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Experienced Bonding information required

Maltilda&twinks

Warren Scout
Hi,

I know there is loads of stuff on here reference bonding, but I really need some experienced advice about bonding my three back again. Since Matilda got ill and was inside the house for a day, Twinkle decided to take Co-Co for herself and chased Matilda everywhere on her return. they settled down and were even grooming each other but the next morning they had been fighting in the hutch :cry:. I separated them immediately and brought all three into the house separating twinkle and Matilda and putting Co-Co in with Matilda to reduce the bond that Twinkle had developed. Twinkle seemed to calm right back down again after a few days and yesterday I tried to get twinkle and Matilda back together again. Twinkle was up for it, but Matilda has not forgotton and attacked again. I separated them again immediately but now I am unsure how long or when they will be to get back together again. I just want it to go back to how it was..:cry:

PS Co-CO is a darling, he grooms each girl when he is with them and then just eats the food in each side of the dog cage.:love:

So my questions are - 1. Do you think I should remove Co-Co for now and put him back in the main hutch so that the girls can't get jealous of each other?
2. How long do you think before I try it again - do you think I should take them for a very long drive. My concern is now that the kitchen may not appear neutral to them as they have been there for a week??

Please help I am really struggling with my two beautiful girls who I love dearly and I just so want them to happy again with each other playing in the garden..
 
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I think you are going to have to start from scratch again,ie small neutral area,cleaning with vinegar,car rides in carriers etc:( Best of luck
 
Any bonding of animals requires the owner to treat the situation as if the bunnies have never met each other previously.

Start them off in a totally neutral territory which is about 5 foot x 2 foot. Keep them in this place for at least 48 hours then move them to their new home which if any one or more of them have been before must be thoroughly cleaned and desmelled. They should not have their space increased for at least 48 hours and then only slowly. When the area is increased it must be to an area where either none of them have previously been or which has been thoroughly cleaned with a dilute vinegar solution.
 
1. Do you think I should remove Co-Co for now and put him back in the main hutch so that the girls can't get jealous of each other?

Now you are mixing your buns you will confuse your buns as they will spell of other rabbits. By chopping and changing partners all you will achieve is to confuse and increase the risk of them fighting.

2. How long do you think before I try it again - do you think I should take them for a very long drive.

Do not start until you have at least 72 hours free where you haev no other committments. You can start them off with a drive.


3. My concern is now that the kitchen may not appear neutral to them as they have been there for a week??


Your kitchen currently is not neutral, you need to spend time in preparation work prior to bonding these by cleaning the kitchen thoroughly with a 50% water / vinegar solution.
 
I can lend you two 32" dog crates which you can borrow if you can find a way to attach together safely somehow (I don't think one of them would be big enough for 3 buns), that will give you a neutral territory indoors for a week or two so you can keep an eye on them.
 
Bathrooms are normally quite good for bonding as they are easy to get cleaned up and normally not a place any of them will have been. Do you lock them all in a hutch at night? It might be that the females have now got territorial and need a bit more space to call their own, they may need the option of a run (or if possible the whole garden if it is safe) with lots of boxes and things to hide under for shelter just to get away from each other.

It is unlikely that CoCo is the problem, females are naturally very territorial so it is the are not the man they are concerned about.

Hope they get along soon
 
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