Advice request on encouraging 2 newly bonded bunnies to lick each other more

Hello,

I've got two newly bonded bunnies (very successfully bonded) but there isn't very much licking going on, should I be worried?

One of the bunnies is a bit emotionally scarred as a result of living in a very small cage with a guinea pig for the first 6 months of his life in his 1st home. The other bunny is a very snuggly bunny and loves to give me cuddles and kisses, but isn't too keen to them to her new boyfriend.

I read to try smearing a bit of banana on their fur but that sounds like asking for trouble to me! Haven't dared try it but if mine continue to be stubborn about who licks who, i might attempt it...

I wouldn't worry. It will come in time if it's going to come. If it's not going to come and doesn't come, but they are both happy then that's the most important thing.

I put a wee bit of banana on Jazzy's ear when she wanted Sox to groom her, because he wasn't gonna do it otherwise :lol: But if they aren't grooming each other it doesn't really matter that much, just as long as they get on and their happy

You might need to give them time if they are newly bonded. As others have said as long as they seem happy together I wouldn't worry. The grooming might come later.

Some buns are more groomy than others. It took Dutchie 2 years of living with others to realise that he was supposed to groom back

Sky-O said:

I wouldn't worry. It will come in time if it's going to come. If it's not going to come and doesn't come, but they are both happy then that's the most important thing.

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Agreed

I would just let things continue as they are, as others have said if it is going to happen it will.

I spent a long time terrified I had done the wrong thing by bonding my bun, as he and my new bunny never groomed each other, and generally ignored each other. But I've come to see that although they dont groom they are actually close. Its been 3 months now and if they are separated even for a minute, or if I have to for example clip ones nails, they run over to each other after as if to say 'are you alright'. They also will now lie next to each other and snuggle up, or get into mischief together.

This is a very longwinded way of saying that they can be happy with their partner even if they dont groom much, or at all. Every bun and their relationship are different, they may just be more friends than husband and wife.

I've never seen my two rabbits groom eachother ... They're like an old married couple. They never fight, and occasionally lie down close to eachother - otherwise they tend to do their own thing. They grew up together even though they were from different litters, so they've known eachother all their lives, and haven't really known other rabbits much. Once they fell out because I took one to be neutered without taking the other one along, but that was a long time ago and after a few days they were back to normal. Maybe they just take eachother for granted. They don't like me touching them either, so maybe they're just not very cuddly sort of rabbits.
I do dream of adding another one (or two) but reading about everyone's bonding problems has put me off and I've now decided against it.