strange bonding behaviour...?? and pen size..

so i am in the process of bonding my 6, on the second day now.

everything seems to be going fine, there are times when groups snuggle and times when they sit apart and they haven't fought since they were first put together.

they still do quite a bit of chasing though, well one will chase someone then they all run around in the pen in a circle and it just seems like they are running not chasing :roll:

anyway, ive heard all the normal behaviours, chasing nipping grunting etc but one of my girls, Benny, digs another one of my girls Nora.. is this normal? she doesnt dig at any of the others and a lot of the time those two are happy sitting or laying next to each other...

does anyone know what this means or if its normal??

&&& on another note, the pen they are in is a 10 panel exercise pen but two panels are folded in so its 8 panels, is this too big for bonding? i wasnt sure as there are 6 of them.. They are just standard panels so that's like 50-60cm in length each panel or such.

oh another unrelated question just incase someone knows, when should i stop chasing? one of the six will chase another then atleast 3 or 4 of them will started running around the pen in a big circle and just squash whoever is not going around in the circle, how long should i let that go on? they also pull a little bit of fur sometimes while doing this but not always, mostly just chasing..

I have no advice on a 6 but WOW - best of luck!!

haha thanks, they are currently deciding to play up again, everyone chasing everyone, have only had a couple injuries, one fur bit pulled from ear so a little bleed there and i believe noras eye got trampled on so its red around it but theres no sore or cut or anything, i put some cream on it anyway though.

Its funny though, one will hump another and the humpee will run but that means that EVERYBUN has to run around in a big circle :roll:

hopefully after a day or two the chasings will die down.

emileemason said:

haha thanks, they are currently deciding to play up again, everyone chasing everyone, have only had a couple injuries, one fur bit pulled from ear so a little bleed there and i believe noras eye got trampled on so its red around it but theres no sore or cut or anything, i put some cream on it anyway though.

Its funny though, one will hump another and the humpee will run but that means that EVERYBUN has to run around in a big circle :roll:

hopefully after a day or two the chasings will die down.

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:lol::lol::lol:

Aww - i am sure they'll all get used it it. I remember bonding my 3 - it seemed to be so complicated when they were sorting out heirarchy of the relationships - i imagine with 6 it is really complex. I also remember having to learn when enough was enough and when to and when to not intervene. I stayed with them in the same room for the best part of a week (even sleeping next to the pen) and you do get to learn their behaviours pretty well so it's a case of them leading me etc.

Best of luck!

yeah it does seem to be complicated, and one minute they will be snuggling and the next they arent friends anymore and its a chasing match.

and i have set up camp in the spare room, i'm sleeping right next to the pen and have set up some stuff to keep me amused, if three buns take at least a week i think ill be here for three weeks!

thanks though

emileemason said:

yeah it does seem to be complicated, and one minute they will be snuggling and the next they arent friends anymore and its a chasing match.

and i have set up camp in the spare room, i'm sleeping right next to the pen and have set up some stuff to keep me amused, if three buns take at least a week i think ill be here for three weeks!

thanks though

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The week was just how long i slept next to them. It took about 4 months for them to be properly bonded and then i wouldnt say that i totally let my guard down until another month of them being settled fully into their home.

did your buns go outside afterwards? mine will be going outside into their new set up, which will be a large playhouse with attached aviary, so i don't know how long to keep them inside for..

i know that they will have to be settled and no chasing and whatnot but how long after that would be good to keep them inside with me..??

I did mine in stages.

I've had to copy and paste from elsewhere to explain how i did it:

I've broken it down into stages - this is what i did (i have omitted the disaster of where i rushed it and went too quickly) and given each stage a number.

Stage 1 was a 2ft x 2ft pen - I had them in the living room and supervised them constantly for about 3 days - even sleeping next to them.

Stage 2 was a slight increase to the pen (3.5ft x 2ft) - this was in the same place until i felt confident. Again i slept in the same room as them. I noticed increased activity (humping, chasing and nipping) at dusk and dawn. (about 2 days)

Stage 3 - i then moved them into the dining room (mainly to let them get on with it etc) in the same stage 2 pen. It meant less interaction from the family and it meant they were left to sort out their squabbles mainly by themselves - i should stress at this point, fighting had stopped and it was just humping going on - i could still hear them even at night and was able to intervene when needed.

Stage 4 was a bigger pen (dog crate and attached pen of 6ft x 2ft). Again, they are in the dining room (neutral territory) yet i can still hear them at all times of the day/night. During this time, i have introduced a litter tray. Feeding from a bowl rather than scatter feeding came next. They were here for about 2 weeks (possibly more)




Stage 5 I moved this pen into their fully rearranged and re-decorated outhouse.

The pen in the outhouse


They stayed like this for another few weeks (about 3)

Stage 6 I removed the pen (kept the dog crate in place) but blocked off their room giving them smaller than usual access.

Stage 7 was to remove the block and allow them free movement to their indoor areas.

Stage 8 allowed them full access to the gardens, toys and normality.


Each stage move created a little fuss and excitability. And now i get involved as less as possible. But in the beginning - even slight things would set them off - the smell of food, turning the TV off, turning a fan on etc etc.

I started the bonding in the August but i wouldnt say the bond was fully formed until at least the October time.

Each bond is different though (not that i've ever done any others) and everyone has different circumstances that will affect how you do it. My OH and my eldest was terribly allergic to them. So it was a really tricky time for us all.

thanks heaps, thats really helpful.

i might make my pen smaller then, i just couldnt find any advice on size for 6 but i can compare to what you have used and double maybe with a little extra room for my big bun.

i think i have started to large and the chasing goes on and on.

i will also take away the litter trays in there, they havent really been fighting over them or anything as there is hay all over the floor as well but i think its just a hazard when they are running around like they do anyway. i have been scatter feeding but have three bowls in there for water (which get tipped over every few hours :roll

but thanks heaps, very helpful!! and thanks for continuing to reply and check on this thread, many people reply and then i have another question and i guess some people just kind of reply and leave sort of thing and don't check again, their advice is still great but then im like "come backkkk!", so i appreciate it a lot!

Has the bun who gets digged at shown any signs of being unwell? As I've heard stories of bunnies digging at their partners because they've picked up on something not being quite right. Might be worth investigating.

Other than that I have no suggestions! Good luck

the bunny that was getting digged has a bit of a sore eye but other than that she is ok! she hasnt been digged at since will keep a close eye on her! thanks for the feedback

How's things going today?

well i decreased the pen size and they have mostly slept today, i think they are a bit like me in being sleep deprived.

tonight will be the real test in how the decrease in size works.

the only issues are two of my girls have a bit of a problem with each other, well benny has an issue with nora and tends to chase her a bit and i think nora is stressed by this whole ordeal, she has a sore eye, i think it got trampled in one of the chasings because there is no cut or pulled fur from that area. i put cream on but its red all around the rim of the eye, poor girl shes so tired.

and the other issue is bumblebee cant help but hump everyone and that causes the chasings and that causes everyone to not know who is chasing who so they just run around like crazy bunnies and benny usually nips at everyone.

but other than that.. they get along fine and are happy to sleep next to each other and such, just need to watch benny and nora mostly.
bumble has just started the humping for the night, so here's to another night without sleep!!

Some of us have a lot of other things to do, such as care for 50+ rabbits!

emileemason said:

well i decreased the pen size and they have mostly slept today, i think they are a bit like me in being sleep deprived.

tonight will be the real test in how the decrease in size works.

the only issues are two of my girls have a bit of a problem with each other, well benny has an issue with nora and tends to chase her a bit and i think nora is stressed by this whole ordeal, she has a sore eye, i think it got trampled in one of the chasings because there is no cut or pulled fur from that area. i put cream on but its red all around the rim of the eye, poor girl shes so tired.

and the other issue is bumblebee cant help but hump everyone and that causes the chasings and that causes everyone to not know who is chasing who so they just run around like crazy bunnies and benny usually nips at everyone.

but other than that.. they get along fine and are happy to sleep next to each other and such, just need to watch benny and nora mostly.
bumble has just started the humping for the night, so here's to another night without sleep!!

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Well, it sounds like it's going well. :thumb:

tonibun said:

Some of us have a lot of other things to do, such as care for 50+ rabbits!

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i didn't mean what i said meanly or anything..
i understand people have things to do and some people have rescues and such and they are doing a great job with that and coming on here and giving advice, and even just the usual people with full time jobs or kids.
sorry if i offended you or something..
i said the advice was still great from those who just post once.. i was just saying that i appreciated the continuing help and advice that i was getting off Grin because i needed help.. and i thought it was nice..

so once again thank you Grin for your continuing help.

oh and i ended up deciding it was too stressful for one of my girls, Nora was being picked on by both Benny and Bumblebee, and Bumblebee was just in general disturbing the peace by humping ALL THE TIME, so for Nora's sake i took Benny and Bumble away as i bonded them together last week and they are fine being on their own as they were both solos before their bond and are just content to be with another bun. I'm continuing on with the other four and things are going much more smoothly, Nora isn't so stressed now and everything is settled.
I think Bumblebee's hormones haven't fully gone down from his neuter and i figured i can always try six again at a later date so they can all fully share the new enclosure but if this is what makes them all happy then i'm fine with that

emileemason said:

i didn't mean what i said meanly or anything..
i understand people have things to do and some people have rescues and such and they are doing a great job with that and coming on here and giving advice, and even just the usual people with full time jobs or kids.
sorry if i offended you or something..
i said the advice was still great from those who just post once.. i was just saying that i appreciated the continuing help and advice that i was getting off Grin because i needed help.. and i thought it was nice..

so once again thank you Grin for your continuing help.

oh and i ended up deciding it was too stressful for one of my girls, Nora was being picked on by both Benny and Bumblebee, and Bumblebee was just in general disturbing the peace by humping ALL THE TIME, so for Nora's sake i took Benny and Bumble away as i bonded them together last week and they are fine being on their own as they were both solos before their bond and are just content to be with another bun. I'm continuing on with the other four and things are going much more smoothly, Nora isn't so stressed now and everything is settled.
I think Bumblebee's hormones haven't fully gone down from his neuter and i figured i can always try six again at a later date so they can all fully share the new enclosure but if this is what makes them all happy then i'm fine with that

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No worries. And i remember feeling desperate when doing the bonding and popping in and wondering where everyone was! :lol: Hopefully, you'll be in the situation where you can reassure others going through the same too.

It sounds like you've done the best for Nora - it's not nice to see them so stressed.

tonibun said:

Some of us have a lot of other things to do, such as care for 50+ rabbits!

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If you're unable to help the original poster, it might be a goo didea not to post rather than reply in a way that is unhelpful

Thanks Grin, and i don't think i will be a bonding expert any time soon but i can offer my own experience and perspective i guess i think others opinions are even helpful, when your so stressed and concerned nothing is clear!

and i think i did what was best, she didnt look like she was coping, i know bonding is meant to be stressful but it was just too much. hopefully i will be able to post a new thread about a successful quad and couple sometime soon!

thanks heapsss

and thanks SOAD :wave: