Bonding rabbits?

[rupertismygod]

I plan on adopting two rabbits from the spca (rescue center). Probably two babies/young bunnies, one male & one female. Both will be neuteured & spayed, hence I don't plan on breeding.

My question goes out to the experts around here. Is itdifficult to bond two young rabbits? What should I expect?

However, I do plan on making them their own seperate pens. Eventually, when/if they become comfortable with each other, could they live in one giant pen together?

 

[Yield]

Well from what I've experienced, bonding isn't TOO hard, depending on the rabbits.

Spaying and neutering is good.. XD I didn't bond mybuns until Sabriel was almost hormone-free... now that I have, they're inseperable.

Okay, I'm no expert.. Solara and Sabriel were my first two buns, and my first bond. I started out with their cages and pens close together, but something between each (but still so they could see each other and such) so they couldn't nip at each other JUST in case.

After a couple of weeks like that (I noticed they were getting closer, trying to lie next to each other through their pens), and switching food bowls (they also say switching litter boxes or cages/pens every day is good too but I didn't do that).. I started the bonding.

They suggest try during a car ride because stressing the buns are good.. they'll look to each other for comfort.. but that was too hectic for me.

I took to putting the buns in the bathtub.. it's slippery and too hard to get a grip, so it deters fighting. For the beginning, I ran the vaccuum cleaner outside the bathroom door, to stress them like a car ride would. It worked pretty well, they were cuddling and grooming the first day..

They will hump for dominance..(they say to let them hump the backside for a few seconds, but not too long, lest the lesser bun gets pissed, lol. doNOT let a boyhump a girls face! (sabriel did that a lotto solara) because it could result in the girl biting the boy's penis off, which calls for expensive surgery.. i dunno if it's dangerous to have the girl hump the boy's face.. but i'd recommend not allowing it)though not once did my girl, Solara, hump my boy, Sabriel during the bonding sessions.. (most people say to have a spray bottle to spray a bun if they start showing aggressive behavior.. easiest way to tell is if their tail is up, looking like it's glued to their back.. they also say to wear gloves, just in case you need to seperate a fight.. a fight could be fatal to the buns, and dangerous)

I eventually moved them from the bathtub, to the tile floor, and then I progressed in letting them play in Solara's pen (with her cage closed!).. that progressed to the cage door opening, and then we combined the pens.. It took about two weeks to get to this stage..

Do NOT end a bonding session on a bad note. Start out like, 5-10 minutes one day, 10-15 the next.. slowly progress in time

But when we tried to have them sleep together, they chased each other the whole night in the cage, and in the morning, Solara humped Sabriel. So we had them sleep in seperate cages for a while, but close enough so they could touch through the bars.. they now sleep together.

Humping will subside after a while.. Sabriel dows hump Solara every once and a while to reassert his dominance.. sometimes they pull whiskers from the lesser bun. and sometimes thegirl will be dominant. all a luck of the draw.

 

[kirbyultra]

That's really good info, Bailee!

Here's an article on bonding bunnies in our library: http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12072&forum_id=17

I would also stress the importance of waiting until their pair's hormone-free before attempting to bond them. Males and females may still be quite hormonal for 4-6 weeks after their spay/neuter surgery. Hormonal behavior could be damaging to any bonding you want to encourage between them, especially early on when they are just forming their first impressions of each other. Patience is key!

 

[Luluznewz]

If you plan on adopting rabbits you could adopt an already bonded pair. That would mean you didnt have to do the bonding yourself.

If you dont want to do that, or dont find the right buns I would pick one rabbit then try to find a friend for it at the shelter. If the rabbits like each other from the start (or at least dont specifically dislike each other)the bonding process will go more smoothly. The shelter can help you with "bunny dates".

My first rabbit Lulu was sorta a challenging rabbit. She would bite all the other rabbits. We found a rabbit at the shelter that she only bit a little.

It wasn't ideal, but it was the best we could do. After spending a bunch of time in a small ex-pen the rabbits eventually could be trusted not to fight. I and a squirt bottle and towel ready to separate them if I had to. Eventually they just became friends.

The reason I told this story was just to say that even if its not love at first sight, or easy right away, with a little time they will work it out.

You dont have to wait weeks with their pens right next to each other. I started the first day I brought them home and they were fine together in two weeks.

 

[Flash Gordon]

ive heard its easier to bond 2 new buns cuz there is no territory settled yet...they are both new to the house and scared so they turn to each other for safety and comfort......but what do i know im a flop at bonding...