Bunny dating?!

Right how do you go about this, step by step instructions please!

I took piggy to Greenwich Rabbit Rescue, and Val who runs it had chosen a couple of prospective wives. We put piggy in a pen, and then added the wives one at a time, he met with two, loved them both
We chose Moomoo for him

There's an article on my website about it. Or do you mean choosing the right bunny?

Nope, we have already got Cookie to bond with Jimby, so far they have lived in the same room, we have now moved Jimby's cage next to Cookie's they have sniffed each other through the bars, at first there was a fair amount of aggression but it has settled down now, except for about a week ago, Jimby managed to sneek in to the kitchen where we have Cookie so she can have a run around and pinned her down I managed to grab Jims and push him out, luckily noone was seriously hurt though there was fur flying everywhere! I was terrified! which is why I am desperate for someone/anyone to come and help me at least with the inital session of bonding so I have some support!

Ah, ok. I'd say have a read of my article. Its not step by step but it gives you all the info you need.

rachylou said:

I was terrified! which is why I am desperate for someone/anyone to come and help me at least with the inital session of bonding so I have some support!

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I have offered to help you, however as I have explained I would need to do the bonding at my place which would allow you the time to neutralise your place whilst the rabbits are away. With indoor rabbits it is more difficult to do this due to carpets and soft furnishings smelling of rabbit which will all need to be removed prior to the rabbits being reintroduced into that area.

Preparation for bonding is the most important factor when bonding rabbits particuarly with indoor rabbits, ensuring that all areas are thoroughly neutralised. This often involves carpet cleaning and leaving a room rabbit free for a period of at least 3 weeks prior to bonding and then the through cleaning of the remainder of areas where the rabbits will be allowed to visit. If this is not done, it is highly likely that the bond will break down.

Did Helen give you a copy of her how to bond rabbits sheet?

Yes what Janice said - she has helped me loads too...
I agree with the neutralising - you have to be sooo careful, my 4 went off to cheryl and came back as a bonded group - all was neutral and the group got on really well for about 2 weeks then silly silly me put a tunnel in that used to be sooty and oreos (I did vinegar it) but I guess they still could smell their scent and it all kicked off!! the smallest thing can upset them - this is why mine are getting packed off to cheryl again - im moving and EVERYTHING is going to be brand new!!!!

Neutral, small space is the basics, not to move them too soon and to increase space gradually!

janice-arc said:

I have offered to help you, however as I have explained I would need to do the bonding at my place which would allow you the time to neutralise your place whilst the rabbits are away. With indoor rabbits it is more difficult to do this due to carpets and soft furnishings smelling of rabbit which will all need to be removed prior to the rabbits being reintroduced into that area.

Preparation for bonding is the most important factor when bonding rabbits particuarly with indoor rabbits, ensuring that all areas are thoroughly neutralised. This often involves carpet cleaning and leaving a room rabbit free for a period of at least 3 weeks prior to bonding and then the through cleaning of the remainder of areas where the rabbits will be allowed to visit. If this is not done, it is highly likely that the bond will break down.

Did Helen give you a copy of her how to bond rabbits sheet?

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That was in no way a dig at you or anyone else Janice, sorry if it came across that way.
There is no way we would be able to cart them off to be bonded so that is not an option, and as we live in a top floor flat we are going to do our best to clean everything as best we can but we can not neutralise EVERYTHING, such as removing all the furtinure, which I understand is quite a common problem but one which has been ok amoung many of the forum users.
We are also completly unable to leave any one room rabbit free for any time due to us living in a small ish flat.
The area we are planning to bond them will be neutral as will everything in it etc... toys, blankets.
We are going to start switching them in to each others houses so they will both scent the areas of the flat there for there will be equal smells so neither one of them will not be able to be territorial.
All I am asking for is a step by step guild of how to do the bunny dating, but I am getting the feeling that many peoples methods do happen to be quite black and white which is not going to help us and the situation we are in.

I personally have found that the bonds I have done have all be different. However, I have followed the same basic rules for each of them, just varying time scales. I think being flexible in what you do can work really nicely for some people and some bunnies, and others perfer a set way. I guess its what fits in with your knowledge, your lifetsyle, experience, etc.

If this way works for you then that's absolutely fine. You won't find a step by step accurate guide though because all bunnies are different and need different things (especially with this method). Have you looked at my article?

Yes Thankyou Sky, it was very helpful, I am just so frightened of one or both of them getting hurt!

rachylou said:

Yes Thankyou Sky, it was very helpful, I am just so frightened of one or both of them getting hurt!

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I'm much more over cautious than the more experienced people are, I just ensure I'm calm. I tend to let everything happen unless it looks like one might get injured. Its ok to be over cautious but it will take them longer to sort out who is boss.

Even though you'll be terrified its super important to ensure that you are calm.

My favourite thing to go for those I'm unsure of is take them on a car journey first and then bring them back and bond. That has worked with mine when just putting them together did not.

What literally putting them both in the same carrier then going for a drive? Wouldnt they just kill each other?! :shock:

What I did the first couple of times was get someone to drive and sit in the middle on the back seat and have a carry case on either side and when the engine has started I would move one from one carry case to the other and keep the lid off. Ensure obviously they go straight from hutch to carry case to car and the carry cases are neutralised, etc. You'll soon see they won't fight.

Nowadays I just hold the carry case in the air and bundle them in and just go for a drive with them on the passenger seat. I've never had a problem even with rabbits intent on killing themselves previous to that.

I have a girl called Candyfloss who has mega behaviour problems when it comes to other rabbits and she divorces very easily and I've used the car journey method to sort out fights and rebond without separating when she has been in a stress. So far, her and her hubby have been together for a year. He's her fourth partner and the longest so far because of the car journeys.

We have a carry case which we use as a carry case for either one of them but we do have a new carry case which neither of them have been in...?

rachylou said:

We are going to start switching them in to each others houses so they will both scent the areas of the flat there for there will be equal smells so neither one of them will not be able to be territorial.

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Sorry I may be being a little dim. Do you mean that by putting them in each others space that the areas that they both have been in become neutral (the territory does not belong to anyone)?

Areas where rabbits have been used to swap rabbits over do not become neutral they become areas where they both can exert their dominance over that teritory. These areas will need to be thoroughly neutralised,

Before we allow them both out around the flat together we will do all that we can to neutralise but like I say there is a limit to how much we can do.
We are going to be swapping them in to each others cages each night so that they get used to each others scent, that was what I meant, this has been advised by many others, including forum users, rescue centres and the vets.
This stage will begin around a week and a half time.

rachylou said:

We have a carry case which we use as a carry case for either one of them but we do have a new carry case which neither of them have been in...?

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You could use the new carry case for when they both go in together.

Swapping around space is good, it gets the rabbit used to being in the other rabbits territory but it also gets them used to the other rabbits smell being in their territory (if you are also swapping cage contents too). This doesn't make it neutral though, it just means the rabbits are getting used to each other.

So I would need to seperate boxes to keep them both in before they both go in together?

What can I use to clean the sofas? and the carpet?