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Bonding Question?

Isis

Mama Doe
I am bonding my boys soon, and I just would like to know. When it is night, and I am in bed, would I need to separate them at night?

I have nearly 2 weeks off work, so I will be at home all the time.

Is there anything else I will need to know?
 
You need to place them both in a neutral space (a place they've both never been in or seen) they need to be neutered and after they've been neutered you have to wait a month so there hormones can calm down before bonding them.
 
I am bonding my boys soon, and I just would like to know. When it is night, and I am in bed, would I need to separate them at night?

I have nearly 2 weeks off work, so I will be at home all the time.

Is there anything else I will need to know?

I always stay up with mine all night until I know they settle (means often 1-2 nights out of bed per week when bonding).

If you would like an info sheet on how I do mine (5 page word doc) then please feel free to e-mail.

Helen

therabbitcrossing@yahoo.co.uk
 
If it's going ok at intro - I wouldn't separate at all, cos the dominant one will have to re-affirm his dominance. Could you set a dog crate up in your bedroom? I often set one up in living room & sleep on sofa during bonding :D

I usually bond first thing in morning, so I'm there all day. If everything fine that night, I'll go to bed but get up in night to check:D
 
You need to place them both in a neutral space (a place they've both never been in or seen) they need to be neutered and after they've been neutered you have to wait a month so there hormones can calm down before bonding them.

Yes I know all that, and have done all that. Wispa was neutered, (I think) a year and a half ago, and Dylan was neutered 6 weeks ago.

Just the one main question, what do I do at night? When I am not about?
 
Yes I know all that, and have done all that. Wispa was neutered, (I think) a year and a half ago, and Dylan was neutered 6 weeks ago.

Just the one main question, what do I do at night? When I am not about?

I stay up as I said, but if you have to go to bed and they seem calm, then put some jingle balls in the cage with them so that if they start to chase you could hear the commotion. You could also use a baby monitor.

I would not recommend splitting them once you start as it puts you back to the beginning if you do IMO.
 
I think this will be hard, Dylan at the moment, is in my bedroom, in a dog crate. And Wispa is outside in the shed. The only neutral place I can think of is, down stairs in the hall way. But there would be no way of me sleeping down there.
 
You shouid take it in steps.
Place them in a limited neutral area e.g. A bath tub
After they've been placed give them both food if they ignore each other that's good.
Then slowly start letting them get close to each other.
If they start grooming and are comfortable that's also good.
You can now let them do their buisiness by them selves.
Soon they will start grooming and lying down together.
 
You shouid take it in steps.
Place them in a limited neutral area e.g. A bath tub
After they've been placed give them both food if they ignore each other that's good.
Then slowly start letting them get close to each other.
If they start grooming and are comfortable that's also good.
You can now let them do their buisiness by them selves.
Soon they will start grooming and lying down together.

I sometimes use food, but I wouldn't always recommend it, as it can cause fighting
 
I stay up as I said, but if you have to go to bed and they seem calm, then put some jingle balls in the cage with them so that if they start to chase you could hear the commotion. You could also use a baby monitor.

I would not recommend splitting them once you start as it puts you back to the beginning if you do IMO.

That is a good idea, about the baby monitor. Think I might try that, so if I do hear them throughout the night. I can go and see to them.

I think they will look an odd pair if they are bonded successfully, as Dylan is a continental giant and Wispa is a lionhead.
 
I think this will be hard, Dylan at the moment, is in my bedroom, in a dog crate. And Wispa is outside in the shed. The only neutral place I can think of is, down stairs in the hall way. But there would be no way of me sleeping down there.

Remember if they fight, it's gonna make a racket - especially if you add loud toys.

If you have a few weeks til you start, could Dylan move to the hallway now, you could "neutralise" the bedroom
 
That is a good idea, about the baby monitor. Think I might try that, so if I do hear them throughout the night. I can go and see to them.

I think they will look an odd pair if they are bonded successfully, as Dylan is a continental giant and Wispa is a lionhead.

Ooo - I have a pair Conti & lionhead:D Both girls.:D
 
You shouid take it in steps.
Place them in a limited neutral area e.g. A bath tub
After they've been placed give them both food if they ignore each other that's good.
Then slowly start letting them get close to each other.
If they start grooming and are comfortable that's also good.
You can now let them do their buisiness by them selves.
Soon they will start grooming and lying down together.

Not necessarily.

Rabbits behaviours change within 24-48 hours of being put together. This is because their confidence changes when they get settled in the new environment.

I also would not recommend a bath for bonding as it's going to be very stressful for the rabbits and with it being slippery could cause injury, especially if one tries to jump out and slips.

Some rabbits may not get close to each other - some will immediately lay into one another and you know it's not happening - others will ignore each other and you may need to help, particularly with nervous buns by sitting them side by side. I do this with extremely nervous buns who won't approach and who are likely to defend themselves by lashing out. The whole putting them next to each other takes the uncertainty of the initial meeting.

But in any event Whitehood, every single rabbit will behave differently so Isis will just need to know the basic sights and sounds of bonding - nobody will be able to say exactly what will happen.
 
That is a good idea, about the baby monitor. Think I might try that, so if I do hear them throughout the night. I can go and see to them.

I think they will look an odd pair if they are bonded successfully, as Dylan is a continental giant and Wispa is a lionhead.

I just bonded my bereft French Lady with an ickle bereft young lionhead boy. They look incredibly odd but very very sweet! Both are agoutis so it kinda makes them match!
 
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They've met when they both lived outside, dylan wanted to say hello. But Wispa was being aggressive towards Dylan. But Dylan wasn't neutered at the time, so could be why he was being aggressive towards Dylan?
 
They've met when they both lived outside, dylan wanted to say hello. But Wispa was being aggressive towards Dylan. But Dylan wasn't neutered at the time, so could be why he was being aggressive towards Dylan?

I would say (difficult without seeing the exact behaviour) that Wispa was defending himself. Often agression is not that really but simply defensive behaviour.

Who would you say has the strongest character?
 
I would say (difficult without seeing the exact behaviour) that Wispa was defending himself. Often agression is not that really but simply defensive behaviour.

Who would you say has the strongest character?

I think Wispa has the strongest character, Dylan is a soppy BIG bunny, whereas Wispa, loves his head rubs, but he lunges for my hand when I stop.
 
I think Wispa has the strongest character, Dylan is a soppy BIG bunny, whereas Wispa, loves his head rubs, but he lunges for my hand when I stop.

Okay well that's interesting. When I do bondings, I sometimes see that the bunny you think is going to be the quiet one is the one that lashes out first if at all. And it is normally not to be agressive but as they are so frightened of the other bunny that they defend themselves or space. So in the garden I suspect Wispa was simply warning Dylan off.

I also think that sometimes bigger buns are more laid back (but not always).

Also in my experience I have found Lionheads to be quite flighty/nervy/quick and so can take a bit more effort to bond. Again not a hard and fast rule but there is definitely something in this observation.

So it may be that when you introduce them you could put them next to each other on your knee or something first so that they are already right next to each other and one doesn't have to approach the other. It can help to take the heat out of the situation. Then they can realise that there is nothing to fear. This doesn't mean that they won't chase but it can help to prevent the lashing out.

I have done this with blind and deaf bunnies so that they dont' startle when the other rabbit comes close - they know that there is a bunny next to them and everthing is okay!
 
Thank you so much for the advise, I can't wait to get them together, but so nervous at the same time.
 
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