Why Are My Rabbits Fighting All of a Sudden?

Rabbits Fighting

Rabbits fighting are cute to enjoy. Like humans, even every animal does have some naughty fights and unconditional bonding. Generally, as humans, we have male dominance, so even the male rabbit’s fight for dominance sometimes. Two male rabbits fighting is an interesting one among others. So fighting in common happens between two rabbits fightingfemale rabbits fighting, bonded rabbits fighting, and worst cases, rabbits fighting to the death.

Why Rabbits Fight

Rabbits do fight among themselves. But actually, why they fight and to what extent they fight is the question.

brown rabbit on green grass field during daytime

As inconvenience occurs in any relationship at household, the pet rabbits and wild rabbits also take time to get together. Like any other pet, they feel stressed, insecure, neutered, and fight among themselves because of their age or sex.

Two male Rabbits often fight dominance or show their caliber and power. These fights can be seen in two rabbits fighting in the street.

Another reason for two rabbits fighting is to mate. Yes! Rabbits fighting or mating happens when they are in bonding. In the same way, wild rabbits and pet rabbits have specific reasons to fight.

Why Rabbits Attack Each Other?

Rabbits do attack each other for dominance, to protect their place and home. Rabbits defend themselves by fighting with other rabbits who attack to steal their food or home.

Rabbits attack each other if they are bonded or unbonded. Some rabbits show up dominance while some mate to have strong bonding.

brown and black rabbit on green grass during daytime

What To Do If Rabbits Start Fighting?

If the rabbits start fighting, understand the actual reasons behind it. If your rabbit starts fighting, then try to separate them quickly, and before trying to separate, make some loud noise to make them attentive.

Carefully look for injuries, if any, and settle them separately.

Then try to put the rabbits in separate corners for a few hours or a day if needed. This kind of rabbits fighting can be generally seen when two male rabbits fight.

How Do You Know They’re Fighting?

It’s quite a standard behavior that rabbits do often play and fight among themselves. Rabbits fighting is different from playing. Let’s understand how rabbits playing is different from playing.

Rabbits fighting involves a sudden action of biting, mounting which turns the skin riping out.

We can identify Rabbits fighting when they suddenly start attacking the opposite rabbit’s face and bodies.

Rabbits usually chase other rabbits in a circle when it is intended to fight with each other.

Rabbits also mount and chase if they are in a fighting mood.

Are My Rabbits Fighting Or Playing?

We can identify Rabbits fighting to an extent whether they are in a natural fighting mood.

If rabbits are nipping and biting, then we can understand that they are bonding and playing. Generally, opposite sex rabbits have much attraction towards each other, and same-gender rabbits are more intended to fight.

Rabbits bumping noses are the most common activity to notice when playing or bonding with each other.

white rabbit on green grass during daytime

How can I stop my rabbits fighting?

Yes, you can stop rabbits from fighting. Firstly try to separate the two rabbits which are fighting each other.

We can stop Rabbits fighting if your bunnies or pets are in the middle of their fight.

Make a disturbing noise or a loud sound to distract them from fighting each other.

When to intervene in a rabbit fight?

Intervening in the middle of the rabbits fighting is an excellent way to stop.

However, the best way to avoid the rabbit fighting is to observe their moves initially and distract them from being involved in the fighting.

Can rabbits start fighting for no reason?

Yes, rabbits start fighting for no reason. Rabbits bump the noses of opposite-sex rabbits to mate them.

Your bunnies can either make bonding or mating and be involved in rough fighting for no reasons and specific reasons like food and shelter.

How to prevent rabbits from fighting?

It’s highly recommended that any fights be stopped even before understanding people’s movements or pets.

Understand the rabbit’s warning signals, clearly reflected on their body parts like ears, tail, etc. If its long ears are bending backward, then you can understand that the rabbit is already annoyed. If the tail of the rabbit is stiff, then imagine it is in an angry mood.

Even though it starts, try stopping them immediately by distracting them with loud and heavy sounds.

On a high note, always go in between the rabbits fighting with preventive measures like wearing hard and thick hand gloves, covering your hands with full clothes.

Always try grabbing your bunnies involved in fighting with thick towels or cloth.

Rebonding rabbits after a fight 

Rebonding after the fight is essential if you want to keep them both as your pets at home. After the fight, try separating the rabbits for some time, then settle, and then the other rabbit slowly to develop bonding.

white and gray rabbits

Bonding Rabbits Fighting 

Once your rabbits or bunnies are close enough and bonded well, then don’t try to separate them until they fight.

Always put in extra care to observe their movements and get a clue about your rabbits.

Male Rabbits Fighting 

Male rabbits often fight if they are kept closed at a place. The fighting occurs due to hormones. If you keep two Male rabbits, make sure one rabbit or both should be neutered and made fixed. Unneutered bunnies fight very commonly to till injuries or even death because of the excess hormones.

If the male rabbits are neutered, the hormones would be in control and primarily reduce the fighting, not going till injuries and death.

Other than that, dominance, bossiness, and protection are the major of malle rabbits fighting.

Two Rabbits Fighting 

Usually, when there is more than one rabbit at a place, fighting occurs reasons are there for them. So two rabbits fighting is a usual sign of inconvenience for them.

Many rabbits fight for bonding or mating purposes, and unbonded rabbits usually fight to protect themselves and defend themselves from the other rabbits.

Two Male Rabbits Fighting 

Male pets frequently do fight when they are kept in the same place. The rabbit’s fighting occurs due to hormones. If two Male rabbits are at a place or have been put together, make sure one rabbit or both should be neutered and made fixed.

Unneutered bunnies fight very commonly to till injuries or even death because of the excess hormones.

If two male rabbits are neutered, the hormones would be in level and reduce the fightings preventing injuries and causing death.

Other than that, dominance, bossiness, and protection are the major of malle rabbits fighting.

Rabbits Fighting Each Other 

Rabbits fighting each other include an abrupt action of biting, mounting which turns the skin riping out.

We can identify Rabbits fighting with each other if they suddenly start attacking the opposite rabbit’s face and bodies.

Rabbits usually chase other rabbits in a circle around the premises when they expect to fight with each other.

Rabbits Fighting For Dominance

Yes, the most crucial aspect of rabbits fighting is dominance. It happens mainly with male rabbits fighting.

Anyone of the same gender or age would like to show dominance and bossiness, so the rabbits also do this by fighting.

group of rabbits eating

Bonded Rabbits Fighting 

Bonded rabbit fighting is a sign of playing or mating. Rabbits that are bonded do fighting for no reason, and sometimes they go cruel on the other rabbits.

So always be cautious in every circumstance, separate them and develop bonding between them again after some hours.

Unbonded Rabbits Fighting

Rabbits usually like being in companionship. But if you notice any weird behaviors among them, try snatching the rabbit and rescue them from becoming violent.

Rabbits of the same gender or age take enough time to be bonded, and sometimes they remain as Unbonded rabbits. Pet rabbits fight for the title of the solo boss and dominance over the other.

If any other rabbits or wild rabbits come across them, they show their hatred and bother in the act of fighting.

How To Stop Rabbits Fighting? 

We can stop or prevent the rabbits from fighting by closely looking at their pre-fight movements and behavior. It’s also possible to stop the rabbits from fighting as and when they start.

But if the rabbits are fighting and you want to stop the fighting, you need to take enough precautions like wearing thick hand gloves and covering your whole body, especially your hands.

There is a crucial thing to note here is you should always hold your bunnies involved in fighting with a thick towel,

Why Are My Rabbits Fighting? 

Your cute pet rabbits have majorly two reasons for fighting. They are bonding and nonbonding.

However, even the sex of the pets matters here because rabbits fighting also occurs between same-gender rabbits and occurs less often among the opposite genders.

Female Rabbits Fighting

It’s probably the known reason for females to fight. Yes! , Female rabbits fight for being identified as weak. Some fight for showing over beauty, physical infirmity, weakness, age, etc. If the female rabbits are spayed, that could also be the main reason for female fighting.

two rabbits lying on ground

Female rabbits 

Female rabbits are generally called does in the small mammal family. Female rabbits are not merely matured unless it reaches a year.

Then if we are found to them in their space, they will growl and lunge for their protection. Female rabbits are spayed to avoid fighting among the same gender and opposite genders sometimes.

Pet Rabbits Fighting 

Pet rabbits or bunnies fighting is in a way cute and naughty. Generally, all rabbits love being in groups, but some wild and other rabbits maintain loneliness if they do not get along with other rabbits. But rabbits are patient and concentrated enough, so they even get along after repeated trials.

Many might think that “why my pet rabbits keep fighting?”.  But the rabbit’s fighting is not always brutal but sometimes entertaining enough to watch.

Rabbits Fighting To The Death 

Rabbits fighting over food, wild rabbits fighting, jackrabbits fighting, unbonded rabbits fighting will lead to severe injuries and often lead to death if not stopped in midway.

Dominance, dependence, annoying, neutering, spaying, often separating bonded rabbits leads to brutal and rough rabbits fighting to the death.

Neutered Male Rabbits Fighting 

Male rabbits are one of the reasons to fight are unneutered as the male rabbit’s hormones flow will be more.

But even after neutering, the male rabbit’s hormones are not settled, and their hormones even flow throughout their body. So rabbits will be sometimes aggressive even after neutering.

Wild Rabbits Fighting

Wild rabbits or bucks usually fight with other bucks to mate or breed with the does or female rabbits.

The wild rabbits many die from breeding female rabbits because of an increase in hormones. They fight to an extent until the doe or a group of does show up interest with the bucks and breed.

So we can conclude that a buck always wants to mate a doe, but doe does not.

white rabbit on grey concrete floor

Conclusion

If you notice sudden fighting between your rabbits, then don’t be panic, they could be some minimal to significant reasons behind their fights.

Always make sure you introduce your rabbits slowly and take time instead of leaving them simply in the same place without any prior introduction.

Probably the best way of avoiding the rabbits from fighting could be by providing them enough space individually, offering enough food and personal space to enjoy.

Rebonding your rabbits is the best practice for any pet lover. Most importantly, rabbit lovers can learn.

Rabbits, as said earlier, have an excellent and extended memory, so always pay attention while rebonding as well, because there are chances of taking old revenge.

After all your best efforts for bonding still, they are not getting along and fighting, then try observing your rabbit’s behavior and movements from time to time so they can stop or prevent your rabbits from fighting.

FAQs

How many rabbits are bonded?

Getting two rabbits well with each other to lay down together, have food together is called bonding or pairing. So two rabbits which when left together for almost two days, can be bonded together.

What is the average amount of time it takes for a rabbit to bond with another bunny?

Your pet bunnies will need some time to develop bonding and get along with each other. This bonding process can be as little as a day or can extend to several months as well. But always try to take care of the rabbit’s behavior. If they are not getting along even after several months, then also try to rebond after giving a gap of a few weeks.

Is it normal for rabbits to play fight?

Yes, of course, fighting also is an outcome of bonding. Much bonded bunnies who like each other companions would do naughty fights like nipping or bumping noses.

What is the best way to tell if two rabbits have formed a bond?

Just like humans or any other living creature, even rabbits can be observed whether they are bonded or not. There could be many positive signs of the rabbits being bonded, like sharing food between them, laying down together, grooming, feeling calm and comforted by the other rabbit’s company. Most importantly, there would be significantly fewer chances of chasing and being aggressive to each other.

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Author
Gulshan
Hi, I am Gulshan, a pet blogger, and author. I've been working with the local pet groups for the past five years. I have been fascinated by our pets and am here to share that wonder with you.