Help with bonding please

I am a newer bunny owner. I have an older dutch rabbit, Marley. He is such a lover. I got him from a girl who just neglected him but he just loves attention. I recently got a new holland lop male ,unneutered. I am planning to get him neutered asap. He came from pretty bad living conditions. Im assuming he got absolutely no attention. I will just put my hand near him and he runs. He is getting a little better. He knows im the one who gives him yummy food. But still very skiddish. Any adive on bondig with him would be so great!

Hi, and welcome to RU :wave:. I wouldn't attempt to bond the boys until they're both neutered. Then it's best to wait a few weeks post-neuter to allow hormones to settle before attempting the bond. You want a COMPLETELY neutral space in which to bond. Any room in the house will do where neither bunny has been previously. If they've both been in all rooms, you'll need to wash everywhere to remove existing bunny smells (a 50/50 white vinegar and water solution is often used).

I prefer to sit on the floor with both bunnies (I'm there to break up any chasing etc) in a SMALL space. I've bonded lots of bunnies over the years and have always found that too much space leads to running, chasing, nipping and then fighting. Normal bonding behaviours are humping, a little nipping, chasing. If they have their ears back, tail up in the air and lunge - INTERVENE as a fight is about to break out. Ignoring each other is good as is sitting or laying near each other. If you get mutual grooming then that's a brilliant sign. Don't rush to increase the space as I've always found that too much space, too quickly, leads to fighting over territory. Small steps a few feet at a time, until you think the bond is fairly good.

I normally allow a week for bonding (I take a week off work) and I have the airbed read so that I can sleep next to them. It's generally best if you keep them together once you've started the bonding process and sleeping on the floor next to their bonding pen means you can keep a close eye on them throughout the night. Once they've been together for at least 48 hours WITH NO SCUFFLES and are showing all the right signs of being bonded then consider moving them to their permanent accommodation. Move them with a dirty litter tray that smells of both of them and even scatter a little dirty litter around the (fully nutralised) enclosure. Expect a little territorial behaviour and be on hand to interveve. Bonding can occur in a few hours or can take weeks. Good luck, don't rush (be guided by the bunnies) and it'll all be worth it in the end.

Oh good! That is perfect thank you! Do you have any information on getting the new bunny used to me?

I sit on the floor and read a book and have the bunny out and running around the room with me. I pretty much ignore them until they seem comfortable with me being there and realise I'm not going to hurt them. Always do this on the floor at their level as bunnies don't generally like to be picked up. After a while, I feed them their pellets by hand. If you ALWAYS feed them by hand, they start to associate you with good things. Once they are happy to be hand fed, I start to gently stroke them whilst feeding. Just one light touch tostart with and if they accept this without moving away, you can try it again. You might find that just placing the back of your hand against them is as much as they can take. Eventually, you'll be able to stroke them without also having to feed them. Fresh tasty herbs such as dill or parsley are always a good bribe for bonding with your bunny .

Thank you very much! I appreciate it!