New bunny

[Devi]

Well I decided to add to my bunny family, a new 8wk old male mini lop Faeber to go with my 1 yr old male lop loin head X BunBun. The first image is Faeber and the second is BunBun

I am currently starting the bonding process by simple visits and cage exchanges to get them use to each other, When I went to look at Faeber I took our current Bunny to have a bunny date and they got along nicely no aggression just lots of curious sniffs then indifference on the part of our current and Faeber he was fine with having a new bun around and took it as playtime as he was living with his brothers still at the time. I may get our oldest Neutered to help in this but I am reluctant as he is very mellow and shows no signs of territory issues. And Faeber is actually much the same so far he is a very mellow little fellow. Any tips on this very new bonding experience.

 

[bunnies4504]

What a pretty bunny!! Just make sure you gradually introduce the two, hold one, let them sniff eachother. Sniffing and smells are the key to introducing. They need to learn eachothers smell.
Hope your new bunny fits in well

 

[Devi]

So far he is, noise from the screaming 5 yr old and little fingers don't bother him thanks to the breeder as she took him and his siblings to kindergarten classes. We're right now letting them sniff each other and cage exchanges so they get use to each others scents and plan on doing more of the neutral pen meetings around June when Faeber is around 4 months so he'll be a comparable size to our older bunny cause right now he is tiny.

 

[whiskylollipop]

Neutering both before bonding is really the best thing to do. Things may be mellow now as they each have their own space and one is only a baby, but two mature males (or any gender really) are very very very likely to fight.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

definitely neuter first.

 

[Devi]

I do plan on Neutering them both. But we took Faeber to the vet today as he has had some tummy problems, which turned out to be minor and he needs some probiotics to help get his stomach bacteria going better as it seems he has some issues with his cecotropes being mushy.

 

[Devi]

I Swear I am Cursed, All my attempts for a second bun turn out badly. My new bun Faeber had actually attempted to attack my older bun BunBun, thankfully I had them in separate x-pens 5 inches apart close enough to sniff but not touch.

I had just put Faeber in the second x-pen for some exercise BunBun comes over to the side they shared (Again 5 inch separation) they both poke their noses out to sniff each other (bunbun had his ears forward, Faeber had his ears back) bunbun proceeded to run around and binky about six times before pausing to sniff at Faeber once more before flopping right up against the side they shared so he seemed really ok with Faeber as he seemed almost eager to play and cuddle, Faeber growled and lunged at Bunbun shortly after he flopped down against the side of the x-pen. This happened several times over the course of days BunBun seeming excited when Faeber got put in the second x-pen (we don't have room for both to be out at the same time full time.) Faeber not so much and would go after BunBun each time.

 

[whiskylollipop]

You're not cursed. It's completely normal for new bunnies to be aggressive to each other until they are bonded. I'm trying to bond my two buns and the new one is also very aggressive to the old one.

It's even worse if they aren't neutered. I'm sure once you get them both fixed, Faeber's aggression will be less intense and you can work on bonding them.

 

[Devi]

Well Faeber is several months from being old enough to be neutered. But I always thought the aggression was a hormone issue so knowing that of all things I figured my BunBun would be the aggressive territorial one but he never is. Also it's just surprising that a baby bun would be more aggressive then a one year old bun, especially given during their play dates before I purchased Faeber they got along very well and during those play dates their was nothing separating them.