Bonding my rabbits

[Eve84]

I think i will get them both neutered, and wait for a month before i bond them. But, that mean i will have to keep my new one in an indoor cage, which i don't know if that's the best option for it. I don't really know whos advice would be the best for me and my bunnies, but i think i'll just wait until they are both neutered and ready to be bonded, then try and bond them!

I know I’m a little different but I also read so much the last month and got so much knowledge that I think I know what I’m talking about.

I’m also against spaying females. It is a huge operation where they cut the whole body open and it comes with several risk and side effects which you can avoid with just getting your female rabbits checked 1-2 a year at a vet for uterus abnormalities.

 

[Diane R]

You can neuter males early with 10-14 weeks) where the hormones did not kick in yet. It has several good reasons, firstly you won’t need to keep them separate at any time, apart from the operation time.
And secondly when the hormones never have kicked in the males won’t spray with Urin which some do even though they got neutered.

If you have two baby bunnies, siblings, you can indeed keep them together IF you neuter both ASAP. This is not the situation the OP is in though.

 

[Eve84]

If you have two baby bunnies, siblings, you can indeed keep them together IF you neuter both ASAP. This is not the situation the OP is in though.

Even if it isn’t two siblings you can still keep them together.

Why do you think it makes a big difference if it’s two siblings or two rabbits?

 

[Diane R]

I know I’m a little different but I also read so much the last month and got so much knowledge that I think I know what I’m talking about.

I’m also against spaying females. It is a huge operation where they cut the whole body open and it comes with several risk and side effects which you can avoid with just getting your female rabbits checked 1-2 a year at a vet for uterus abnormalities.

IF you go to a good rabbit vet the risk is minimal and there are no side effects. Again, all rabbit experts recommend neutering: Neutering – Castration and Spaying It is not possible to check for uterus cancer without ultrasound, etc. And by the time you find out there is cancer it is often too late as it metastasises to lungs, etc.

 

[Diane R]

Even if it isn’t two siblings you can still keep them together.

Why do you think it makes a big difference if it’s two siblings or two rabbits?

The usual situation when people have baby bunnies is that they have bunnies from the same litter who have been together since birth. Then there is a dilemma about separating. If you have bunnies from different litters, just don't put them together before they are neutered.

 

[Mac189]

Hi,
I would not wait to bond them! If they smell the other rabbit without getting to it they become upset about it because they want to clarify they hierarchy/ rank who’s becoming the boss and it will increase every day. So you might not be able to bond them later anymore.
I would give the new one a day of rest and get them together the next day.

The age difference is not a problem I recently bonded 3 - 6 month old and a 6 week old.

Important is let them clarify the rank and don’t separate them at any time even if they fight and hunt and if they lose a little fur.

If they start biting and hurting each other seriously the bonding was not successful and you have to separate them but never go between them with bare hands!

If they start eating together, grooming each other etc the bonding was successful.

Two girls are normally not a good bond as i mentioned before, do you have a chance to house a third rabbit and get a neutered boy?
Good luck

I would definitely be careful with bonding young rabbits to older rabbits... I know it can work, and I had it work for a time, but the younger rabbit is a big unknown... We had a "bonded" father-son duo (back when I was newer to rabbits... I would never try it again or have two males at once again) who got along wonderfully until the son was about a year old. Then the dynamic changed violently.

Everyone was okay, but overnight Neal (the son) decided he didn't like sharing territory, and Jethro (the dad) had what must have been a long night. He had a notched ear, a cut on his undercarriage, and was exhausted. They shared a 10x10 ft run, and despite all the space, it was a fiasco. The fact that Jethro was in such a situation is a huge regret of mine, and I still feel terrible (many years later). It's my biggest bonding horror story.

Jethro healed fine, but that notched ear served as a reminder. They lived separately for the rest of their lives and would even chase each other on the otherwise of the bars. Until all of your rabbits are about a year old (and perhaps even more) the dynamics can change. The unspayed does, which can be equally brutal as bucks will add even more complications to the mix. Spaying the does would be a really good idea to prevent your own disaster. do be careful and stay alert!

 

[Ashbun]

If you have two baby bunnies, siblings, you can indeed keep them together IF you neuter both ASAP. This is not the situation the OP is in though.

i actually didn't say this before, but Cinamon did have a sister, and we bought them at eleven weeks. Cinamon and her sister (africa) lived together and neither of them were neutered. They was no problems we noticed. I'm not saying that they shouldn't be neutered though.

Also the reason we bought the new rabbit was because Cinamon seemed lonely

 

[Eve84]

I would definitely be careful with bonding young rabbits to older rabbits... I know it can work, and I had it work for a time, but the younger rabbit is a big unknown... We had a "bonded" father-son duo (back when I was newer to rabbits... I would never try it again or have two males at once again) who got along wonderfully until the son was about a year old. Then the dynamic changed violently.

Everyone was okay, but overnight Neal (the son) decided he didn't like sharing territory, and Jethro (the dad) had what must have been a long night. He had a notched ear, a cut on his undercarriage, and was exhausted. They shared a 10x10 ft run, and despite all the space, it was a fiasco. The fact that Jethro was in such a situation is a huge regret of mine, and I still feel terrible (many years later). It's my biggest bonding horror story.

Jethro healed fine, but that notched ear served as a reminder. They lived separately for the rest of their lives and would even chase each other on the otherwise of the bars. Until all of your rabbits are about a year old (and perhaps even more) the dynamics can change. The unspayed does, which can be equally brutal as bucks will add even more complications to the mix. Spaying the does would be a really good idea to prevent your own disaster. do be careful and stay alert!

I’m sorry for your experience :0( were your males neutered?

 

[Mac189]

I’m sorry for your experience :0( were your males neutered?

The younger was not, but I've had friends who have had similar experiences with females and neutered bucks... I've also seen stuff go well, although rabbits are finicky

 

[EllieBelle]

You can neuter males early with 10-14 weeks) where the hormones did not kick in yet. It has several good reasons, firstly you won’t need to keep them separate at any time, apart from the operation time.
And secondly when the hormones never have kicked in the males won’t spray with Urin which some do even though they got neutered.

You will have to keep them away from each other 8 weeks after they're spayed. Otherwise, if there are fights, one rabbit can severely hurt the other and damage the stitched area.

 

[EllieBelle]

I would definitely be careful with bonding young rabbits to older rabbits... I know it can work, and I had it work for a time, but the younger rabbit is a big unknown... We had a "bonded" father-son duo (back when I was newer to rabbits... I would never try it again or have two males at once again) who got along wonderfully until the son was about a year old. Then the dynamic changed violently.

Everyone was okay, but overnight Neal (the son) decided he didn't like sharing territory, and Jethro (the dad) had what must have been a long night. He had a notched ear, a cut on his undercarriage, and was exhausted. They shared a 10x10 ft run, and despite all the space, it was a fiasco. The fact that Jethro was in such a situation is a huge regret of mine, and I still feel terrible (many years later). It's my biggest bonding horror story.

Jethro healed fine, but that notched ear served as a reminder. They lived separately for the rest of their lives and would even chase each other on the otherwise of the bars. Until all of your rabbits are about a year old (and perhaps even more) the dynamics can change. The unspayed does, which can be equally brutal as bucks will add even more complications to the mix. Spaying the does would be a really good idea to prevent your own disaster. do be careful and stay alert!

Aww. I'm sorry that happened. I can't even imagine but it obviously wasn't your fault and was unexpected at the time. Thank you for sharing your experience and educating us all a bit more

 

[Eve84]

You will have to keep them away from each other 8 weeks after they're spayed. Otherwise, if there are fights, one rabbit can severely hurt the other and damage the stitched area.

No you don’t when you neuter them early

 

[EllieBelle]

No you don’t when you neuter them early

rabbits and all species require time to heal, regardless of age.

 

[Cgrandin34]

Once they eat, sleep, lie next to each other or groom each other - bonding was successful.

Good luck
[/QUOTE]

I have a question about this. I am in the process of bonding two neutered males and they sleep, eat, lie and groom one another (albeit one more than the other) and they still had a fight, after 6 days of harmony. When would I consider them bonded then?

 

[Mariam+Theo]

I have a question about this. I am in the process of bonding two neutered males and they sleep, eat, lie and groom one another (albeit one more than the other) and they still had a fight, after 6 days of harmony. When would I consider them bonded then?

I would already consider them bonded because many rabbits take a while to settle their differences, even after they are completely bonded. It is sort of like humans because when two people are married they love each other, but they will still fight sometimes.