BlackRabbits
Well-Known Member
This is the first time I've tried to bond two rabbits. The mix is a bit complicated because there's also a guinea pig in the middle!
One rabbit is a black dwarf spayed female, Zelda. She's about 2 years old according to the shelter I adopted her from. I've had her since December 2014. She's pretty laid back normally, she accepted my cats within hours after I got her. She lives in a large cube condo with attached pen (it can be detached if needed). I keep her cage door open so she can go in and out as she pleases.
I just adopted Rabbit #2 a couple of days ago from a student who couldn't keep him at her new dorm. His name (for the time being) is Bunny. He's tiny, about half of Zelda's size, and neutered. He's bonded with a guinea pig, they've lived together all their lives. They are 3 years old.
I know it's best to introduce them on neutral ground, but I'm in an apartment which doesn't have a lot of "ground". Also, Zelda responds poorly to being picked up or held. The shelter told me they think she may have been dropped and injured in the past.
They had their first contact last night. The new guys came with their cage, so I put the cage inside Zelda's pen but left it closed. I put a box inside the cage to give them a hiding place. Zelda went right to the cage and sniffed both the bunny and the guinea pig, and they sniffed back. I was watching carefully for signs of aggression - ears back 45 degrees, tails up. Zelda seemed excited but not aggressive. Her ears were up and pointing forward. After a short while she went about a foot from the cage and stretched fully out on the floor. I took this as a good sign. The piggy and other bunny seemed OK, grooming themselves and each other. I gave everyone banana pieces so they'd feed together.
Today has been a bit more complicated. Since they seemed good last night I took the bars off the top of the cage and left it in Zelda's pen. Bunny and Piggy stayed inside the plastic cage bottom for a long time. Zelda came to them often and they'd all sniff each other. Eventually she entered the cage bottom but just sniffed and stayed calm. Again, her ears were pointing forward and her tail was down. She sniffs the guinea pig, but mostly ignores him.
Finally Bunny climbed out of the cage bottom and began exploring the pen. Zelda followed him around. She was rubbing her chin on everything, which I think is a way to mark territory. Everything went well until Bunny wandered inside Zelda's cage. I couldn't see her very well (since she's black) but she seemed to chase him around. There was no growling or other sound, and her ears were still up. She cornered and humped him, then he shot out of the cage. She followed and chased him a but, but her ears were still up. She went into her cage and I closed the door.
I decided to leave her there and clean out the pen area to remove her scent. I removed toys, mopped the floor with dog/cat enzyme cleaner, and then scattered some of Bunny's poop around. I left a few boxes and a tunnel for hiding spots. I let Bunny and Piggy play on their own in the pen for a couple of hours.
I let Zelda back out. She started chasing Bunny around, with her ears forward again, no tail raised. They were not running as fast as they're capable of running. Both rabbits' ears were up, there was no growling, grunting etc. Zelda would rush up to Bunny, but then crouch in front of him and wait (I think asking to be groomed?).
He seems somewhat afraid of her, I don't blame him! But a few times he stood up to her when she rushed at him, and she'd just stop. I get the impression she's very excited and trying hard to make friends - but I could be wrong! Now when Zelda approaches him, he only runs away a few steps. She's not pestering him constantly anymore. Both have been feeding and grooming themselves. Bunny is now rubbing his chin on objects. Piggy stays in a corner litter box in the pen, but seems calm and goes to eat and drink.
So - I think things are going well, but I just want to make sure I'm not misinterpreting their behaviour and body language. I'd hate to do something that ruins their chance of bonding, or let them get injured in a fight. If necessary, I could move them to my bathroom if they must be in a neutral area.
One rabbit is a black dwarf spayed female, Zelda. She's about 2 years old according to the shelter I adopted her from. I've had her since December 2014. She's pretty laid back normally, she accepted my cats within hours after I got her. She lives in a large cube condo with attached pen (it can be detached if needed). I keep her cage door open so she can go in and out as she pleases.
I just adopted Rabbit #2 a couple of days ago from a student who couldn't keep him at her new dorm. His name (for the time being) is Bunny. He's tiny, about half of Zelda's size, and neutered. He's bonded with a guinea pig, they've lived together all their lives. They are 3 years old.
I know it's best to introduce them on neutral ground, but I'm in an apartment which doesn't have a lot of "ground". Also, Zelda responds poorly to being picked up or held. The shelter told me they think she may have been dropped and injured in the past.
They had their first contact last night. The new guys came with their cage, so I put the cage inside Zelda's pen but left it closed. I put a box inside the cage to give them a hiding place. Zelda went right to the cage and sniffed both the bunny and the guinea pig, and they sniffed back. I was watching carefully for signs of aggression - ears back 45 degrees, tails up. Zelda seemed excited but not aggressive. Her ears were up and pointing forward. After a short while she went about a foot from the cage and stretched fully out on the floor. I took this as a good sign. The piggy and other bunny seemed OK, grooming themselves and each other. I gave everyone banana pieces so they'd feed together.
Today has been a bit more complicated. Since they seemed good last night I took the bars off the top of the cage and left it in Zelda's pen. Bunny and Piggy stayed inside the plastic cage bottom for a long time. Zelda came to them often and they'd all sniff each other. Eventually she entered the cage bottom but just sniffed and stayed calm. Again, her ears were pointing forward and her tail was down. She sniffs the guinea pig, but mostly ignores him.
Finally Bunny climbed out of the cage bottom and began exploring the pen. Zelda followed him around. She was rubbing her chin on everything, which I think is a way to mark territory. Everything went well until Bunny wandered inside Zelda's cage. I couldn't see her very well (since she's black) but she seemed to chase him around. There was no growling or other sound, and her ears were still up. She cornered and humped him, then he shot out of the cage. She followed and chased him a but, but her ears were still up. She went into her cage and I closed the door.
I decided to leave her there and clean out the pen area to remove her scent. I removed toys, mopped the floor with dog/cat enzyme cleaner, and then scattered some of Bunny's poop around. I left a few boxes and a tunnel for hiding spots. I let Bunny and Piggy play on their own in the pen for a couple of hours.
I let Zelda back out. She started chasing Bunny around, with her ears forward again, no tail raised. They were not running as fast as they're capable of running. Both rabbits' ears were up, there was no growling, grunting etc. Zelda would rush up to Bunny, but then crouch in front of him and wait (I think asking to be groomed?).
He seems somewhat afraid of her, I don't blame him! But a few times he stood up to her when she rushed at him, and she'd just stop. I get the impression she's very excited and trying hard to make friends - but I could be wrong! Now when Zelda approaches him, he only runs away a few steps. She's not pestering him constantly anymore. Both have been feeding and grooming themselves. Bunny is now rubbing his chin on objects. Piggy stays in a corner litter box in the pen, but seems calm and goes to eat and drink.
So - I think things are going well, but I just want to make sure I'm not misinterpreting their behaviour and body language. I'd hate to do something that ruins their chance of bonding, or let them get injured in a fight. If necessary, I could move them to my bathroom if they must be in a neutral area.
