Female rabbits fighting. How to stop dominance without desexing?

The best way to reduce aggression is to have both of them spayed. Spaying females drastically reduces aggressive behavior, as hormonal aggression is most common in female rabbits. Hormones drive them to compete for territory and to protect their home from invaders. I recommend having them spayed before bringing them together.

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.

This unfortunately happens sometimes where their bond is broken around the time they reach sexual maturity. It is wise to keep them seperated, because the mounting seems like aggressive behavior. However, I would have a vet double-check the sex of these two. I have seen many rabbits that were mistakenly identified as females, when they were actually males. This would also explain the mating behavior. You should also consider having them spayed/neutered at this age. I prefer to do this surgery around this age and it's quite safe when in an experienced surgeons hands. They will often cease the aggressive/mounting behavior after this procedure is done; and it saves from having a litter of unwanted bunnies...which is a big problem. I hope that helps and you can get this problem sorted soon.

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.

Thanks for reaching out about Bun Bun. This question has been addressed once before but there recommendation is to have Bun Bun spayed, and Fluffy neutered also (if not). Intact female spays have an increased incidence of uterine cancer but also tend to fight more. Talk to a veterinarian in your locale. Good luck.

Hi Pam, Rabbits are extremely territorial. Neutering helps but it does not eliminate this behavior 100%. Also, it can take up to 35 days for the testosterone levels to go down after neutering so 2 weeks is not likely enough time before trying to bond them. Bonding two males is difficult even when both are neutered. A male and a female are an easier pair to bond (if both are fixed). This article may help you: http://www.rabbitawarenessweek.co.uk/company/introducing-rabbits-to-each-other/ Hope this helps. Best wishes.

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.