My female rabbits are aggressive. How do I bond them without fights?

It doesn't say how old your rabbit is, but if you got her as a baby then she has likely become sexually mature. In female rabbits, this can cause them to become aggressive and not like to be handled. The best and easiest way to solve this problem is to get her spayed. This will remove the hormonal influence on her behavior and help her to settle down. Once she has been spayed you can start working with her and getting her used to being handled and patted again. Keep these sessions short and positive, and use a bit of her favorite food (a little bit of banana is a favorite of my bunnies) to keep it a positive experience.

Hello. Your bunnies are adorable! It’s good that they are spayed and neutered, as this should help your efforts to bond them. I’d recommend to give them ample space to retreat and feel safe when they’re together and always supervise them during the transition until the relationship is more secure. One way to start the process would be to feed each rabbit on either side of a baby gate or other divider that allows them to sniff and see each other. Provide ample hay, greens and pellets on each side of the gate so they’re spending a good amount of time near each other as they eat. After several days to a week of peaceful eating, remove the gate but keep the food the same. Monitor them closely during this time for signs of fear or aggression and separate them quickly if you see this. If there is a favorite treat, only give that out when they’re together so there is a positive association of being with the other rabbit. However, just like people, rabbits are individuals and may not get along no matter what we do. Be prepared for this possibility and don’t force it. While rabbits tend to be peaceful animals, they certainly can fight and when they do it can be serious.

Sorry you are having this issue. She is most likely being territorial as she is becoming sexually active. Females can get very territorial and aggressive when they reach this stage. My honest recommendation would be to have her spayed - that will diminish any sexual drive and that may help decrease territorial behavior. I suggest you read these articles. They may help you try to correct this behavior. I still recommend spaying her..... http://rabbit.org/faq-aggression/ http://www.wikihow.com/Socialize-Your-Rabbit Hope this helps. Best wishes!

Generally spayed/neutered rabbits tend to be less aggressive as the sex hormones are eliminated. Aggression and dominance do also have some behavioral component so the surgery alone does not necessarily mean that EVERY rabbit that gets it done will gentle down. In general though, they become more tame. I hope this helps!

It sounds as though you are described territorial behavior. Female rabbits that have been spayed usually don't develop this type of behavior once they get to be several years old. She may be becoming defensive or fearful if she has an illness she is trying to hide and therefore protect herself. Some illnesses to consider in this case are dental diseases, urinary tract diseases or sometimes skin issues. If she has not had a recent (3-4 months or less) veterinary examination, I recommend starting with an examination to ensure there are no health issues involved. Beyond that, you could consider placing her in a new cage or hutch, feeding her directly from your hands (if possible to do safely) and giving more social interaction time outside of the cage.

Thanks for reaching out about your rabbits. Not an uncommon response in intact females, protection of the warren. Both rabbits needed to be spayed due to the high chance of uterine cancer in rabbits. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out. Not all individuals get along, especially in confined areas. As young rabbits mature and hormone levels rise, territoriality and dominance are fought over to establish. Spaying the rabbits is necessary anyways, so now might be a good time. Keep separated for now. Good luck.