bonding neville - absolute newbie to this.

after a lot of talking and consideration of my options for neville, this friday we will be going to gbh rescue to see if neville gets on with a little nethie doe called susan (alternative names welcome!). he'll be 5 weeks post neuter and i'm hoping he'll be ok to meet her as he wasn't very hormonal to start with. i then have 4 days until i am back in the office, so i'm hoping this is enough time to monitor them.

if they don't try to kill each other, susan will be coming home with us. the lady at the rescue is going to advise me, but what exactly do i do with them once i get home?!

this is what i imagined would happen - they travel home (an hour!) in the same carrier, a neutral small pen set up is ready and waiting for them in a room neville hasn't been in, neville goes in first followed by susan. i then watch them for the next 3-4 days. is that right? if it's going well, i can gradually increase their space and eventually move them into the room they're going to be living in?

obviously this is assuming the best possible outcome... i realise it could be a lot more problematic than that.

questions about the bonding pen:

- can they share a water bowl and large litter tray? or do they need one each?
- can they have a den/house (with 2 doors i assume) or is it too early for that?

scared :shock:

How exciting! You have got everything right, you only need 1 water bowl and normally we don't put any litter tray in at this stage. You have to forget all the good habits for now, give them plenty of hay and good luck.

tonibun said:

How exciting! You have got everything right, you only need 1 water bowl and normally we don't put any litter tray in at this stage. You have to forget all the good habits for now, give them plenty of hay and good luck.

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it's very exciting! he deserves it

thank you so much for your answers. ok, when can i introduce a tray? and can they have a little house to shelter in?

I wouldn't put anything in but hay, they could get territorial over a house, litter tray etc. Scatter feed and show no fear!

Don't think about introducing anything now, just go with the flow, you should perhaps wait until they are used to more space before thinking about that.

Don't know about the journey home together, it sounds likes a long journey if they were to have a scuffle and trying to separate rabbits in a moving car wouldn't be the easiest thing. Personally I would have them in separate carriers but facing each other perhaps. But I've never done that before.

https://www.facebook.com/notes/the-rabbit-crossing/my-guide-to-how-i-bond-rabbits/463430373700695

Hmm, I was also wondering about the journey home.

Has anyone else got any opinions on them travelling home for an hour together?

ive heard that traveling in a car is a good bonding experience but agree with aly&poppy its a long journey and they would be hard to separate! if someone is going with you then they could sit in the back and have a second box set up to quickly separate if anything goes wrong. if not i would travel them separately

Neve said:

ive heard that traveling in a car is a good bonding experience but agree with aly&poppy its a long journey and they would be hard to separate! if someone is going with you then they could sit in the back and have a second box set up to quickly separate if anything goes wrong. if not i would travel them separately

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I don't drive so I'll be sitting in the back with them...

Any thoughts with this new info?!

I should think they will be ok together in the car but can't be 100% sure. If they are bonding well then you could put a litter tray in on the third day. Otherwise you will have to "play it by ear" as they say. What about Susie?

tonibun said:

I should think they will be ok together in the car but can't be 100% sure. If they are bonding well then you could put a litter tray in on the third day. Otherwise you will have to "play it by ear" as they say. What about Susie?

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Thanks Toni.

I guess I'll go with what the rescue say re travelling
Home, will take two carriers.

Susie is on the list, Suri, Sula, Sookie (don't like!) or a complete name change depending on whether she's good at name recall!

If you are sitting in the back with them I'd be tempted to try the same carrier. I'd take a spare though as that way you can stop and seperate if needed. Most bunnies will take comfort from each other when in a stressful situation like a car.

I don't put anything in the bonding pen except hay hay and more hay. Its an excellent distraction, and anything like a litter tray can be owned. I do usually opt for multiple bottles/bowls though as you have to supply water and I don't like the thought of anybun not being able to get a drink if one bun is blocking them.

Just wishing you good luck for tomorrow. Can't wait to see piccis

Very best of luck with Neville and his new lady xxx

Thank you

Oh - how big should the bonding pen be? It can be 120 x 60cm or 60 x 60 cm with the way the puppy pen channels measure...

People use different sizes. I would go for 120 x 120 xx

Oh showed me some alternative ways to join the panels so it's about 110?

He was very upset at first though as I've sort if taken over 'his' room (Xbox lol) as it's the most neutral. I had told him but it seems the message got misunderstood. Soon sorted after allowing to apply his logical mind to the pen set up!

Got a morning at work in London first - not sure I'll be able to focus as got bunnies on the brain!

This is Susan http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/moreinfo.asp?RabID=33634

http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/moreinfo.asp?RabID=33634

Couldnt get the link to work but looked her up on the rabbit rehome site xxx

They are going to look so good together. Reposted the link for you. :wave:

Aly&Poppy<3 said:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/the-rabbit-crossing/my-guide-to-how-i-bond-rabbits/463430373700695

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Thanks - I did read thoroughly very useful!

Just a little update:

No aggression so far, just Susie (not sure whether to keep the name or not) becoming a bit scared of Neville when he's trying to mount her. Neville has been grooming her eyes non stop! They've been sharing food ok.

The rescue recommended splitting the pen when unattended as it's just not worth a fight - so I did so at night and when I go out of the room.

Susie is SO sweet and so tiny! Neville is like a giant in comparison hehe.