I have a dilemma....

I have 4 rabbits Elvis and Amber who are paired and Jake and Sam. Sam was a female and was paired with Jake but a couple of months ago they started fighting. Sam has since been spayed and I have tried to rebond Sam and Jake but to no avail.
The ideal scenario would be to now get Sam and Jake a girlfriend each. But my other half has said that we are not getting anymore unless one goes. He says 6 is too many. (We also have a dog, 3 cats and 14 chickens!!)
So, putting my emotions aside I thought its better for them to be paired than to stay here and kept on their own.
So, I've put Sam on the RSPCA list to be rehomed. I thought that way he'll go to a home that has been checked out etc. But when ever I go out to see them I just hate the thought of him going. He is so placid (except with other males), he has never bitten and hes so beautiful. Hes a harlequin rex. I feel like I am giving up one of my children!! Silly eh?
So, do you think I should just be really strict with myself and accept hes got to go and then get Jake a girlfriend or should I follow my heart and keep him.
They are all kept in the summerhouse in hutches and runs but I cant find room in their for another hutch/run unless I cut back on the others accomodation. So, the only place he could go would be on the patio at a squeeze. I have a big garden but its on all different layers.
My mind is all over the place. Please can someone set me straight!!

ChristyRose said:

I have 4 rabbits Elvis and Amber who are paired and Jake and Sam. Sam was a female and was paired with Jake but a couple of months ago they started fighting. Sam has since been spayed and I have tried to rebond Sam and Jake but to no avail.
The ideal scenario would be to now get Sam and Jake a girlfriend each. But my other half has said that we are not getting anymore unless one goes. He says 6 is too many. (We also have a dog, 3 cats and 14 chickens!!)
So, putting my emotions aside I thought its better for them to be paired than to stay here and kept on their own.
So, I've put Sam on the RSPCA list to be rehomed. I thought that way he'll go to a home that has been checked out etc. But when ever I go out to see them I just hate the thought of him going. He is so placid (except with other males), he has never bitten and hes so beautiful. Hes a harlequin rex. I feel like I am giving up one of my children!! Silly eh?
So, do you think I should just be really strict with myself and accept hes got to go and then get Jake a girlfriend or should I follow my heart and keep him.
They are all kept in the summerhouse in hutches and runs but I cant find room in their for another hutch/run unless I cut back on the others accomodation. So, the only place he could go would be on the patio at a squeeze. I have a big garden but its on all different layers.
My mind is all over the place. Please can someone set me straight!!

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Did you bond them on neutral territory? Explain what happened and how you put them together.

Do you have a rescue near you where they are skilled at bonding?
They may be able to help you out by rebonding Jake & Sam in exchange for a donation to the rescue?
It doesn't sound like you really want to part with this rabbit.
Also as nursecroft has suggested tell us how you went about the re bonding attempt, maybe people can help out that way.
Also could you clarify what sexes Jake & Sam are, as 1st you said Sam was female but later you said male. That will also help with the advice you are given.

nursecroft said:

Did you bond them on neutral territory? Explain what happened and how you put them together.

Click to expand...

^This.

Also, I agree totally with what KiwiBron said.

Sam was a female (I thought) when I got her at 12 weeks. When they started fighting 10 months later I found out that Sam was in fact a male. Jake is a male. They have been together for 10 months all loved up until the fighting started.
I first tried to bond them in the utility. Neither had been there before. They sort of sniffed around for 10 minutes and then noticed each other and went for each other. There was fur flying and squeeling. Sam ripped a piece of Jakes ear off - not nice.
I was told to leave it a while and try again. I tried to put them in the cat basket (neither had been in it before) to take them for a drive and they started again before I'd even shut the lid.
So, I left it another week and took them up to the bathroom (neither have been there either). They just sat there staring at each other and not moving. They only move if I moved. Eventually Sam had a sniff around. Jake was backed into a corner of his own choice. When Sam came near Jake they tried to go for it again but this time I had my broom to seperate them. This happened a couple of times. But they just sat there not doing anything.
They wernt interested in interacting with each other i.e. sniffing, mounting etc. So, I didnt know what to do and so I thought they must just be totally disinterested or hate each other so much but I kept stopping them fighting.
I just cant seem to see that they'll ever be loved up again.
Will Jake remember that Sam ripped his ear? Do rabbits have memories like we do?
It really upset me when they fell out and I really dont want to get rid of either of them. When I explained to the lady at the RSPCA she said that 2 males dont really get on unless bonded from birth and spayed before sexual maturity.
If I did get the RSPCA to bond them and then bring them back here they will still be going into the same run so wont the same problem still be there?

Sorry Kristina I didnt answer your question.
I've always understood that rabbits need company so if you are there with your rabbit all the time then I think thats okay. Is he a housebun?
I have got a pair and it is so lovely to see them together as they wash each other and cuddle up and you can see they get so much comfort from each other. They still come up to me aswell, so I dont lose out hehe :lol:
By the way all my males have been spayed.

Im confused, you said you had your female spayed??? But infact its a male so have either of them been neutered? edit* just seen they've all been neutered.(females are spayed, males are neutered.)

They should be allowed several weeks to calm down they will fight. You must bond them on completely neutral territory preferably somewhere they have never been, it should be a very small area to start with, you should not allow them to fight but they need to establish a pecking order. It takes a while to bond buns and bucks are difficult, i suggest you find a local rescue experienced at bonding and get them to do it for you in exchange for a donation.

I agree, they need a long bonding process a week at least, and even then you need to be about for the first few weeks when they move into their permanent together home. I've found that even after a few days some buns will refuse to interact. It's because they don't feel at ease-and so you need to be more involved and concentrate on their new routine as a pair. Hay is a great ice breaker, having the telly on and being relaxed yourself does contribute. I wouldn't give up yet. Bonding takes planning and preparations to make sure you have several days to be with them 24 hours. New food bowls, hay racks, water bottles and litter trays are needed. There is also the issue of you being part of both buns territories so minor attention and handling is important-unless a fight is brewing. There are lots of things to consider-so i'd take a deep breath, give them time to destress and try again. I really hope you can sort these naughty buns out, I couldn't give any of mine up, My other half does not get a choice!

How many do you have linzi?
Sorry for the confusion over the neutering/spaying!! When I got Amber and Violet (who is now Sam) for Elvis and Jake, I just put the girls into the boys runs and they just seemed to bond straight away. Never had any of these problems.
I cant really be with them 24 hours a day as I have a 7 and 10 year old to look after aswell.
My OH and I are going to build 2 large runs in the summerhouse tomorrow, one for Jake and his new mrs and one for either Sam (and his new partner ?) or amber and Elvis. Or maybe Elvis and Amber could just have the run of the rest of the summerhouse as they are the oldest. I think maybe I should just take one day at a time and not tell the OH too much info so he dosnt worry. Get Jake a new partner and then maybe .... Sam?
Bonding Sam and Jake seems to much like going against nature. I know it does happen to people on here but I am not experience in bonding males. Maybe I'll talk to the RSPCA about doing it for me but they didnt seem very hopeful when I last spoke to them.

Well it does seem like you have tried quite hard, using neutral space etc.
I'd be tempted to try to get an experienced bunny bonder to have one last chance.
Maybe not from your RSPCA but from somewhere that is rabbit specific.
This way as you say you are fairly busy & the emotion & worry would be taken away from the situation.
Someone on RU will be able to suggest an experienced bonder in your area.
Sam sounds too lovely to surrender to the RSPCA....or perhaps given time your husband will realise that 6 buns is hardly anymore trouble than 4 :lol:
Good luck & do keep us posted.

Does anyone know of someone who is experienced in bonding in Cornwall? My OH and I have built Jake a fantastic run today. It is about 8ft x 5 ft. Hes just been sitting in his hutch. I think hes a little bewildered.:shock:

Shame you're so far away i'd have a go for you, i have 3 bonded bucks and a doe, they weren't easy to bond but they adore eachother now, infact Teddy and Joey were my main problem and now they are inseperable. Perhaps look up rabbits rescues in cornwall and ring them to see if they are experienced at bonding.