Is it worth it?

I am looking for a bit of reassurance, if anyone can give it to me, or perhaps a general opinion poll, as to whether bonding rabbits is definitely worth it!

Unfortunately Starbuck and Fay had one bad fight, where she pulled LOADS of his fur out and he has managed to give some very bad bites to her ears.

This was a couple of days ago and luckily now things are calmer (touch wood and let this be the end of it).

But after an innocent comment by the vet today, I felt guilty for pursuing bonding between these two and whether the wounds and the stress is worth it, for the avoidance of loneliness, company, hopefully love, comfort, grooming etc that they get from being with another rabbit.

Views please!!

PS The ear wounds werent the primary reason for the vet visit (though I did get him to check them).

I know I am in the minority on here but personally I would not persue a bond between Rabbits who have fought badly enough to draw blood.

I will read this with interest as I wonder the same thing..

Mine live quite happily indoors so have lots of interaction and live next door to each other so can lick and smell each other through the wire. I know it will be totally a different story when i try and bond them and do wonder whether it is worth it..

I also think after all this stress, then one dies (obviously years later) i wonder whether it leads to more heartache by the bun left

I guess you cant force 2 buns to get on?? if they do straightaway then thats great

I agree with Jane. Bonding is worth it if there is no injury. Merlin and Wesley and Kassy and Frankie are really happy so it is definitely worth it. Wesley and Merlin are inseparable.

I do think that Bunnies are happy with a friend of their own kind but I also think that they should not be forced to accept a Bun that they just dont like.

I am affraid I personally dont agree with some of the more harsh bonding techniques and would not allow anyBun in my care to go through such an ordeal.
But that is just my personal opinion for MY Rabbits

I think perhaps one has a more nervous personality than the other and so is a bit more defensive. Which doesnt help when the other is more dominant.

When they first met (before I had adopted the other) they seemed absolutely fine with each other. Ignoring each other and grooming themselves.

It was one fight that broke out very suddenly and very quickly. We intervened as quick as we could. But there is an ear wound. She didnt even seem to have minded as she was grooming him 10 minutes later and he was still the one on the defensive again.

They have lovely moments again but I just hope it is worth it in the long run.

I have been getting advice from an experienced bonder but I also feel very guilty and responsible.

I tried to bond my two but sadly ended up in a vet visit and my little girlie having to be stapled wont be trying again, they seem happy enough with the cuddles they get from us

I have absolutely no experience in bonding rabbits, or much with rabbits in general, but maybe if it was a one off fight then it could be worth trying again, and if there is any more fights then definately separate them?

I'm only saying this because my two bunnies had one nasty fight which involved one of them biting the end of the ear off the other, but it was a complete one off, they never fought again for several months, until one came back from being at the vets for a while, and there was a bit of fur pulling but that was it, nothing too serious, and it ended there.

I am sorry.

I was looking for reassurance but now I just feel worse.

At the moment all is calm and well and they are flumped out.

I really hope they have sorted out their differences and no more is to come. And I hope they are soon bestest friends.

I just dont think it is that they took a dislike - if anything I think Starbuck liked her a bit too much :lol: - but I think they just werent used to being with another bunny and didnt have know the boundaries and wound each other up etc.

So I hope its more just a case of getting used to sharing attention and space.

If they dont they dont, but I hope they do.

xEmily said:

I have absolutely no experience in bonding rabbits, or much with rabbits in general, but maybe if it was a one off fight then it could be worth trying again, and if there is any more fights then definately separate them?

I'm only saying this because my two bunnies had one nasty fight which involved one of them biting the end of the ear off the other, but it was a complete one off, they never fought again for several months, until one came back from being at the vets for a while, and there was a bit of fur pulling but that was it, nothing too serious, and it ended there.

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Actually that is really reassuring, and not too dissimilar from another story I heard.

I am sorry for your buns at the time, but I am glad they are happy now. Did you get someone else to do the bonding for you, or were they already bonded when you got them?

Helen

I had considered trying again but this is the second attempt at bonding them so i think i will leave it as they seem happy enough with all the cuddles they get from us

It's really difficult to tell why the fights are suddenly breaking out if they've been getting on well previously. It might be something in the environment setting them off (such as fighting over a food bowl or litter tray) or it might be that you're getting too 'involved' and picking them up or stroking them and getting your scent on them.

Do you have any pics of the couple and the cage/pen you're bonding them in?

Jack's-Jane said:

I know I am in the minority on here but personally I would not persue a bond between Rabbits who have fought badly enough to draw blood.

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Jane I totally agree!!,as humans we dont like everyone we meet, so why should our buns? maybe some friendships are just not meant to be.

I personally would try again. Cherry Charlie was a difficult bond, as I bonded them too early after her spay and her hormones played a huge part. I did keep trying (3 or 4 time), but Cherry would always got for Charlie's bits.

In the end I decided to do some soft bonding and put them in the shed side by side. I went in a few hours later and Cherry was on Charlie's side snuggled up.

I would completely seperate them, so they can't see or smell each other, then try in a few weeks time when they have forgotten each other. Try a dab of essentail oil that smells strongly and is rabbit safe,I have heard of people using vanilla, or lavander, before putting them together.

helgalush said:

Actually that is really reassuring, and not too dissimilar from another story I heard.

I am sorry for your buns at the time, but I am glad they are happy now. Did you get someone else to do the bonding for you, or were they already bonded when you got them?

Helen

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Well we got them as sisters, so they were already bonded, they just had a bit of a scrap when they reached the time they needed to be spayed! But they were definately loved up, they just spent all day lying on top of each other and licking each other, lazy things! Actually one of them had to be put to sleep a few weeks ago, so we are in the process of getting things sorted to adopt another bun from a rescue, so I'm sure I will be posting on here with lots of bonding questions soon!

The fight was two nights ago and we havent separated them. There has been no fighting since.

And I am taking the advice of someone I trust.

I still cant help but feel guilty and responsible. But I have a deep down feeling that they will become firm friends and look after each other. There are already a lot of benefits.

For instance, Starbuck had weeping eyes and when they were separate we were bathing them for him. But the fur was getting matted and it wasnt nice for him. But since they have been together she has kept his eyes wonderfully clean and his eyes are so bright.

I think it is just working out how to live with another bunny, share space and be a considerate bunny (?) whereas before they just had themselves to think about.

I had two dwarf sisters who got along very well. We had them neutered but one got an infection so we had to take great care of her indoors for 6 weeks. Thankfully Daisy recovered. Her sister the normally meek Candy had been left outside with a slightly younger but neutered boy Pepsi. When we tried to reintroduce the sisters all hell broke loose. They fought like mad. Car rides, neutral territory etc just didn't work. If they didn't bond we would have had to get rid of one of them which for me was a non starter as we loved them both so much. Eventually I spent a whole easter period shooting them with a large water pistol every time they fought. Eventually Candy started running away so Daisy got more of a soaking. The neighbours thought I was mad. The bunnies probably weren't too keen on me either but on day 3 they eventually stopped fighting & chasing. Not conventional I admit but it worked for us. The girls never seemed as close as they had been before but they got along.

Sadly our 3 rabbits became victims of a fox attack 6 months later. We were devastated. But the love of these critters is infectious and we've 3 more now. 2 girls and a boy again all neutured & getting along very well. The garden wouldn't be the same without them. I think you all know what I mean.

Good luck with your bonding. Definitley worth it for us in the end but maybe our buns weren't as aggresive as yours

xEmily said:

Well we got them as sisters, so they were already bonded, they just had a bit of a scrap when they reached the time they needed to be spayed! But they were definately loved up, they just spent all day lying on top of each other and licking each other, lazy things! Actually one of them had to be put to sleep a few weeks ago, so we are in the process of getting things sorted to adopt another bun from a rescue, so I'm sure I will be posting on here with lots of bonding questions soon!

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Oh I am so sorry about your bunny. They sound like they were very happy together. We have two sisters as well and their bond is lovely to see.

I am not expecting the same bond between these two but if they can get on and not fight that would be great.

I hope that all goes well with getting another bunny. There are lots of people on here who can give great advice.

We were very lucky.Molly was a very laid back bunny no grunting just the odd bit of bowl throwing.She is very freindly and loves cuddles and grooming us.I was a bit worried when we got Joker an abandoned stray found wandering the streets and very opposite to Molly.Thought it might take a while and Molly might get jealous but only took a few days and they got on great.Always looking out for each other and snuggling up all the time.Maybe we were lucky .I suppose they are like us and would we want to live with someone we dont get on with.Best of luck.