Advice for an indoor 2 bunny set up

Hello

I currently have one male neutered dwarf lop, and I am hoping to adopt a doe for him to be friends with soon. I could do with a little advice on bonding and also the sort of indoor set up I will need for them.

Currently he is in a 6ft x 3ft cage, with a permanently attached 6ftx6ft run. I have fleece blanket down as he cannot walk on my laminate very well. Is this sufficient size to add another bunny? (I am thinking mini lop/mini lion lop)

What do I need to have in the cage/run? Do they need separate sleeping areas or will they use the same? I feel a bit odd as I have had bunnies for along time but never had two together. I had two bunnys before but they never got on and I had to keep them separately to avoid fights. I do not want my bunny to be on his own again.

That size sounds good
To avoid a failed bond, the female should be spayed too. Dunno if you already knew but adding it in :wave:

steph182 said:

That size sounds good
To avoid a failed bond, the female should be spayed too. Dunno if you already knew but adding it in :wave:

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It was in the plan yes! That as one of my questions actually. I have enquired about two possibly rescues. One is a year old (and probably not spayed, not got that far yet) and another is an ex breeding doe. Will the fact she has had litters affect her care at all (i know there are risks of uterine cancer) but yes the plan was to spay before I bring them home to avoid having to put the bonding on hold and then start it up again.

marlie said:

It was in the plan yes! That as one of my questions actually. I have enquired about two possibly rescues. One is a year old (and probably not spayed, not got that far yet) and another is an ex breeding doe. Will the fact she has had litters affect her care at all (i know there are risks of uterine cancer) but yes the plan was to spay before I bring them home to avoid having to put the bonding on hold and then start it up again.

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I've not had any experience of ex breeding does, but as far as I know once spayed there would be no difference in the care for either.
There are also a lot of good rescues on here who rehome across the country who can help with bonding and give backup to take the bunny back if the bonding doesn't work out :wave:

I don't know if a bred doe would have higher hormone levels? Nutmeg was never bred but wasn't spayed until 2+ (maybe older than 2, have no way of being sure) and does tend to be more territorial and hormonal. Whether that is 'just Nutmeg' I don't know. It makes her a bit harder to bond but other than that, now she is content in her area, we rarely get any 'accidents' providing she doesn't smell my other two rabbits.

As for bonding, you need a small neutral area that neither bunny has been in before. You need to leave them together in that area and keep a good eye on them for 48 hours and then progress from there. The accommodation will also need to be neutralised before you transfer them back.

Schuette said:

I don't know if a bred doe would have higher hormone levels? Nutmeg was never bred but wasn't spayed until 2+ (maybe older than 2, have no way of being sure) and does tend to be more territorial and hormonal. Whether that is 'just Nutmeg' I don't know. It makes her a bit harder to bond but other than that, now she is content in her area, we rarely get any 'accidents' providing she doesn't smell my other two rabbits.

As for bonding, you need a small neutral area that neither bunny has been in before. You need to leave them together in that area and keep a good eye on them for 48 hours and then progress from there. The accommodation will also need to be neutralised before you transfer them back.

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I am going to introduce them in a room in a new cage which I have got for my guineas. Its too small for them long term but I am hoping it will be okay for them for the initial bonding period. Whilst thats happening I can get the blanket washed and give the cage a good scrub out. What happens if there is fighting? Separate them and try again later?

I used oven gloves and basically held the aggressor by the side of the cage for about 10 seconds. If there are circling and fighting non-stop then obviously stop and try again another time.

I have fleece blanket down as he cannot walk on my laminate very well.

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Neither of mine have liked laminate either. I got a piece of vinyl (textured, not a smooth one) and put that down. You could try that if you want to move on from the fleece.

Muppet2 said:

Neither of mine have liked laminate either. I got a piece of vinyl (textured, not a smooth one) and put that down. You could try that if you want to move on from the fleece.

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We have vinyl in the kitchen which is textured ish and he is better on it but still dosnt fly around like he does on the carpet/fleece. I have a picnic blanket fleece thing which is waterproof on one side and wash it every week. He rolls around in it so I think he likes it, bless him lol.

I am hopefully picking up my new girl tomorrow. Very nervous about bonding them so I am hoping it all goes well... Scrubbed the cages and getting the new run set up, will be stuck the forum for tips!

A good rescue would prob offer a bonding service and your boy could go for a little bunny holiday, find a wifey bun and get bonded whilst you have a few days to sterilize the existing set up and change things round a bit.

blue_vix said:

A good rescue would prob offer a bonding service and your boy could go for a little bunny holiday, find a wifey bun and get bonded whilst you have a few days to sterilize the existing set up and change things round a bit.

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Im rehoming from a private individual due to very few responses from a few rescues in my area, plus when I did get to a rescue to look at some does, I was shown the 'doe' in question who was very obviously a boy, (which I pointed out) and they got a bit shirty saying it was difficult to tell on rabbits. I wasnt trying to be offensive to them but I needed a doe and that bunny, though lovely, was unsuitable. It also had dental issues which I would not have had a problem with but it wasnt stated anywhere about the bunny which a new owner would have needed to know. Im sure I just went to one with maybe not the best person on the door that day, but as I said, not many rescues replied to me...

The doe I am getting is an ex breeding doe who is being rehomed, and due to the distance I am travelling I am a bit uncomfortable putting my bun through all that travelling in one day (there and back)

However the lady has said if there are any problems bonding she would take the new doe back, so I'm hoping for the best.