How to bond two female bunnies?

[kokobunny12]

Hello,
This is a very serious concern for me. I have a Netherland dwarf bunny female named Koko, who is a little over a year old. My family has been planning on bringing a new bunny home so Koko could have a friend. But we haven't been able to do that because everyone was so busy. However, because of quarantine, everyone in my family is now home and now is the best time to bring a new bunny home so we can take care of her/him. We are planning on bringing an 8 week old female baby bunny, and we really hope that the two bunnies would bond, but we aren't sure how it would work.

We have considered getting Koko spayed before, because of various health benefits, but we didn't get a chance to do it yet. I know that spayed/neutered bunnies bond easier, but Koko isn't spayed, and of course the new baby would not be spayed either. Because of this quarantine it's not like we can immediately get Koko spayed at the vet either. I heard that female/male bonding is easier once they're neutered, and female-female harder to bond, regardless of spayed or not spayed. I'm not sure how accurate this information is.

In my situation, neither bunny is spayed yet, we can't get them spayed any time soon, but now is the best time to bring home a new bunny, but we aren't sure how to bond an adult bunny with a weaned baby bunny, who are both female and not spayed. Does anyone have advice on how to bond 2 female bunnies who are NOT SPAYED yet? Is it possible, especially in my situation? Is it better to bring a new bunny that's a boy instead? Would an adult female and young male bond easier?

Any suggestions are welcomed, thank you so much in advance!

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

Hello. Welcome to the forum!
Usually, it is recommended to bond a male and female rabbit pair. But because she isn’t spayed I would recommend it because you have kits after a month. I’m also not sure if baby bonds count. But this might be a different situation. I would see about getting another rabbit that is Koko’s age. If you get one from a shelter they would be spayed or neutered. But if you are sure about wanting a baby rabbit, I’d get a girl. Maybe @Blue eyes or @zuppa or someone else will have some advice on bonding them.

 

[kokobunny12]

Hello. Welcome to the forum!
Usually, it is recommended to bond a male and female rabbit pair. But because she isn’t spayed I would recommend it because you have kits after a month. I’m also not sure if baby bonds count. But this might be a different situation. I would see about getting another rabbit that is Koko’s age. If you get one from a shelter they would be spayed or neutered. But if you are sure about wanting a baby rabbit, I’d get a girl. Maybe @Blue eyes or @zuppa or someone else will have some advice on bonding them.

Thank you for your help! I'll definitely reach out to them

 

[zuppa]

Hello,
This is a very serious concern for me. I have a Netherland dwarf bunny female named Koko, who is a little over a year old. My family has been planning on bringing a new bunny home so Koko could have a friend. But we haven't been able to do that because everyone was so busy. However, because of quarantine, everyone in my family is now home and now is the best time to bring a new bunny home so we can take care of her/him. We are planning on bringing an 8 week old female baby bunny, and we really hope that the two bunnies would bond, but we aren't sure how it would work.

We have considered getting Koko spayed before, because of various health benefits, but we didn't get a chance to do it yet. I know that spayed/neutered bunnies bond easier, but Koko isn't spayed, and of course the new baby would not be spayed either. Because of this quarantine it's not like we can immediately get Koko spayed at the vet either. I heard that female/male bonding is easier once they're neutered, and female-female harder to bond, regardless of spayed or not spayed. I'm not sure how accurate this information is.

In my situation, neither bunny is spayed yet, we can't get them spayed any time soon, but now is the best time to bring home a new bunny, but we aren't sure how to bond an adult bunny with a weaned baby bunny, who are both female and not spayed. Does anyone have advice on how to bond 2 female bunnies who are NOT SPAYED yet? Is it possible, especially in my situation? Is it better to bring a new bunny that's a boy instead? Would an adult female and young male bond easier?

Any suggestions are welcomed, thank you so much in advance!

Hi, in your situation I wouldn't suggest getting 8 week baby.

If you get a baby boy you will need to separate them when he is 10-12 weeks as he can get her pregnant really quickly. So you will have to keep them separately until he can be neutered (when he's 4-6 months old) and after that 6-8 weeks more because he will still be hormonal and also fertile even after neutering. So you will only be happy 2-3 weeks and then will have to separate them for the next 5 months, after that you can try bonding them, there's no guarantee they will bond.

If you get an 8 week old girl it is possible that your Koko will accept her and they will have a good time together until your new girl will get hormonal at 4-5 months then they can start humping each other for dominance and even fighting, that will last until they are both fixed and after that wait 6 weeks so they calm down, then again you can try bonding, also no guarantee.
It is also possible that your Koko will not accept new young female, she can start acting very aggressive and territorial when you bring her home. She can hurt the baby and you, she can start digging her toilet, pee&poo everywhere marking territory, growl, thump and get very nervous and defensive.
Maybe you are lucky and they will get along from first day and will stay together without major fights, it happens as well. Maybe both are very calm or something, but majority two hormonal females would get territorial and discuss their dominance.

So in your case if you get 8 week baby you most likely get a trouble for the next 5-6 months until they are fixed/healed and bonded.

Also it is very unclear how long this quarantine will stay in China it took 4 months so it might be August or even longer, and spaying is not an emergency so no one can tell you when you will be able to spay your rabbits unfortunately.

In your situation I would try to get already neutered male from a rescue, 2+ months after neutering so you can bond them immediately. Even if your Koko is still intact there is good chance that she will bond with a male. Also maybe you can chat with them at a rescue maybe they do dating that's when you bring your rabbit and they do a few short sessions to see if they are showing good signs that they could be bonded. That is what I would recommend, google your local rescues, they have lots of already neutered rabbits, with all the photos and information on their website, and then contact them and explain your situation that you have an intact female and would like to find a company for her and would like to meet one or a few rabbits from their website.

 

[Blue eyes]

Totally agree with @zuppa. Babies are a risky way to go when trying to bond with another rabbit. With a baby you'll have the extra expense of fixing (could be hundreds$$) and then no guarantee they will bond afterwards. With a rescue rabbit, they will exchange if one rabbit refuses to bond.

(A rescue may first require that you spay your current girl.)

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

But because she isn’t spayed I would recommend it because you have kits after a month.

My genius self didn’t check this before I sent it. I meant wouldnt

 

[kokobunny12]

Hi, in your situation I wouldn't suggest getting 8 week baby.

If you get a baby boy you will need to separate them when he is 10-12 weeks as he can get her pregnant really quickly. So you will have to keep them separately until he can be neutered (when he's 4-6 months old) and after that 6-8 weeks more because he will still be hormonal and also fertile even after neutering. So you will only be happy 2-3 weeks and then will have to separate them for the next 5 months, after that you can try bonding them, there's no guarantee they will bond.

If you get an 8 week old girl it is possible that your Koko will accept her and they will have a good time together until your new girl will get hormonal at 4-5 months then they can start humping each other for dominance and even fighting, that will last until they are both fixed and after that wait 6 weeks so they calm down, then again you can try bonding, also no guarantee.
It is also possible that your Koko will not accept new young female, she can start acting very aggressive and territorial when you bring her home. She can hurt the baby and you, she can start digging her toilet, pee&poo everywhere marking territory, growl, thump and get very nervous and defensive.
Maybe you are lucky and they will get along from first day and will stay together without major fights, it happens as well. Maybe both are very calm or something, but majority two hormonal females would get territorial and discuss their dominance.

So in your case if you get 8 week baby you most likely get a trouble for the next 5-6 months until they are fixed/healed and bonded.

Also it is very unclear how long this quarantine will stay in China it took 4 months so it might be August or even longer, and spaying is not an emergency so no one can tell you when you will be able to spay your rabbits unfortunately.

In your situation I would try to get already neutered male from a rescue, 2+ months after neutering so you can bond them immediately. Even if your Koko is still intact there is good chance that she will bond with a male. Also maybe you can chat with them at a rescue maybe they do dating that's when you bring your rabbit and they do a few short sessions to see if they are showing good signs that they could be bonded. That is what I would recommend, google your local rescues, they have lots of already neutered rabbits, with all the photos and information on their website, and then contact them and explain your situation that you have an intact female and would like to find a company for her and would like to meet one or a few rabbits from their website.

Thank you so much for your response! This is gona help a lot!

 

[bunbunadri]

Hello,
This is a very serious concern for me. I have a Netherland dwarf bunny female named Koko, who is a little over a year old. My family has been planning on bringing a new bunny home so Koko could have a friend. But we haven't been able to do that because everyone was so busy. However, because of quarantine, everyone in my family is now home and now is the best time to bring a new bunny home so we can take care of her/him. We are planning on bringing an 8 week old female baby bunny, and we really hope that the two bunnies would bond, but we aren't sure how it would work.

We have considered getting Koko spayed before, because of various health benefits, but we didn't get a chance to do it yet. I know that spayed/neutered bunnies bond easier, but Koko isn't spayed, and of course the new baby would not be spayed either. Because of this quarantine it's not like we can immediately get Koko spayed at the vet either. I heard that female/male bonding is easier once they're neutered, and female-female harder to bond, regardless of spayed or not spayed. I'm not sure how accurate this information is.

In my situation, neither bunny is spayed yet, we can't get them spayed any time soon, but now is the best time to bring home a new bunny, but we aren't sure how to bond an adult bunny with a weaned baby bunny, who are both female and not spayed. Does anyone have advice on how to bond 2 female bunnies who are NOT SPAYED yet? Is it possible, especially in my situation? Is it better to bring a new bunny that's a boy instead? Would an adult female and young male bond easier?

Any suggestions are welcomed, thank you so much in advance!