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Can someone help me on bonding two neutered rabbits?

I

iKlutz

New Kit
When I first got my rabbits, they was both female and they started fighting from the beginning to the point were they was injuring themselves. I had to sell one on (made sure it went to a good home).

So my rabbit has hit one year and she's neutered. I noticed she's extremely affectionate and just wants attention. She used to have behavioral problems before she was neutered - if attention wasn't given: she'll bite, wee and even jump on you. However, this is all sorted and she's practically the perfect rabbit. After her operation, she's never bitten and still overly affectionate.

So I thought, hey, I should get her another rabbit so she's not bored or lonely. I found on Facebook someone selling a male rabbit and listed him as neutered and friendly. I went to this place and he was gorgeous rabbit. I manage to pick him up without him biting me and was really friendly and isn't litter trained yet. (He was neutered approx. two months ago)

However, the bonding process.... when they were first put together. All he did was hump her and I was like.... what. (I know this is a sign of dominance but my rabbit wasn't happy but just stayed there - she isn't aggressive) I had to keep pulling him off a few times as she was getting annoyed and I didn't want a giant fight.

Nonetheless... everytime I put them together, he will always bite her! He's ran into her before as well. My boyfriend went out and moved him away from her with his foot and he started getting aggressive with him.

He'll bite us if we don't let him do what he wants to do and is a really lovely rabbit. He loves strokes and hugs but it has to be his way. I don't know what happened before he got to the lady we bought him from.

It's starting to effect my female rabbit, she's starting to look more and more lonely when he's there as she's always trying to get to him and snuggle up. I just really want her to be happy.

But I was wondering if anyone can give me any advice to make him less aggressive and to stop biting? Do you think this behavior will improve?

 
Do you keep putting them together then separating or keeping them together for a few days so they can get to know one another better.
 
I put them together, then separate them after about 20 minutes. The male rabbit keeps on biting her and you can tell it's going to kick off majorly between them.
 
When together are they in an area where your female rabbit has been as he may be scared of her if you are putting him into her territory, so he attacks her. Just trying to get a better picture of the situation.
 
Are you introducing them in a small neutral area? If you are putting them together where they know and have scent marked they will fight.
 
The area is always neutral. I've tried the kitchen, living room, outside, bathroom, in the bath and the landing. I've let them out in my room before and they're okay, my female rabbit will be going up to him and cuddling him and he'll just go over and bite her.

He tends to bit me if he doesn't get what he wishes.
 
iKlutz said:
The area is always neutral. I've tried the kitchen, living room, outside, bathroom, in the bath and the landing. I've let them out in my room before and they're okay, my female rabbit will be going up to him and cuddling him and he'll just go over and bite her.

He tends to bit me if he doesn't get what he wishes.
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When you say he 'bites' her you mean a proper deep bite or he pulls some fur out? I wouldn't let them loose in a room, you need to seriously restrict their space, I'm talking small dog crate to start with, you need to watch for signs of aggression (tail up head down, circling) and intervene before it becomes a fight, distract them, squirt them with a light spray of water for example. Fur pulling and humping is normal, they have to establish a pecking order. I'd give them a couple of weeks away from eachother and start again.
 
She circles his cage, as she's completely litter trained so she runs round my room as she wishes. But she means nothing by it, when I stroke Rue (male rabbit), she'll come over and hug right next to him and put her head down.

I let them out in my room just then and they're fine, it was until he went near her cage and she ran over, stood around for a minute and then he just bite her (I think that's territorial). (He really likes her cage more than his own, he isn't fully litter trained so he isn't allowed blankets) They were on the bed with each other just passing each other and ignoring each other - which I find perfect!

He's never drawn blood from her, he's pulled her fur out mostly. They don't really get into 'full fight' mode as I always get involved (They circle when this will happen, that's when I intervene, Rue doesn't give much warning when he's going to go for her, but I usually get him before he does). (I never let them leave my sight when they're together)

They were outside the other day and he just ran over and pulled fur off her tail! I made a high pitch noise and he stopped, I ran over to Luna (female rabbit) she came to me and I took her inside.
 
iKlutz said:
She circles his cage, as she's completely litter trained so she runs round my room as she wishes. But she means nothing by it, when I stroke Rue (male rabbit), she'll come over and hug right next to him and put her head down.

I let them out in my room just then and they're fine, it was until he went near her cage and she ran over, stood around for a minute and then he just bite her (I think that's territorial). (He really likes her cage more than his own, he isn't fully litter trained so he isn't allowed blankets) They were on the bed with each other just passing each other and ignoring each other - which I find perfect!

He's never drawn blood from her, he's pulled her fur out mostly. They don't really get into 'full fight' mode as I always get involved (They circle when this will happen, that's when I intervene, Rue doesn't give much warning when he's going to go for her, but I usually get him before he does). (I never let them leave my sight when they're together)

They were outside the other day and he just ran over and pulled fur off her tail! I made a high pitch noise and he stopped, I ran over to Luna (female rabbit) she came to me and I took her inside.
Click to expand...

If they have access to her cage it's not neutral territory and they will fight. You need to put them somewhere completely neutral with no toys or anything they have come into contact with and in a small space. This is the reason for the aggression. Clean everything with diluted vinegar to remove the smell, slowly increase there space over a few days as long as they are getting on and then you can think about putting them back in their accommodation together that you have neutralized. Otherwise you may end up with a full on fight and a vets bill.
 
Haha sorry, I don't think I was clear. They have their own cages. But Rue is in a smaller one because he's not litter trained. (I've let him in the cage so she can get a scent of him a few times before - without her knowing of course, I've also swapped toys and other things to get used to each others scents)

I have put them in smaller space but when I did that, they just fought as it was too contained for them both. She doesn't really fight, she's never bite him or gone for him at all. I put them both in cages environment, in a small area so they had to see each other, but Luna sulked and just wanted out as she was snuggling up to me at the end.

I've been placing their cages next to each other, so they can't touch each other but get used to each other, I've noticed improvement on their behaviour doing this.

Like I mentioned, on the bed they were fine, they went past each other and until Rue jumped down and went near her cage, she never went for him, she was just like, 'my cage' and he just bite her. Mustn't of been hard, he's bite me and never drew blood.
 
nursecroft said:
If they have access to her cage it's not neutral territory and they will fight. You need to put them somewhere completely neutral with no toys or anything they have come into contact with and in a small space. This is the reason for the aggression. Clean everything with diluted vinegar to remove the smell, slowly increase there space over a few days as long as they are getting on and then you can think about putting them back in their accommodation together that you have neutralized. Otherwise you may end up with a full on fight and a vets bill.
Click to expand...

They're not in the same accomodation - However, I may try cleaning everything in the kitchen with vinegar again and see how that will go, thanks for the advice on that :)
 
iKlutz said:
Haha sorry, I don't think I was clear. They have their own cages. But Rue is in a smaller one because he's not litter trained. (I've let him in the cage so she can get a scent of him a few times before - without her knowing of course, I've also swapped toys and other things to get used to each others scents)

I have put them in smaller space but when I did that, they just fought as it was too contained for them both. She doesn't really fight, she's never bite him or gone for him at all. I put them both in cages environment, in a small area so they had to see each other, but Luna sulked and just wanted out as she was snuggling up to me at the end.

I've been placing their cages next to each other, so they can't touch each other but get used to each other, I've noticed improvement on their behaviour doing this.

Like I mentioned, on the bed they were fine, they went past each other and until Rue jumped down and went near her cage, she never went for him, she was just like, 'my cage' and he just bite her. Mustn't of been hard, he's bite me and never drew blood.
Click to expand...

But you let them out around their cages? even if you swap toys and cages they will still defend them. I'm confused about what you consider 'fighting?' fur pulling and chasing is normal in bonding. They won't bond through cages, the process has to be with them together establishing a pecking order, it seems mean putting them in a small space but it does stop potential fights escalating and allows you to be in more control, the bigger the space the bigger the fight. They must be well away from their cages and toys.
 
Okay, Rue (male rabbit) he'll nip her, pull fur and I've seen him nip her near her bum (I read into that as being territorial). A week ago, if I left them too it he would just go for her (nipping) and this would escalate into circling and I would intervene.

When I put them in a small space, he just went for her.
When I put them into a larger space, they just ignored each other until when they got too close to each other.

I let them out in my room today as it seems to be quite good, if they meet, they sniffed each other and walked away. Until one point, were he nipped her behind the tail.

When they interact there is no toys, as I understand this could be territorial. I just swap the toys inside their cages when I clean them out. I read on a bonding website, this helps to get used to each other smells.

Also I put the cages near each other, as I read, they can get used to each other through the bars.

Also, I tried bonding in the bath - which didn't go down to well. I even tried to put the tap on slight to scare them. But it was only my female rabbit who was terrified, so I hugged her and placed a bathmat in the bath to calm her down. However, Rue kept nipping.
 
iKlutz said:
Okay, Rue (male rabbit) he'll nip her, pull fur and I've seen him nip her near her bum (I read into that as being territorial). A week ago, if I left them too it he would just go for her (nipping) and this would escalate into circling and I would intervene.

When I put them in a small space, he just went for her.
When I put them into a larger space, they just ignored each other until when they got too close to each other.

I let them out in my room today as it seems to be quite good, if they meet, they sniffed each other and walked away. Until one point, were he nipped her behind the tail.

When they interact there is no toys, as I understand this could be territorial. I just swap the toys inside their cages when I clean them out. I read on a bonding website, this helps to get used to each other smells.

Also I put the cages near each other, as I read, they can get used to each other through the bars.

Also, I tried bonding in the bath - which didn't go down to well. I even tried to put the tap on slight to scare them. But it was only my female rabbit who was terrified, so I hugged her and placed a bathmat in the bath to calm her down. However, Rue kept nipping.
Click to expand...

Trouble is putting them in a big room where they ignore eachother well not get them to establish a bond. Lots of car journeys in the same carrier really works, I do that a lot with bonding and always do it first before putting them into a bonding pen.
 
It may be worth contacting a local rescue to ask if they can bond them for you. The problem is that there's nowhere that's truly neutral anymore, even if you buy a new puppy pen/cage etc. You are also their property - you yourself are something that they could easily fight over. A new person will be less emotionally invested in the bunnies. The bunnies will pick up on your emotions and if you're stressed, they'll be stressed.

The rescue will probably want a donation but I think £50 or so should be enough. I'm sure they'll have someone experienced with difficult bonds. Everything would be totally neutral and meanwhile you could thoroughly disinfect everything and neutralise it with vinegar. Imo it'd be worth it to get them together and not have to experience the stress yourself.
 
yaretzi said:
It may be worth contacting a local rescue to ask if they can bond them for you. The problem is that there's nowhere that's truly neutral anymore, even if you buy a new puppy pen/cage etc. You are also their property - you yourself are something that they could easily fight over. A new person will be less emotionally invested in the bunnies. The bunnies will pick up on your emotions and if you're stressed, they'll be stressed.

The rescue will probably want a donation but I think £50 or so should be enough. I'm sure they'll have someone experienced with difficult bonds. Everything would be totally neutral and meanwhile you could thoroughly disinfect everything and neutralise it with vinegar. Imo it'd be worth it to get them together and not have to experience the stress yourself.
Click to expand...

Completely agree
 
Didn't realise rescues could actually do that, thanks for the heads up!

I might ring round and ask - thankyou!
 
nursecroft said:
Trouble is putting them in a big room where they ignore eachother well not get them to establish a bond. Lots of car journeys in the same carrier really works, I do that a lot with bonding and always do it first before putting them into a bonding pen.
Click to expand...

I want to try that as my friend drives, but if they're in the same thing, I'm scared a full on fight would happen :S I might do it where they're both able to move round on the back seat so I can intervene :)

Thanks for the tip
 
iKlutz said:
I want to try that as my friend drives, but if they're in the same thing, I'm scared a full on fight would happen :S I might do it where they're both able to move round on the back seat so I can intervene :)

Thanks for the tip
Click to expand...

Please don't drive anywhere with them loose on the back seat - that's not safe :shock:
 
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