HELP please!bonding troubles, don't know what to do next......

[rosietherabbit]

I have bonded lots of rabbits over the years and felt pretty confident doing it.....til now, when my tried and tested method doesn't seem to be working and I've hit a brick wall and don't know what to do!

I brought home a 2 year old spayed female to my 5 year old neutered male 4 weeks ago. Started off on neutral territory once a day in our hall way, fully supervised. This is how I have always introduced rabbits in the past, and as all previous introductions - it went well. No fighting and both seemed happy in each other's company. The female even started grooming the male.

Carried on like this for a week, was all good and both sat together and although it was always the female grooming the male and not the other way round, he showed an active interest in her by putting his head to nudge her to groom him, and seemed happy to cuddle up with her.

So I thought I'd try them in a 5ft run in the garden, moved to an unused part of the garden. Here the fur pulling and nipping started, she'd bed ok for a bit but then start pulling big clumps or fur out of his back, or chasing him or nipping. Then he thumps feet and runs off every she gets near. Tried a few more times but no . Tried back in the hallway inside and the get on great.

So basically I'm puzzled...why do they get on inside but not out? They currently live with mesh divider between them and interact well between that, but outside full contact just ends up in constant chasing and fur pulling. And it's not just a bit of fur pulling, he now has many bald patches on his back if you part his fur. Have even tried in different hutch which should be neutral but was just constant with her after him and him thumping feet and running and big clumps of fur. No improvement in 3 weeks and I know in bunny terms that is short but have just never had this before and it's really stressing me out!

Do I try and bring an indoor cage in the house and try them in that or give them a break for a few weeks or what?i know fur pulling is normal in the beginning but Can't imagine my male should have bald patches like this and in the past any chasing and fur pulling has eased up well before now. What do I do? Please help!

 

[Santa]

It's quite common for this to happen if you move rabbits early on in establishing a bond, they feel the need to assert hierarchy and territory over the new space. I would stick with the indoor space you've been using until they are firmly bonded (left permanently together without problem). I normally wouldn't suggest moving a newly bonded couple anywhere different or increasing their space for at least 48 hours into them being permanently together in wedded bliss, preferably longer - if it is known to cause tension I wouldn't try a different territory for a couple of weeks. It all sounds positive indoors so hopefully it will work out ok, it just sounds like you'll have to stick with one territory until the bond is established fully and then take any move slowly.

 

[tonibun]

How long has she been neutered? Were there any other rabbits around when you put them in the garden?

 

[rosietherabbit]

How long has she been neutered? Were there any other rabbits around when you put them in the garden?

I think she has been spayed a while, she came from a rescue place and they didn't say when she was spayed but I think it was some time ago as she had been there a while and had already been spayed when I initially called up to see who was available and that was weeks before I visited and had home check etc. I have another pair of rabbits who are bonded, they hadn't been in the run or the area of grass I tried the other rabbits in, but they do live about 6 ft away from the others but not in eyeshot as both face outwards...do you think it's the smell?

Another update, disaster at 4am this am, heard thumping and rabbits running around, got up and went outside to find the new rabbit had managed somehow to leap over the divider which I thought was way higher than what she could ever get over. Fur everywhere from the male and she was in with him still. Even more of a set back now. Split then up and divider is huge now but feel like messed it up even more now she's got in with him and it'll probably cause more issues between them!

Thanks both for advice by the way, so helpful being able to ask advice on here, really appreciate the replies.