Advice on Bunnies Blind Dating.

Hi, :wave:I have a 6month old neutered mini rex buck (Ronald Patrick) who lives in my lounge and is very chilled out. He happily plays out of the cage with my elderly guinea pig and gives him no bother at all, they have free rein of all rooms. He even lies down with my parents golden retriever when he stays. :lol:
I acquired a lionhead doe (Evangeline Belle) at the weekend who is approx 12weeks. She too is very friendly. On first introductions on Sunday night, they got along well, even eating next to each other, and Ron only tried to mate with her a couple of times which she seemed ok with and just flattened herself to the floor or ran off. I am keeping them separate at the moment, I thought on Monday she might have snuffles so had been letting them out separately, but shes fine and when I let them out together last night there was lots of chasing each other in circles and even a bit of fur flying . I jumped in straight away and seperated them, then held and stroked them next to each other on the sofa and they seemed fine, until they were back on the floor. They hop in different directions fine but if they end up in the same place they argue :shock: I have successfully paired up all my other rescues... chinchillas, rats and guinea pigs buy using the technique I'm using with the bunnies.... unfortunately I don't have a territory neutral area as Ron has full rein of all rooms. Any ideas?? :?
Thanks in advance
Jeni xxx :bunny:

I don't have any experience with this, but you might want to post this in the bonding section. From what I've read you need to wait until they're both neutered, and then make the territory as neutral as possible, for example by careful cleaning and removing all the smells. I've heard of people using a bath tub to introduce their bunnies to eachother.

id wait until both are neutered as tends to be easier then start tehm together in a small neutral area, by seperating then putting together you are only breaking the bond they need to be left together to allow the bond to take place, being monitored and fights should be separated but not split, also humping, fur pulling out and chasing is normal dominance establishing behaviour but if they are locking on or fighting you need to step in and seperate give time out nest to each other without being able to cause damage then try again. xxx

You won't be able to bond them successfully in a non neutral area, so you will have to neutralise one room and put a small pen in there, approx 4x2ft. You put both buns in there together with just a pile of hay at first, so there's nothing they can fight over. If they seem ok you can then put a water bowl/bottle in. They have to stay in the pen for at least 48hrs with no fighting/chasing. You can't increase the space until they've been settled nicely for this amount of time. Then you have to GRADUALLY increase the space, only by 1 or 2 square feet at a time, and repeat the procedure. For the first couple of days you should be with them constantly to make sure they don't hurt each other, if they start to fight you need to hold them apart with a broom or something for a few mins until they are calm again. If I've forgotten anything I'm sure someone else will fill in the gaps! Good luck :wave:

Oh and yes, it would be better to wait until they are both neutered or you might have to do this all over again!! :wave:

thank you xxx I've booked her to be neutered when she is 17 weeks, :bunny: