What do you need for bonding?

[Apollo’s Slave]

It’s official, I’m getting a second rabbit. I’m still looking for one but I’ve put an application out for one. I was planning on going to a shelter to bond them but my mum thought it’d be a better idea for me to do it , and get ‘the right experience’.

What would I need to bond them?

I’ve got an exercise pen that will go in a part of my house that none of the rabbits have been in. And I have a new litter box.

What else do I need? Like gloves?

Thank you in advance

 

[EllieBelle]

I'm so excited to hear you're going to get another bunny! From the research I've done it is quite a process. I would suggest watching videos on YouTube. Lennon the Bunny has some good bunny bonding videos, and also House Rabbit Society. Just from what I know, and I'm not an expert (I am soon to start the process myself as I am picking up Ellie's sibling on Friday) you will need two separate spaces for them, both of them being neutral where they will not have their smells all over. Someone suggested that if you plan to bond in your current rabbits room, to clean EVERYTHING with a white vinegar mix to get rid of all of Apollo's smells, that way he doesn't feel so inclined to get territorial toward the new bun. You will need a litter box for the new bun which I would also add hay to (spare yourself the trouble of investing in another hay rack), gloves in case a fight breaks out... I've also seen people use dust pans to essentially act as a divider if the buns start getting too frisky but gloves will keep your hands protected just in case (better to have it and not need it than vice versa).... new toys for the new rabbit, again so he can establish his own scent and so Apollo doesn't feel the urge to become aggressive over the new bun using "HIS" toys... I'm trying to think if I'm missing anything.... you can check out my threads, I did post my bunny bonding plan on there if you want to take a look. I wanted to share it on here and I got great feedback so I would suggest you do the same. Watch some videos, take notes and figure out what you think would work best for you and Apollo, and then post it on here for advice! Good luck cannot wait to hear about the process ♡

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

Thank you! I’m totally dreading this but it’ll be for the best
Spraying everything sounds like a task, but I’d assume that I have to do it anyway, once I move them back into my room.

So I need:
Gloves (id assume gent abound be heavy duty)
Dustpan
Some new toys
litterbox

I’ll definitely check out some websites and your thread!

 

[TheBuns]

Yay!!
I’m happy for you and Apollo. I would also suggest wiping down room with white vinegar. That’s what I did but they aren’t bonded yet. Don’t have much advice but good luck!

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

Yay!!
I’m happy for you and Apollo. I would also suggest wiping down room with white vinegar. That’s what I did but they aren’t bonded yet. Don’t have much advice but good luck!

Thanks! I’ll definitely wipe the room down.

 

[EllieBelle]

Thank you! I’m totally dreading this but it’ll be for the best
Spraying everything sounds like a task, but I’d assume that I have to do it anyway, once I move them back into my room.

So I need:
Gloves (id assume gent abound be heavy duty)
Dustpan
Some new toys
litterbox

I’ll definitely check out some websites and your thread!

It certainly will not be an easy feat but should be well worth it. Apollo seems so well cared for and loved, I have zero doubt that you will make it work!

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

Gloves (id assume gent abound be heavy duty)

This sentence makes no sense
I meant (I’d assume they’d have to be heavy duty)

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

It certainly will not be an easy feat but should be well worth it. Apollo seems so well cared for and loved, I have zero doubt that you will make it work!

Thank you! I’m definitely trying to. Good luck to you too! With your bunnies!

 

[EllieBelle]

This sentence makes no sense
I meant (I’d assume they’d have to be heavy duty)

LOL YES! you definitely want heavy duty gloves! There is a video from Lennon the Bunny where the owner Lorelai discussed a situation where Lennon attacked her. As far as I can tell from watching the channel , Lennon is SUCH A SWEET GIRL. but it doesn't seem to matter how sweet we think they are, if they smell another rabbit and are not properly introduced, aggressive behaviors will happen. Apparently Lorelai had been volunteering at a local rabbit rescue and went home to Lennon. Lennon immediately lunged at her and bit her. When she tried to get away from her, Lennon would aggressively beat on the door as if she was trying to tear it down! Can you imagine??! UGH. Which now that I'm talking about it, after watching that video I decided I should wear different clothes while handling them. To avoid any of that aggressive behavior from Ellie. I plan to pick up the new bun (Remi) - get him all situated in his own room, then I will have to shower and really scrub, throw on some old clothes that smell like me, before I even think about trying to handle Ellie. I doubt she would react to the point where she would lunge and jump at me but I honestly have no idea. That would be the worst case scenerio. Best case would be I just piss her off but I don't want to do that either as I've worked really hard to build up trust with her. Only time and patience will tell!

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

Yeah, I watched that video actually. That must've been horrible. My first rabbit was cage aggressive and the bites that I would get was terrible! Wearing a different outfit would probably be good. I’ll definitely be following along as you bond your bunnies

 

[EllieBelle]

Thank you! I’m definitely trying to. Good luck to you too! With your bunnies!

Thank you!! I've been thinking about bonding her for 3 years now and I feel like we are both finally up to the challenge !

 

[EllieBelle]

Yeah, I watched that video actually. That must've been horrible. My first rabbit was cage aggressive and the bites that I would get was terrible! Wearing a different outfit would probably be good. I’ll definitely be following along as you bond your bunnies

Yeah it can really hurt! and thank you! Same I love your IG page ♡♡

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

Yeah it can really hurt! and thank you! Same I love your IG page ♡♡

Thank you!

 

[Blue eyes]

What would I need to bond them?

I’ve got an exercise pen that will go in a part of my house that none of the rabbits have been in. And I have a new litter box.

What else do I need? Like gloves?

Thank you in advance

What is your plan with the exercise pen in the neutral room? Are you planning on trying the immersion method where they both go in the pen together and stay there until bonded? If so, then the set up will be different than if you do the gradual process.

With the gradual process (if you are doing that) were you going to reserve the pen for their bonding sessions and house the new bun elsewhere in the meantime?

Just trying to get an idea of your game plan since that determines what you might need.

Lennon the Bunny has some good bunny bonding videos,

I did a search on her site, but didn't see any bonding videos. I saw some on human to rabbit bonding, but not bonding a pair of rabbits. Please link if you know of her bonding videos. I'd be curious to see. Some of her videos I really don't like anyway. As I've mentioned before, I believe she has only ever had the one rabbit and is extrapolating from her experiences with the one rabbit. Anyone who has had many rabbits knows how varied experiences can be.

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

What is your plan with the exercise pen in the neutral room? Are you planning on trying the immersion method where they both go in the pen together and stay there until bonded? If so, then the set up will be different than if you do the gradual process.

With the gradual process (if you are doing that) were you going to reserve the pen for their bonding sessions and house the new bun elsewhere in the meantime?

Just trying to get an idea of your game plan since that determines what you might need.

I’ve been researching both methods and I was thinking of doing the immersion method, but I thought that it might be cruel.

 

[Blue eyes]

You can always do some side-by-side pens for awhile before starting the immersion method. In that case you'd need a couple pens (and possibly another room).

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

You can always do some side-by-side pens for awhile before starting the immersion method. In that case you'd need a couple pens (and possibly another room).

Ah okay. I could probably borrow the pen that we got for our puppy rather than buying a second pen. And we have another ‘room’ that I can use. How long would awhile be? Supposedly the immersion method would take about a week, maybe a little bit more, according to what I’ve seen online. So if I put them in side by side pens for two weeks, is that enough time?

 

[Blue eyes]

I would say a minimum of 2 weeks in the side-by-side pens in the 'other' neutral territory. You will probably be the best one to make that determination as you observe them over the 2 weeks.

The immersion method time can vary wildly. I would be reading over the following link (again and again -- that's me, anyway):
https://cottontails-rescue.org.uk/information/bonding-bunnies/You'll want to be ultra sure they are bonded well in that secondary neutral space before moving them into her old territory.

Since @EllieBelle is also about to start bonding, just wanted to mention that the two of you may have similar or may have polar opposite experiences with bonding. It really can be so incredibly different per rabbit and per bond. All the best laid plans may not prevent two rabbits from refusing to bond. So neither of you should feel like you're doing something wrong if things don't go as smoothly as it may with the other.

I've had the experience where 2 rabbits were instantly bonded the first day with no effort on my part. I've also had some that refused to bond (and some in between). So one never knows until everything is in process.

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

Thank you. I think I’ll do just over two weeks side by side pens and then the immersion method. I actually read through that link twice after finding it on your website a few weeks ago. I think it was that link.
Properly bonded would be when they go a few days without fighting?

I have a feeling Apollo is going to give me a hell of a time during this process so I’m not really expecting it to go smoothly. I so hope I didn’t just jinx it

Thank you! I’ll probably be posting a lot more about this once I actually get the rabbit, so don’t get annoyed with me, please! I’m just trying to cram as much information as I can into my brain. Because I have no idea when I’m getting this rabbit, it could be this week or in two months

 

[EllieBelle]

What is your plan with the exercise pen in the neutral room? Are you planning on trying the immersion method where they both go in the pen together and stay there until bonded? If so, then the set up will be different than if you do the gradual process.

With the gradual process (if you are doing that) were you going to reserve the pen for their bonding sessions and house the new bun elsewhere in the meantime?

Just trying to get an idea of your game plan since that determines what you might need.


I did a search on her site, but didn't see any bonding videos. I saw some on human to rabbit bonding, but not bonding a pair of rabbits. Please link if you know of her bonding videos. I'd be curious to see. Some of her videos I really don't like anyway. As I've mentioned before, I believe she has only ever had the one rabbit and is extrapolating from her experiences with the one rabbit. Anyone who has had many rabbits knows how varied experiences can be.

You are correct. I must have had my videos confused!