First time bond. Please help. Photos Added :)

Hi, please read and help (sorry its long)
I bonded Maisy and Ben (both neutered and bonded in neutral space.)

After eating a bit of hay there was a few signs of aggression, on an occasion I pulled them apart. 10 mins into the bond and there after there has been no serious fighting just abit of steady chasing. Both have groomed each other and have laid next to each other. Both totally flopped out and relaxed like I've never seen them do before throughout the bond.

Who is the dominant one?
Although both groom each other Maisy goes to Ben and puts her head down to be groomed and Maisy gets groomed lots more than Ben. But Ben is more or less constantly chasing Maisy trying to mount her. She just runs around until he gives up, she won't turn and snap at him. Also Ben will stamp whilst licking her and sometimes bite her whiskers.

Both are now in Bens hutch which has been cleaned and cleaned etc with vinegar after 36 hours of bonding. I've seen grooming but Maisy looks very dull and fed up with Ben keep chasing her. Will he stop?

Are they friends?
I don't know if they are bonded or not because they are fine with each other and don't fight but they are not totally inseperable, but am I being silly thinking they would be at this early stage?

Thank you in advance!!

Photos

As soon as I put them together:


Early stages:


Ben grooming Maisy:


Flopped together after about 24 hours:

It all looks good so far, bonding is a process which can take weeks for them to bond properly. What you have achieved so far is all very positive. You just need to continue as you are going. Don't increase the space too quickly, any space which is given to them must be always totally neutral. Anything like toys or litter trays must also be neutral.

Just keep with it and you should get the reward of a bonded pair of bunnies.

As mentioned we have moved them into bens hutch now after 36 hours of bonding in a pen in the living room. I cleaned the hutch with white vinegar and washed it down multiple times. Everything bar the cleaned hutch is neutral(new).

Just worried about Maisy because Ben keeps chasing her and what is horrible is that he is biting off her wiskers! Is this ok? It's not nice to see

They have been fine the last two nights but I'm scared tonight as they are now outside and I won't be with them.

If he is chasing her and biting her whiskars is there any chance you can move them back to where they were before and were settled. It may be that either moving them before they have properly bonded, Bens hutch is either too big or still smells of him that you have now got this problem.

When I bond I do try not to move them before 72 hours is up as this allows their bond to become more secure, sometimes they have to remain in the same place for longer.

As it all bondings it is better not to rush things, if they are not happy with either a change or space or an increase of space, it is worth moving them back to their previous place.

Thanks. We have bought them back in. I have done something very silly! I said they have been bonding for 36 hours but its actually 60 hours! It has been 2 and a half days not 1 and half SORRY! :wave: (and I have a mathematical job too haha!)

Will this be like starting again then? Won't the same thing happen when we put them back into bens hutch? And do I have to clean it again?
Sorry for all the questions.. thanks

Moved them back last night. Both of them didn't look very happy and were stamping their feet. Left them to it (we slept downstairs with them though) and there have been no signs of fighting and Ben isnt chasing and biting her wiskers as much.
BUT I havn't seen much grooming either and neither of them have flopped out like they did before
Feel rubish because I've got work today but my OH is off for another week yet.

Hey there,
I'm in exactly the same situation as you! Brought Dave home yesterday to bond with Kym. They have got on okay so far! Lots of chasing, grooming, eating together and sleeping next to one another! Dave was constantly mounting Kym and she has been moving away from him! Slept downstairs too...my other half thinks I am completetly bonkers! Just checked on them and they are asleep together! I've got a new hutch for them both...and intend on letting them in as soon as possible! Only thing is need it to stop raining for now! I'm guessing that as long as we are extra vigilant and patient they will soon settle down! Fingers crossed that it carries on okay for you too X

Hi, Thanks for the fingers crossed, same to you . Hopefully you will be fine then as you've got a new hutch to put them in after. I'm wary because it's bens hutch even though I've cleaned it LOTS!

Can't leave them in the living room forever but will do for as long as poss. I think maybe they havn't yet decided who is boss?? Its strange because there is no fighting but when Ben keeps mounting Maisy she looks so dull. And its really horrible to watch her whiskers being bitten off.