Bundy is a neutered 1 year old male and we just lost his life mate, Spud, suddenly who he had a great bond with. She died under anaesthesia for spaying. The vet advised us to get another female rabbit. We just got a new girl around 8 months old and she is super friendly, playful and trusting. She also seems really keen on getting to know Bundy but he growls, lunges and tries to bite her through the pen. He's usually a mild tempered trusting of anyone kind of bun! It's only day 2 and when they met face to face in neutral territory Bundy was extremely aggressive, I only read afterwards we should wait a week or so before doing dates so I feel a bit bad.
I have their pens close but not touching, however Bundy can't cope with her free roaming while he's in his pen, we even put blankets around the sides to stop her sticking her nose in because she's so curious but our usually tame boy was pacing and rattling the cage, wouldn't even accept banana for distraction! When he's roaming we have to keep blankets over her pen too because he keeps sticking his nose in and when she tries to lick his face he snaps at her!
It seems he can't tolerate even the thought of her and I'm wondering if this bodes badly for future bonding. She has yet to be spayed and we will do that soon but I'm understandably nervous about spaying her after what happened to dear Spud! I didn't expect him to react so aggressively considering he had a happy relationship with an unspayed female before.
I have to free roam her in a different room now so he doesn't know she's outside her pen and I'm worried about trying stress bonding because I feel like I'd be putting a mouse in a box with an angry cat and he would tear her up the second I put them in together. I feel all I can do is swap their pens each night and let him deal with having to smell her scent her all night.
I understand I may have to wait til she's been spayed before starting face to face dates agaib but she has showed zero aggression or dominant behaviour to him, just pure curiosity and he lashes out at her at any opportunity so I'm not entirely sure if it will change his behaviour towards her.
Does anyone have any suggestions considering we've started out with violence? Even something to make him tolerate her presence in the room? Should I go try stress bonding early on? Should I seek a professional instead? I'm so worried they'll never get along now.
I have their pens close but not touching, however Bundy can't cope with her free roaming while he's in his pen, we even put blankets around the sides to stop her sticking her nose in because she's so curious but our usually tame boy was pacing and rattling the cage, wouldn't even accept banana for distraction! When he's roaming we have to keep blankets over her pen too because he keeps sticking his nose in and when she tries to lick his face he snaps at her!
It seems he can't tolerate even the thought of her and I'm wondering if this bodes badly for future bonding. She has yet to be spayed and we will do that soon but I'm understandably nervous about spaying her after what happened to dear Spud! I didn't expect him to react so aggressively considering he had a happy relationship with an unspayed female before.
I have to free roam her in a different room now so he doesn't know she's outside her pen and I'm worried about trying stress bonding because I feel like I'd be putting a mouse in a box with an angry cat and he would tear her up the second I put them in together. I feel all I can do is swap their pens each night and let him deal with having to smell her scent her all night.
I understand I may have to wait til she's been spayed before starting face to face dates agaib but she has showed zero aggression or dominant behaviour to him, just pure curiosity and he lashes out at her at any opportunity so I'm not entirely sure if it will change his behaviour towards her.
Does anyone have any suggestions considering we've started out with violence? Even something to make him tolerate her presence in the room? Should I go try stress bonding early on? Should I seek a professional instead? I'm so worried they'll never get along now.
