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Bonding male and female

Cass

New Kit
So I've own 4 rabbits over the last 10 years, over the last year I've lost 3 😔 so to cut a long story short she was bonded with a female rabbit (her sister) then a male rabbit.
The thing I am worried about this time round with her bonding is that the male rabbit she was bonded with last was my original rabbit so she already knew of him and his scent prior to bonding and was familiar with it for 4 years prior to bonding (as I had 2 separate pairs of rabbits, both lost their partners so I bonded these 2 then unfortunately lost him beginning of this year 😞)
now I have a new male neutered bunny adopted from a rescue centre, he's very laid back and placid and normally so is she, however I've placed their runs opposite each other so they are within site and smell of each other, he doesn't really show interest, carries on eating his grass, whereas she is really keen wanting to get to him, however I done the same this morning and she actually lunged at her run. Yesterday she did eventually lie down next to where there runs are.
So I'm really after tips and tricks purely as I've not introduced a male into a females territory/environment before!
I think my plan will be leave them as they are for a week, then start swapping trays and things so they are used to each other's scent, then allowing them to meet face to face in my bathroom (as their neutral territory)
Any tips and advice would be much appreciated! And apologies for the essay!
 
Hello there and welcome to the Forum. It would be best to put them both in a neutral area where they can remain for a few days in order for them to bond with each other. It is best not to separate them during this time unless of course there is fighting. The male should chase the female a bit and hopefully she will run away until she feels more confident with him.

I personally don't see the need to keep swapping trays etc as they can smell one another perfectly well without doing that but maybe it helps in some cases although I've never done that.

Alternatively, if you have a secure garden and somewhere safe for the night time, you could just let them free range together, this will give the female more space to dodge him and she won't feel the need to attack. It will possibly take 3 or 4 days of this regime before they feel confident enough with each other to be able to live in a confined space.

Having said all that, each pairing is slightly different depending on the personalities of the rabbits concerned. Hope you have success.
 
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