Bonding - seperating at night? And spaying!

I am hoping I will be getting my new female bunny at the weekend *fingers crossed*

Adrian has already been castrated and that was at Easter so a long enough period ago.

My plan is to introduce them in the pen in a neutral part of the garden where Adrian hasn't been and leave them in there together all day. (I have two water bottles, hayracks etc for each side) I am off College at min so can sit and watch!

But when it comes to night time I will be putting new bun in a different hutch and Adrian back into his own. When will I know they are able to go in together at night?

Obviously, Adrians hutch will be cleaned from top to bottom before the female ever goes in. What product would you recommend to get rid of his scent in it?

Also, I will be getting her spayed when old enough, what implications will her going to the vet have on their bond?

I am soooo excited about getting Adrian a friend but equally nervous about bonding

Thank you in advance and apologies for the essay!

Firstly I would wait until the doe is neutered before starting bonding.When bonding put them in a SMALL neutral area and DONT separate.Separating at night could break any newly formed bonds and confuse bunnies.Only separate if there is any actual fighting [not chasing or fur pulling which is normal].White vinegar is good for neutralising hutches.

The pen isn't too big, I can make it different sizes. How old does she need to be to get spayed?

Where should I let them sleep at night? I couldn't leave them in the pen overnight as it has no cover.

Have you got seperate accomodation you can keep the doe in?
I bonded Ghostie and Toffee when Ghostie was not spayed and would never recommend it. She was a moody so and so and it made it so stressful, not only for me but for poor Toffee too.
I'd deffinitely wait until 3 weeks after her spay.
They can be spayed at 5-6 months.

GBNI said:

The pen isn't too big, I can make it different sizes. How old does she need to be to get spayed?

Where should I let them sleep at night? I couldn't leave them in the pen overnight as it has no cover.

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Space is important when bonding - too cramped conditions can make buns feel very under threat with nowhere to run and put additional stress on a bonding session. I'd make the bonding pen as big as you like personally - normal size is fine, certainly big enough for you to either sit in there with them for the first few mins or be able to climb in if something goes wrong.
If a fight breaks out immediately you can't leave them in there all day together obviously, and will need to remove one and try again later or the next day.
It's tricky as it sounds like you are combining two bonding techniques - the fast one and the slow one. With the fast one - once you have put them together and left them together all day supervised then you shouldn't neccessarily separate them again. The separating bit is for the slower method where they live side by side for a few weeks and you do the bonding just a few mins a day then separate and build it up gradually. This is what we did, and so we didn't put ours together for a night until they had spent an entire day together, which was two weeks after we started, even though they never had any probs, we decided to follow the slow method, it's just personal choice. Bonding is stressful to the immune system so not rushing it was our choice with a stasis/bloat bun.
When you do put them together at night for the first time the hutch/pen/cage should be either thorougly cleaned and removed of all smell of the bun who was living in it alone and effectively be a neutral area, or use a new one, whatever you have planned. I'm guessing with the quick method if they have been together all day with no mishap then you just do this at night and don't separate.

*Spider* said:

Have you got seperate accomodation you can keep the doe in?
I bonded Ghostie and Toffee when Ghostie was not spayed and would never recommend it. She was a moody so and so and it made it so stressful, not only for me but for poor Toffee too.
I'd deffinitely wait until 3 weeks after her spay.
They can be spayed at 5-6 months.

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I agree with this - she really should be spayed first to avoid trouble bonding.

Yes, I have another hutch but it is quite small I would say it is a guinea pig hutch.

The doe isn't old enough to be spayed yet and won't be for another few months. I would feel bad leaving her in that hutch for that period of time. Also, I am only off during the day until September.

I had been researching bonding on internet, and was gonig with what one of the sites I read. Oh dear

GBNI said:

Yes, I have another hutch but it is quite small I would say it is a guinea pig hutch.

The doe isn't old enough to be spayed yet and won't be for another few months. I would feel bad leaving her in that hutch for that period of time. Also, I am only off during the day until September.

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Seriously, wait til she's spayed, there's no rush, they can get used to each other's smell in the home/garden over the next few months and this might help. I suggest you get a bigger hutch for her or a puppy pen if she's going to be indoors? and keep them separate until she's been spayed and had time to recover post-op. Why not book a day or two off work another time later in the year or plan it for a weekend and do the fast method. If you are really stuck for space and time then a good rescue will bond them for you.
http://www.bobtailsrescue.org.uk/care2.asp?newsID=14

Also http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=55913&highlight=nonsence
and http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/introductions.html
So you see, there is no 'set' way of doing it - but being neutered and using neutral territory is a must. Good luck

They will be living outdoors, where Adrian is. The hutch they will both live in eventually is 5ftx4ftx2ft (as in 2 levels so each level is 2ft tall)

Hutches over here all seem so dear so I can't really afford another one as I only work part time, I am in full time education.

I might contact local animal sanctuary and see if they can help.

GBNI said:

They will be living outdoors, where Adrian is. The hutch they will both live in eventually is 5ftx4ftx2ft (as in 2 levels so each level is 2ft tall)

Hutches over here all seem so dear so I can't really afford another one as I only work part time, I am in full time education.

I might contact local animal sanctuary and see if they can help.

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That might be a good idea Did you say you have a pen that you were going to use for bonding? Perhaps just for a few months she could live in that and exercise in the garden? Just an idea I hope everything works out

Yes, I have a pen she could use during the day and just go into the hutch at night?

GBNI said:

Yes, I have a pen she could use during the day and just go into the hutch at night?

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Can you bring the hutch inside and set the pen up around it so she can come and go as she pleases? She will also need additional running around time if possible in the garden if safe, or a room or two of your home. Buns need LOTS of space to run fast and jump and play

I can set it up int he garden to give her extra space and get netting to cover it (just prevent cats or an escape attempt!)

GBNI said:

I can set it up int he garden to give her extra space and get netting to cover it (just prevent cats or an escape attempt!)

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You'll need more than netting i'm afraid to keep foxes and other predators out! But it's a good idea.

To keep foxes out you'll need strong welded mesh or strong wire as a lid, and it will need to be either sunken into the ground, have a mesh skirt around the edge or paving slabs placed around the edge to stop a fox digging under - they really can dig.

Sorry should have stated, no foxes in our area and the netting type stuff is like solid? It's a mesh wire covered in a green plastic if that makes sense?

Ok, how about if until she is spayed and recovered I have her hutch and his side by side and their two pens beside each other (but not touching so no nose bites!) so they can 'meet' through the wire and be aware of each other until she is ready after her spay?

GBNI said:

Sorry should have stated, no foxes in our area and the netting type stuff is like solid? It's a mesh wire covered in a green plastic if that makes sense?

Ok, how about if until she is spayed and recovered I have her hutch and his side by side and their two pens beside each other (but not touching so no nose bites!) so they can 'meet' through the wire and be aware of each other until she is ready after her spay?

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As long as you are sure no foxes around?
I think this sounds fine - yes buns can bite noses through wire. How big is the pen? If her hutch is a guinea pig hutch it really isn't big enough for her to move around, so the bigger the pen the better. I would still advise extra free running time separately either in a bunny safe garden or bunny proofed home as buns really do need space to build muscle and bone properly.

Definite there are none
I shall ensure there are a few inches between the pens then.

The pen will be set up so one side is actually the wall of my garden, so 6ft long and about 4.5ft wide?


It was sold as a guinea pig or rabbit hutch, I just prefer bigger hutches for buns!

Thank you for answering all my questions, it been a great help I really appreciate it

ETS: do you tink the fact they will be living side by side for a few months will make the bonding easier?

GBNI said:

Definite there are none
I shall ensure there are a few inches between the pens then.

The pen will be set up so one side is actually the wall of my garden, so 6ft long and about 4.5ft wide?


It was sold as a guinea pig or rabbit hutch, I just prefer bigger hutches for buns!

Thank you for answering all my questions, it been a great help I really appreciate it

ETS: do you tink the fact they will be living side by side for a few months will make the bonding easier?

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Sounds good
It may do, but to be honest, the transition from unspayed to spayed can change things so much anyway, which is why people say don't bother bonding unspayed, not only do the hormones get in the way and females can be aggressive and territorial, but once neutered they change anyway and this in itself can break a bond so would need rebonding anyway. I think you have made the right decision - I hope it all works out for you and your buns :wave: