trying to bond 2 neutered males PLEASE HELP!!

Hi all

I have attached some photos of yoshi and gizmo greeting each other through the hutch. I tried introducing them once before [when we thought gizmo was a female ] and they faught there was fur flying but no injurys luckly. However we would love them to be able to bonded and i know it can happen but i just wondered what people think by lookinbg at the photos... i have started doing this this week everyday. There is grunting sometimes but mostly just sniffing and ignoring. How long should i leave it before i try introducing properly if i should even bother? also as i have no where neuteral should i put them on there bunny leads for the introducion? Please help i am not worried if it can't be done i just think they could be such good freinds :roll: see photos attached.... any help would be appreiated :shock:

I'm sure you'll get quite a lot of feedback here. I haven't bonded
mine yet, but I've heard of putting them in the bathroom, or even
the tub for a bit. Good luck!

It MUST be neutral! You could scrub out a cage or hutch with white vinegar to neutralise it.

I had two boys that were bonded a few weeks back but we sadly lost one of them the other week.

I would say that your best to go ahead and try it rather than doing it through the bars. IMO the behaviour is different with bars between than when they are actually together.

You really need somewhere neutral to bond them. I wouldnt use "leads" as they shouldnt be used anyway on a rabbit, let alone whilst trying to bond. When i have bonded before i use a puppy pen. Could you try them in your bathroom? Once you start the bonding process the boys need to be left together. Obviously unless they fight. The normal behaviour, is chasing, humping, fur pulling.

How long since they were neutered? Sometimes it is neccessary to wait for there horomones to die down...

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Natsanth said:

I would say that your best to go ahead and try it rather than doing it through the bars. IMO the behaviour is different with bars between than when they are actually together.

You really need somewhere neutral to bond them. I wouldnt use "leads" as they shouldnt be used anyway on a rabbit, let alone whilst trying to bond. When i have bonded before i use a puppy pen. Could you try them in your bathroom? Once you start the bonding process the boys need to be left together. Obviously unless they fight. The normal behaviour, is chasing, humping, fur pulling.

How long since they were neutered? Sometimes it is neccessary to wait for there horomones to die down...

Click to expand...

I have heard about the bathroom before... but they come in there too as yoshi has had a mild case of snuffles due to being allergic to straw so he comes in the bathroom to be steamed :roll: I have bunny leads but never used them just an idea as for neutral that is where the problem is as they both have full run of the whole house and garden [they each go around chinning everything daily] As for the vinigar idea i am worried about doing it in the hutch as it isn't all that large.. [they are only in them to sleep]

You say fur pulling is normal... Well the last time we tried thats what we had loads of but because of lack of experience we panicked and seperated by intervining with garden gloves on...yoshi was hanging off the glove and didn't want to let go... it was very scary

oh forgot to add gizmo was neutered dec 08 and yoshi was done june 08

It all depends on the individual buns.

I have 2 adult, neutered males who bonded beautifully in only a couple of days. They're both very easygoing, placid boys which is why it was so easy.

I now have a 3rd boy that I am going to try to bond after he's been desexed, but I don't know how it will go - I'm pushing it to try but it's worth a shot. He too is a very sweet boy and has been out of his crate and sniffing the other's playpen with no problems so I'm cautiously hopeful.

They may get along, they may not. You won't know until you try. Wash the bathroom floor with vinegar and try them in there. Once you put them together you need to leave them together and only intervene if they are fighting - there'll be NO mistaking if this happens. If you have to ask yourself if they're fighting, they're not.

Give it a go, close supervision is very important so when you do it make sure you have at least 2 whole days clear as you need to be with them all the time.

Good luck!

thanks for the advice. I can't do the bathroom with vinigar as i have carpets throughout the house :roll::roll:

As for keeping them together what about at night??? I can't leave them unsupervized surely? also they live in a shed with windows outside where the photos where taken so can i put them back in there own hutches at night??

Obviously if they get on we are planning a huge conversion so they can play together and sleep together.

This bonding thing sounds so complicated not sure i am going to be able to do it alone. Jazzy B offered to help me as she lives local so may give her a message soon.

I would love to bond my boys but they are both territorial [noted due to all the chinning they both do!] how likely is it to work?? as i don't want to put them through unnessacary stress :?

Hi, I am hoping to rebond my (now neutered) brother and sister bunnies soon so I am watching all "Bonding" threads with interest.

If you don't have a neutral space perhaps you should consider finding someone with experience nearby who could help you by having your buns there for a couple of days for bonding. Meantime you can set about making your home more neutral for their return. Perhaps your local animal sancturary would help in return for a donation?

I assume that, if you have to do it at home and you have carpet, it would be best to use an area that they least frequent - if you are going to use a run or crate to bond in then could you put some lino or a pvc tablecloth under so that they are not on the carpet that smells familiar? I think I have read that you can alter the carpet smell by using bicarbonate of soda(?) or "shake & Vac" (please check this - I wouldn't want to poison any buns!)

And yes, you must not leave them unsupervised day or night, so choose somewhere you are happy to "sleep" I have cleverly left the living room (with its comfy sofa) neutral for this purpose!!

I wish you the best of luck.

A neutral area is a MUST.I also wouldnt separate them at night-you would only be breaking the bond.Have you got an indoor cage you could use? If you havent bonded before then I would probably ask for help from a rescue

So there horomones have settled.

You need to have a neutral area, it really is important. Do you have a friends house you could use?

Maybe use an indoor cage or buy a puppy pen as i mentioned? Take that around to a friends?

Last resort, put an ad out on here, plenty of people across country, am sure someone can help, somehow!

All i would stress is research into the usual behaviour whilst bonding. Put your own emotions aside and let them get on with it. Obviously supervise and intervene when you need too. Sometimes its a case of making a loud noise which makes them stop etc.