Rabbit boarding upsetting the bond

My rabbits are due to go I to boarding in September for the first time for a week and I'm a little worried. They have been bonded now just over a year with no fillings out but bonding them was very difficult and took quite a while. They are both quite dominant personalities and wanted to be top rabbit. Walter still gets a bit humpy and will follow Betty around and chase her but she doesn't seem to object too much. Betty can get quite stroppy over food though and we scatter feed to stop her.

We have visited the boarding place and the lady seemed lovely and the rabbits she was looking after, were well cared for. She has lots of experience too which puts my mind at rest with Betty having a poorly eye and needing medication (which is why I wanted to try boarding because it's quite a lot to ask someone to care for you rabbits with their additional needs for more than a couple of days).

My worry is that at home, they free range in quite a large room (house rabbit boarding is impossible to find and not ones who will let rabbits have free roaming of a whole room), and in boarding they will be in a hutch and run. I worry that when they start spending time together they will fall out and not rebond.

Has anyone had experience of rabbit bonding falling out when they are in a different environment?

Can rabbits be rebonded and is it the same harrowing process as before?

iggyperdyandme said:

I worry that when they start spending time together they will fall out and not rebond.

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Do you mean they are not housed together now, but will be when boarded, or do you mean they will be split up in different hutches/runs when boarded?

If they are together now, and kept together in the same hutch/run during boarding, then there should be no reason for their bond to break down especially if they have been bonded and living together for a year. And they are being boarded in neutral territory in an unfamiliar place, this should sthrengthen their bond if anything.

I think you have to assess the boarder on how well they have arranged the accommodation to decrease the risk of referred aggression. Does the fact they have a run mean they can see other rabbit? Because if it does you may have an issue there.

Mine are all arranged so no boarders can see any other rabbit, and I also don't routinely take un-neutered bunnies (apart form special exception due to age/health) as the smell of un neutered buns could mean referred aggression.

Last week I had in two bonded (neutered) brothers, and two un-neutered brothers (titchy_fish's buns - plums not dropped yet!) and there were no problems at all as they just can't see each other and I think that combination was probably at most risk of referred aggression if it is going to happen so I obviously kept a close eye.

With any boarder, just go with your gut instinct on it - it's what I always did :thumb:

I read it that the buns currently have a lot of space and therefore although living together are not particularly a snuggly pair and prefer their own space.

Personally I normally find a smaller space more stable and in difficult bonds increasing space hard, so whilst any change in environment could upset any bond I wouldn't be too worried. Obviously too small a space and boredom could cause problems, but I imagine you are referring to the difference between a whole house and an adequate hutch and large run rather than suddenly confining them in a 4ft hutch.

My biggest worry with a delicate bond would be referred aggression. So agree a boarder who is knowledgeable of this and either already situe accommodation out of direct view of other buns or can adhere to this is necessary would be preferable.

Thank you for replys. They are already housed together now but have quite a lot of space to play about in. I have already decided to get a load of new toys ready for their holiday so thy don't get too bored too.
They will be in a normal sort of set up with a run and hutch. I'm sure I'm just worrying for nothing. They haven't been aggressive since bonding a year ago but at the time, it took weeks to settle and they had a fight so we separated them for a bit but that was over a year ago now.
Walt sometimes chases but not aggressively. Do you know how you can you tell a fragile bond?

We have had countless bonded bunnies boarding with us and I can honestly say there has never been a problem when they have left to go home with their bond. We have it so bunnies can't see each other but of course they can smell each other .

I think your bunnies should be ok.

Tuckerbunnies said:

We have had countless bonded bunnies boarding with us and I can honestly say there has never been a problem when they have left to go home with their bond. We have it so bunnies can't see each other but of course they can smell each other .

I think your bunnies should be ok.

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Thank you, I hope so. I bet I'm just being a worry wart. The boarding seemed lovely and the bunnies their well cared for.

George and Harry are both dominant bunnies. George is the top bunny but Harry likes to push the boundaries now and again, especially over food. She will try and hump him when we feed them and since George hates this, it normally ends up with him chasing her and humping her again and again and again.

We boarded them at Tuckerbunnies last week, whilst we went on holiday, and they have settled back in with no problems at all.
In fact they seem even more loved up than normal. Loads of snuggling and grooming. There is still the commotion over food but they don't like to be separated. I brought them inside tonight for some free range time, bringing George in first and then Harry who took some coaxing to come in. George got quite upset waiting for her.

Awww it's reassuring to hear. They sound like they had a nice holiday too

Tuckerbunnies said:

We have had countless bonded bunnies boarding with us and I can honestly say there has never been a problem when they have left to go home with their bond. We have it so bunnies can't see each other but of course they can smell each other .

I think your bunnies should be ok.

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Same goes for us.....we've had countless bonded pairs staying with us over the years, and we've always sent them home still tightly bonded In fact, we've done a couple of bondings for customers as well

Tracey