Been putting this bonding off-but going for it !

So this weekend is it. A bit of background- by boy is called Toffee, his sister is Treacle. They loved each other, and were very happy, then Treacle got hormonal, and had false pregnancies, at about 12 months old. She would often hump poor Toffees head, he never complained bless him, but he often looked stressed in the morning, and started doing wet poohs. The vet thought this was due to him being stressed, he is a really softy little bun.
Anyway had Treacle speyed in June, all went well, I brought her indoors to keep my eye on her for a week, and brought Toffee in for "visits". Maybe I put her back with him to soon, but after a nice afternoon together lying in the sun, suddenly all hell let loose. They were just a blur of fur, I had to separate them with a broom, there was fur everywhere. I was totally unprepared for that, and very upset. I really think that she started it, not her brother.
To keep it brief, they have lived apart ever since, in separate hutches, in a shed. They both have separate exercise space during the day.
The reason I haven't tried putting them together before now, is because basically I am scared it will happen again, and one will get really hurt. I'm biting the bullet though this weekend, as I owe it to them to get them back together. I hate the thought of them being apart through the winter. They will be indoors together in a small dog crate, I have puppy panels at the ready, and will stay with them 24/7.
Has anyone used pet therapy spray, would this be a good idea ?
I am so so nervous, and terrified of one getting hurt, bonding vibes really needed here !

My advice would be a really small space until they've been 'friendly' towards each other for 24 hours. Then start to increase the space SLOWLY over a few days. I usually play it by ear but each time I increase the space, I leave them in it for 24 hours before increasing again. I've found a loud clap of the hands accompanied with a vocal 'hey' is enough to stop any unwanted behaviour. Or a water spray on the fine jet setting is pretty good and won't hurt them.

I find it hard to know when to intervene to stop frisky behaviour but as long as humping, chasing and nipping isn't becoming too full on, I try to leave them to it. As soon as ears go back and the tail comes up, I jump in and stop it, but I try very hard not to separate them. If they're really getting narky with each other, I generally reduce the space to the size of a carry cage and take them for a walk around or, if necessary, a trip in the car. This normally creates just enough stress to make them realise that they don't hate each other quite as much as they thought. Some people don't like the 'forced' bonding method but it's the one I've always used successfully AND, when you're working full time, it's about the only one you can do unless you can take a 6 month sabbatical.

Mackers said:

My advice would be a really small space until they've been 'friendly' towards each other for 24 hours. Then start to increase the space SLOWLY over a few days. I usually play it by ear but each time I increase the space, I leave them in it for 24 hours before increasing again. I've found a loud clap of the hands accompanied with a vocal 'hey' is enough to stop any unwanted behaviour. Or a water spray on the fine jet setting is pretty good and won't hurt them.

I find it hard to know when to intervene to stop frisky behaviour but as long as humping, chasing and nipping isn't becoming too full on, I try to leave them to it. As soon as ears go back and the tail comes up, I jump in and stop it, but I try very hard not to separate them. If they're really getting narky with each other, I generally reduce the space to the size of a carry cage and take them for a walk around or, if necessary, a trip in the car. This normally creates just enough stress to make them realise that they don't hate each other quite as much as they thought. Some people don't like the 'forced' bonding method but it's the one I've always used successfully AND, when you're working full time, it's about the only one you can do unless you can take a 6 month sabbatical.

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Hi thanks for reply and advise, unfortunately delayed again, was going to start this weekend, but had bit of a car accident today, and got whiplash Don't really fancy sleeping on an air bed at the moment. Next weekend it is then :thumb:

Oh no, hope you'reok....

Good luck xxxxxx

Pets mum said:

Hi thanks for reply and advise, unfortunately delayed again, was going to start this weekend, but had bit of a car accident today, and got whiplash Don't really fancy sleeping on an air bed at the moment. Next weekend it is then :thumb:

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Hope you're feeling better soon.

I was really nervous about bonding too, b/c my girl had been ill with stasis and I was sooo scared of stressing her out. After two weeks - maybe longer - of bunny dates every night where we weren't really getting anywhere, I decided to go for the 'forced' bonding and chucked them in a plastic crate and carried it around my flat for a bit. I also plonked them in the bath for a while. I then gradually increased their space, over the course of a weekend, and moved them into different spaces as well. By the end of 48hrs, they were living together full-time. The slowly slowly method just didn't work for us, but intensive bonding did.

My advice would be to be brave. I really wanted to step in everytime they were chasing, mounting etc, but in the end they really do need to to sort it out for themselves, and they will. I read great advice that confirmed exactly what Mackers said - only jump in if they're actually gearing up for a fight. You don't them to injure each other after all!

I did sleep in the living room with them for the first night they shared their hutch. Once I got over the fear though, I found that they bonded super quickly

gem6517 said:

I was really nervous about bonding too, b/c my girl had been ill with stasis and I was sooo scared of stressing her out. After two weeks - maybe longer - of bunny dates every night where we weren't really getting anywhere, I decided to go for the 'forced' bonding and chucked them in a plastic crate and carried it around my flat for a bit. I also plonked them in the bath for a while. I then gradually increased their space, over the course of a weekend, and moved them into different spaces as well. By the end of 48hrs, they were living together full-time. The slowly slowly method just didn't work for us, but intensive bonding did.

My advice would be to be brave. I really wanted to step in everytime they were chasing, mounting etc, but in the end they really do need to to sort it out for themselves, and they will. I read great advice that confirmed exactly what Mackers said - only jump in if they're actually gearing up for a fight. You don't them to injure each other after all!

I did sleep in the living room with them for the first night they shared their hutch. Once I got over the fear though, I found that they bonded super quickly

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Hi thanks so much for this. I'm going for it starting this weekend, I've got a dog crate, puppy panels, my air bed and sleeping bag all at the ready. Have been swapping over toys, litter trays etc so hopefully that will help a bit. Wish me luck :thumb:

Pets mum said:

Hi thanks so much for this. I'm going for it starting this weekend, I've got a dog crate, puppy panels, my air bed and sleeping bag all at the ready. Have been swapping over toys, litter trays etc so hopefully that will help a bit. Wish me luck :thumb:

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Good luck, hope it all goes well :thumb: