Does swapping cages really help?

I was wondering about trying this with my two to see if it helps them get on. He's fine. But she's not taking him on...

Would putting them into each others cages work? What is the point? So they get used to each others smell/ territory I would imagine?

I'm just not sure if this is the best plan of action considering all the aggression in the past with them. Or if without putting them in seperate rooms for a while it's a bit pointless?

I would rather not have to put them in separate rooms if I possibly can just practically more than anything but am willing to do whatever is best...

:wave: I did with my 2 and it worked really well..but I have never had any aggression - they lived side by side and swapped cages every now and then to get used to smells and in the end they would just lay next to each other and just got used to each other - the bonding was really easy. Oreo got in humped sooty for about 10 seconds and that was it!!! they settled down and snuggled as if to say 'at last'!!!

This is their set up!



I would suggest that if you do keep them side by side to have a barrier that they cant nip through - I didnt because I trusted them but usually bits better to be cautious as they can get a nasty bite on the nose!!!

Well at the moment their cages are next to each other. We are kinda letting them out of a run about one at a time. It's funny cos if she's in her cage, he will go and lie along side it. But she's still a bit funny about him.

We haven't put them together again since they last fell out and am a bit scared about trying again now... I just want to make it as easy on them as possible and thought this might be a way.

Thanks for your advice!

I did it with mine, and it definitely worked at first (bonding hasn't particularly progressed since then but that's another story!)

I found that my boy bunny was getting quite grumpy with me when I put my hand in his cage, starting to lunge and try to bite me as he could smell her, presumably this was him 'protecting his territory'! As soon as i started swapping cages this stopped, he did stamp his feet at me the first few times I did it, but he got over it!! :lol:

Well it seems to be going okay. She's managing to relax in his cage and so maybe by magic is getting used to his smell/ territory.
We haven't put them together again though so I'm not sure if it's actually making any difference or just me dragging things out...