Chasing is a normal behavior to expect during bonding that you should allow to continue. This is not a true fight where the rabbits are getting territorial with each other. However, it can look similar to other behaviors that are aggressive.
A rabbit may fight to show dominance. Biting and nipping are also mating behaviour. Paradoxically, rabbits may even fight as part of their bonding process. Bonded rabbits can fight, too.
Bonded rabbits spend the majority of their days and nights together. They tend to visit the litter tray at the same time, eat together and groom together. A lot of time is spent simply snuggled up together sleeping. They can become competitive with each other over food and attention from us.
As a general rule, rabbits are bonded once they can spend 48 hours together without any chasing or aggressive behaviors. You also want to see positive signs such as grooming, sharing food, and sleeping next to each other to confirm that your rabbits feel safe around each other.
If your rabbits are mounting each other a lot, instigating fights, stop them, place them side by side. Pet them together and talk to them quietly. Do not let much chasing ensue. If they are persistently aggressive, separate them to prevent injuries.
Chasing is one of those behaviors. One rabbit will chase the other to claim dominance during the bonding process. This is expected behavior that should not be discouraged. If a chase goes on for longer than 30 seconds, interrupt the rabbits, so it does not turn into a fight.
It is normal for some chasing to occur as the rabbits need to establish who is going to be the dominant one in the pairing, this may also involve some nipping, or fur pulling.
In general, the only time you should give up on bonding rabbits is when they have injured each other. You should also reevaluate the bond if one rabbit is a bully, making the other rabbit anxious and afraid to eat, use the litter box, or even move around too much.
For bonded rabbits, the loss of a partner can be very traumatic. Bonded rabbits live very closely together, spending hours sleeping, grooming, eating, playing and "talking" so the sudden absence of their partner is difficult for them to cope with.
Your rabbits will still want to be with you and show affection, but will not be so clingy when it has another bunny friend. Bonded rabbits also bring their own advantages to rabbit owners.
Since they are very social animals, rabbits who are bonded have a deep and lasting relationship. Many of these pairs do almost everything together. Whether it is eating, sleeping, grooming or simply exploring their surroundings, bonded pairs make everything a group activity.
Bonded rabbits usually get on well over long periods of time. It's not uncommon for rabbits to occasionally scuffle, even in bonded pairs, but if they are having proper fights and pulling fur out that's usually a sign that their bond has broken. Usually, something has happened to break the bond two rabbits have.
Nipping will most likely happen at some point during the bonding process. It is normal and isn't always a negative action. Sometimes a rabbit will nip the other because they want him/her to groom them.
They will eventually stop fighting and either ignore each other or become friends. This process depends on your active and vigilant participation. If fighting is serious, the bunnies should be separated when unsupervised. Once they seem to be getting along, they can be re-introduced into familiar territory.
Even if you have a pair of rabbits, 24 hours is the maximum time they should be alone. Like all pets, rabbits rely heavily on their owners. Domesticated rabbits lack the survival skills of wild rabbits. Your rabbit has basic needs surrounding food, exercise, and stimulation.
Aggressive rabbits are also a risk to their owners as well – never put your hand in between two fighting rabbits, as you can easily become injured. Separate them with something solid, like a board, and keep them apart.
Once the rabbits have bonded, DO NOT separate them. If one rabbit needs to go to the vet, both need to go. If they're separated and one rabbit comes back with a different smell or change in health, they may reject each other and begin fighting.
Rabbits form a bond for life. Once the rabbits have bonded they should not be separated, as this would cause a great deal of psychological trauma to them both. It is recommended that both rabbits are taken to the veterinarian if one needs to attend.
Both rabbits must be neutered, if they are old enough. If you already have a rabbit, arrange for him/her to be neutered and wait a few weeks before adopting the second rabbit. It's never too late to get a friend for your existing rabbit.
The easiest way to tell which one of your rabbits is dominant is to watch their grooming. A dominant rabbit will groom the other rabbits far less and for shorter periods of time than the other animals. A dominant rabbit will often thrust their heads towards the other rabbits.
It usually takes between two weeks and two months to bond a pair of rabbits. The process should always take place in a neutral territory and all rabbits involved should already be spayed or neutered.
Make sure to spend some time with the rabbits in one or more neutral space every day. When you're not actively working with them, they should be apart if they fight when together. If they do not fight, then they can be left alone if you're not working with them, but not when you're not home at all.
The process of introducing two rabbits is known as bonding. As every rabbit is different and has its own personality, you cannot guarantee that two rabbits will bond. However, rabbits are gregarious and therefore predisposed to living together so the chances are good that the rabbits will get along.
You can use your rabbit's body language to figure out the cause of their aggression. Once you know why they are acting out, you can help your rabbit overcome their bad behavior by working with them. Teach them that human hands will not hurt them and give them a safe and fun environment to live it.