DEAR BUNNY WONDERLAND
‘ My bonded pair started fighting after they came home from grooming! Why did they do that?’
Like married couples, bonded bunnies do have their drama once in a while! However, if this happened right after grooming, high chances are something happened during the session that made them angsty. This could be the stress from all the handling, the smell of the groomer (or their fluffy customers!) or even the types of product used from them! Our rabbits are definitely sensitive creatures and can be easily irritated by just about anything. So it is very important for us to be very careful in planning for their grooming!
If your rabbits are still fighting, we suggest that you keep them separated for a day or two to give them time to settle. Re-introduce them in a happier setting such as dinner or cuddling time to remind them they are BFFs. If you do smell something on your rabbit, you can also use a warm damp towel (not dripping!) to wipe their fur down to remove any ‘alien smell’. Take it easy and don’t force them to ‘get over it’ as we, bunny slaves, all know, will never happen peacefully.
We do recommend that you share your experience with your groomer and discuss how to prevent future occurrence. A good groomer, such as those we recommend, understands rabbit well enough to know what can stress them. It could be as simple as washing their hands after each grooming or not using fragranced product. Many careful owners will also opt for a more private grooming session in their own home to ensure consistency in environment and reduce the overall stress to the animal.
We hope our sharing can help you understand more about your rabbits’ abnormal behaviour and ensure this won’t happen again!
Sincerely,
Bunny Wonderland