My two bloody lovely rabbits have turned enemies after being spayed

[TheFootIsDown]

Tried to be a responsible rabbit owner and got both our sisters spayed. They've been together since birth and are 6months old now. They have a lovely large hutch and a pretty lovely life. Never a cross word between them, both very laid back.

They were spayed yesterday and have been recovering well. Then today all hell broke loose and the fur began to fly. Have separated them. Phoned the vet who said this is normal, hormones/grumpy etc.

Then googled this and have basically convinced myself this is the end of their bond.

My sensible thoughts: Poor buggers are recovering from an op and probably in pain and grumpy. Also hormones will be flying about. No wonder the poor little sods are fighting.

Google's thoughts: they were never fully bonded so you will have to separate them for 6 weeks then introduce them again as if they were strangers over several weeks. This may or may not work.

I booked for them to be spayed because I'm off work for two weeks and can give them all the attention they need. However I only have one sodding hutch. I've separated them in the kitchen for now but this is absolutely not ok long term.

I'm regretting getting them spayed,

Any experience?

We had 2 girl baby bunnies who turned out to be a girl and boy! Didn't know til we took them to vet for jabs! So we got an indoor hutch and put one in there but by the door do they could see the outdoor hutch! After being neutered they hated each other, grunting, biting and before they had loved each other always been cuddled up to each other. After short periods of sticking them in together peace and harmony was restored and they shared a hutch happily ever after!

I've had to create a division by bringing In the bloody run and halving it. It's been quite good though as they can still see each other so I've been observing them. They are currently laying down, either side of the mesh, next to each other looking like they haven't a care in the world 🤷‍♀️ I'm really hoping this means they will calm down quickly. I might have them out together under my supervision tomorrow. The run isn't big enough for them to stay like that for long, I need them to get along.

After they have been at vets they smell all vet like and not themselves so that probably doesn't help! Give them a couple of days feeling sorry for themselves and fingers crossed they will be fine. Bloody pets, worse than kids!

They can't decide if they are friends. Let them out together heavily supervised. Lots of sniffing from both sides. Then grooming separately. One even flopped. They sat together.

10minutes later the chasing and nipping begins! WTF! I'm hoping this means there is hope but honestly girls!

Please tell me they have made friends?!

My bunnies fought when my female came back from being spayed. I had kept her apart for five days (put her in a separate area where they could see/touch through the mesh). It didn’t last too long. They we’re friends again soon. I think you have to let them go through the squabbling, although it’s not nice to see.

Hope yours are ok now.

Let them heal for a few weeks post spay - it will have made them feel out of sorts and more defensive. Then reintroduce as if they had never met on neutral territory.

Progress update: I wouldn't say friends, more like they are tolerating each other. They happily sit side by side in the temporary run situation we have going on, with a mesh between them. I've done a bunny date everyday. I know it would be best to spend 6weeks doing this but I only have one hutch and, frankly, they are clogging up my kitchen.

We are currently up to being able to tolerate each other for 1hr15mins today! A couple of half hearted nips, a tiny bit of chasing but nothing I have had to intervene with. They will eat together and sit together but not in that lovely "bonded relaxed" state. Then one will get the hump and chase a few steps but then give up and hump away to sulk 🤷‍♀️ There has even been some mutual grooming of each other, but I can tell they haven't sorted out who is queen B yet...both only groom the other for a matter of seconds and neither do it on demand.

I feel this is progress though. Tomorrow we are going for 2hrs. I need them back in their hutch by Monday really but I won't do it unless they are friends again. Might take them out for a car ride later in the week too.

Fingers crossed!

I thought I would update in case anybody cares

The girls went back In their hutch today. I've basically spent 10days working on their relationship (good thing there is a lock down). Learnt a lot about their character and communication (so fascinating).

I'm back at work tomorrow so I ramped the pressure up a few days ago. Last night I left them together in the kitchen for the first time. Pretty much got no sleep as I kept checking them but they were fine so I decided that rather than going backwards, I needed to try the hutch. Cleaned it thoroughly 10days ago so I was hopeful it would be neutral enough.
I put everything that they were happy to share in there and, so far, all good. They are currently cuddled up.

I did resort to stress bonding in the car and they really settled after that.

I told them that they had no choice now as I'm at work full time and that's that. I swear they understand me! Fingers crossed! I wouldn't say they are the perfect picture of friendship but they definitely seem to prefer to be close together than apart.

I'm exhausted now.

That's great news! Our girl is loving having us home more but I think she'll be happy when the kids ho back to school!