormones are going crazy. Yes, I will get NeNe spayed. I just made that final decision. I have put it off because I'm so afraid for her safety but I have an excellent exotic Vet and I know he will do a wonderful job. I'm going to set up the appointment for not next week but the week after as I work 3 days that week. Does anyone think that this will help her to get along with Mojo?

Advice is very much welcomed.
Thank you,

Lynn

[Jennicat]

I'm not a rabbit expert, but it is my understanding that it's very hard to bond rabbits if they are not both fixed.

[bunnyluv17]

Yes, I think it will help to calm her raging hormones so she will be able to bond with her buddy again. It can take several weeks before you may notice a change.

[smartorl]

In my experience, rabbits like the company of their own kind but they like it with everyone having their own "territory". If you watch rabbits in the wild, they seem like they are crowded into an area but in acuality, they all have their own space and will run off another for infringing upon it. One quick question, when you placed the neutered male in with the other, and he came from a female, did you bathe him or use something to mask the females odor? It is very hard to remove a females odor to the point that an male won't be able to pick it up. I have a savage scar on my arm from where I handled a doe and them stuck my hand into a neutered bucks cage to grab a crock and he locked onto my arm with his teeth while humping me (we are now married in most peoples eyes). I have seen rabbits cohabitate very well for years even and them out of the blue turn on each other and one end up severely wounded. I find that dwarf breeds tend to be a little less social with other rabbits. If someone came to me with aggression issues I would suggest a larger area as a trial and alot of observation, if that is not possible or does not work, then seperation is the only option. Good luck.