My neutered male rabbits are fighting. Will they ever bond and be friends?

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.

Hi! It is possible that after Mistie is spayed she will accept the other rabbit. However, just like people, some rabbit personalities just don’t ever get along. So I’d have your rabbits spayed and neutered and do a gradual introduction in neutral areas as you suggested. But realize the pairing might not take and be ready to intervene and separate them if necessary. When rabbits don’t get along, they can be quite aggressive and harm one another. Also, keep in mind that even after a male rabbit is neutered, he can store sperm for up to 28 days! Of course, this won’t be an issue if you have Mistie spayed.

Pierre is not neutered and before the quarantine he was very young, now his male hormones are starting to kick in and he is more territorial, it is natural for him to fight, especially other males. the solution is to have him and any other males in the enclosure neutered.

Hello. You will want to neuter the older rabbit first, & try to have this done several weeks before introducing the new bunny. After several weeks, all the testosterone will be out of Thumper's system & other than taking some time & care to let them get to know each other, there should be no sexual aggression on Thumper's part. Then have the younger rabbit neutered as soon as your veterinarian recommends. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Unfortunately, it seems like they are not bonding well. This happens even amongst siblings. Desexing is a good thing to do, but should not be expected to help them get along. I wish I had a good remedy for this problem, but these are tricky scenarios and sometimes they have to be separated. For more information about bonding rabbits, I recommend you read the information at the link below. http://www.rabbit.org/journal/4-4/tough-bonding.html I hope that helps and the bunnies eventually get along.

Hello. I would definitely consider neutering Bun Bun in case this is testosterone/sexually based aggression. If so, his attitude should improve over the next 4 weeks. This could also be aggression based on resource protection. Some rabbits become a bit aggressive when an owner is changing food or even putting out fresh hay or treats. A rabbit can perceive this as a threat to his "stash". But the easiest thing to do is neuter him, & of course, never reinforce his aggressive behavior ( some people will see this as cute & funny & inadvertently cheer the behavior on ). Good luck & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi there and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Usually aggression in our pets can be altered a bit by removing excess testosterone with neutering. While it is not impossible he is lonely-likely he is frustrated with the removal of his mates each time. Neutering may help with his need for female attention as well as curbing unwanted aggression due to excess testosterone. I hope this helps!