• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Bonding an ABSOLUTE soft-as-muck male with a new bossy female.

Tel

New Kit
I have currently 2 house Rabbits. Not introduced to each other yet and it is very early days of having the 2nd.

First is Bing, Male about a year old, Neutured. We adopted him when he was about 3 months old (they couldn't tell us exactly how old he was) He, up until recently had full run of the house (and garden if he wishes but only goes out when we are with him) he is the sweetest, shy, loving but also the most needy little soul. I love him dearly. You come home and he bolts towards you, gets on your lap, head down waiting for stokes.

After much thought and googling and reading and asking at pet shops, we decided to get him a friend as he just needs some one to be with him all the time and think he would be much happier if he had a companion.

A few weeks ago we adopted a female, Ella, about 10 months old. Not neutured yet (booked in for next week) she is extremely outgoing, cheeky, curious and bossy but also very, very loving. They are separate, Bing has the kitchen and dining room, Ella the hall, living room and a cage (at the moment, I hope for her to be like Bing that just gets shut in the kitchen at night.

Now I know they can not meet until she has been done and the hormones have died down, but when they are, would positive reinforcement help/work?

For example: Ella is safe in her cage with a treat, I let Bing out to the hall and he has a treat also just by her door so they can see each other, would they associate each other with 'safe treat time'? would this help towards the next steps of one on each side of the baby gate?
 
I would say that now you are so close to having Ella spayed, it will be best to get that over with and in a few weeks' time introduce them, perhaps on his territory or somewhere neutral but not on her territory. Anything you do beforehand won't make much difference. I would try to keep any stress to a minimum during this time.


Ella will have claimed the area she is in as her territory and most female rabbits will not allow another rabbit in there. She will attack him.
 
Back
Top