Bonding two males

[Runestonez]

We brought home two littermates Guffy and Finn. Both males...
Finn passed on us after 6 days due to mucoid enteropathy and Guffy was left on his own...he looked so lost.

We saw the breeder this weekend and she sent us home with another little male about 3 weeks younger than our Guffy boy. We figured even if they couldn't be housed together they might be able to play together at least.

We were very pleased to see how excited they were...we put their cages side by side and they were popcorning and shaking their ears...no aggression at all..so that was nice! (Guffy is 11 weeks and Darwin is 8 weeks old)

Well to say Guffy was excited wasn't far off the mark...Poor Darwin was scooting around trying to suss out his new play area and Guffy was like the energizer bunny! He just would not bugger off! Darwin just ignored him and kept walking around...we distracted Guffy with a couple of stuffed bunnies...but he REALLY likes Darwin! We were hoping to bond these two if possible...and they seem to really tolerate each other well...(we did seperate them after 20 minutes or so to play in seperate areas so Darwin could get away from the "Guffinator")

Has anyone bonded 2 males? Any tips would be appreciated...we have bonded bunns before but not male/male...we were letting Guffy hump as long as he was on the back and Darwin wasn't getting pissy about it...but Guffy just kept going and going...till we had to intervene! :shock:Good lord the boy has stamina! lol

Danielle

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

I've heard that that can be the hardest, besides two females. Here is a link from our Library that might help:

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12072&forum_id=17

Keep us posted! Best of luck to you all and bunnies!

 

[elrohwen]

I imagine that they will go through a rough patch as the hormores kick in and they get a little more territorial. You may get them to play together now, but I would hold off on housing them together until they are both neutered just in case they start fighting when you're not home.

 

[Runestonez]

Oh definately no housing together...

Guffy will be 12 weeks this weekend and he is a love machine! lol We have their houses pulled up to one another and Darwin likes to bunny-flop up against Guffy while they nap together...but let them out together and the humping begins!

I have pretty much resigned myself to waiting till they are neutered to begin bonding in ernest...

Danielle

 

[elrohwen]

Sounds like a good plan! I've actually heard of a pair of males that bonded instantly - a neutered one with a baby. The owner thought the baby was a girl and put her with the neutered boy before she was spayed to see if they would get along. They got along famously (even living together) and when the spay turned into a neuter, everyone was surprised. Sometimes two little boys are just meant to be buddies

 

[Runestonez]

After the one little buck died Guffy seemed to be at a total loss...they were littermates and had been together since the beginning...he really likes Darwin and isn't aggressive at all and Darwin puts up with him...but I don't want them to fight...rabbits have horribly long memories sometimes!

We may take them to our other bunn room tonight...it has6 rabbits in it that they have never seen and the scents/sounds might prove a good distraction for them...have to think on that though!

 

[nicolevins]

I bonded two females because George our buck sadly died, and Jenni was alone. We then bought Oreo(yes , i know weird for a girl!) as a new friend for Jenni. Oreo was so scared runing away from Jenni at 1st but I caged them in together supervising and after a few humping sessions from Jenni(!! -who used to be the submissive one, George was the dominant one) Jenni licked and licked Oreo for ages! It was really great.

I have Oreo 2 wks now and they get along great!! In time , yours buns will get along(well, should) fine!

-Nicole, Dublin, 13