Bonding: George & Harry

My sister and I started to bond our 3 bunnies yesterday. We have George (male dwarf lop), Hershel (male mini lop) and Harry (female dwarf lop) and all neutered.

I tried to bond George and Hershel back in March http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?383657-Failed-at-the-1st-hurdle-UD-Grooming-through-partition but unfortunately Hershel just wouldn't accept George trying to be the dominant bunny, they ended up fighting and had to be separated. People recommended trying the long bond method, so I partition off the run and let them get to know each other.
Things seemed really positive with the two boys grooming each other through the mesh, so we tried bunny dating and they fought again with Hershel sustaining a bite to his back. So it had put us off trying to bond them for a while.

In the meantime we have got another bunny, this time a little girl called Harry, who is the little sister of George. Anyway she has been in one of the boys old hutches (they have a double stacked 6ft ryedale), which wasn't ideal as she's got older as unfortunately it's only 4ft. I would like her in the good hutch for winter. So with it the aim to either bond her either one or both the boys, we got her neutered in August. She had a bad neuter (stopped breathing under anesthetic), but has now recovered nicely.

So moving along to now, my parents are on holiday so we planned a weeks holiday off work to bond the bunnies.

I set up the puppy pen, with loads of hay and treats in the middle. And we placed both boys in at the same time, stroking them and allowing them time to adjust. We then allowed Harry to enter the pen from her travel box, as she is most territorial of her hutch. It became obvious in the first five minutes that Hershel wasn't happy, at first he flattened himself to the floor with his head down, but then if George or Harry went near him he kept lunging at them.
So we made to decision to remove Hershel from the bonding attempt. I am upset for Hershel as he and George seemed to have developed a nice relationship through the mesh, always sitting next to other other, grooming, etc.

But it was the right decision, after a little while of both George and Harry ignoring each other, whilst they had an extended breakfast, George decided to assert his dominance by humping Harry. She was really good and just accepted it. Within the next 30 minutes we had George grooming Harry and then about an hour into the bond she reciprocated will little grooming attempts. She then groomed him properly and they were quite relaxed in each others company.

About mid afternoon, some dominance issues have risen, and Harry tried to hump George instead, although he isn't happy, he didn't bite her but it did resort to a little bit of chasing in the pen. So I put a stop to it. George was obviously a bit upset by this as he got a bit jumpy around every time she goes near his bottom. And as she decided she likes to lie on top of him and binky jump on him, we decided to take 4 hour shifts over night to watch over them.

George has since reaffirmed the dominance issue and although she did try it again just before midnight they are back now seem relaxed. As I type this George is grooming her whilst she has flopped out. Everything is looking very promising at the moment. :thumb:

Some pictures of you. George is the Sooty Fawn, and Harry is the Black/brown & white.

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Aww, looking promising what are you planning for Hershel now things haven't worked out quite as you'd hoped?

Zoobec said:

Aww, looking promising what are you planning for Hershel now things haven't worked out quite as you'd hoped?

Click to expand...

Not 100% sure for the long term. During the summer we had set up a temporary run for Harry next to Hershel's end of run and he was okay with her being there. So for now I will continue with the partition as he obviously enjoys the company and interaction, maybe just not that close.
Next year I plan on building a new longer run with roof and easy front access, so will have to make it a double run and then maybe see about adopting him a girlfriend. I'll need the run in place first though as our set-up isn't perfect at the moment.

George and Harry have continued to be loved up and very relaxed in each other's company, so we have now given them a litter tray which they have been happy to share.
So far there's been no further issues of dominance, as Harry seems to have accepted George is the boss. He keeps demanding grooming from her and she is quite happy to oblige.

I am really pleased with the way this is currently turning out.
If they continue this way, I plan to neutralise/clean out George's hutch/run and then move them to the hutch (6x2ft) at the weekend. I'll leave them in the hutch again for the week and then if all is okay allow them run access next weekend.

George and Harry have been allowed into the run today. So far we've had no major problems.

I have noticed a couple of times, that Harry has gotten a little bit pushy with George and was a bit apprehensive about allowing them into the run. But from having Harry indoors as a baby and then when she got neutered, she can get a bit frustrated when space is restricted. As we've had no real problems I still decided to go ahead and she seems a lot happier out in the run.
George is well and truly hen pecked but has a lovely gentle nature with her and with help calm her down with grooms and licks.

The run is connected to their hutch with a runaround kit, and as she's never used them before it was quite funny watching her figure it out. Harry was sat in front of the tunnel looking down it and George was trying to push her out the way do he could go down. Once George disappeared down the tunnel it didn't take her long to try it out. Must have been the slowest bunny I have ever seen creeping along it. And she was rather comical getting out of it. But she has now found her courage. :thumb:

My other rabbit Hershel has missed George not being in the run this week. As soon as George was in the run, he was at the partition mesh trying to groom him. When Harry got into the run, he has been sniffing her and running along the width of the run. He will settle down eventually as he did over the summer when she was the portable pen next to his section of run.

But I am currently really pleased with both George and Harry. Even with her pushy moments, they seem so much happier with each other.

I really can't understand him not bonding with them as he obviously likes the company from them in the pen. But remove the mesh and he is lunging at them. Strange little Mini Lop. :?

We allowed George and Harry into the house for a runabout today. They have shared the hutch and run for the last week with no real problems, though Harry does get quite excited at breakfast/supper and sometimes tries to hump George. But George is so laided back he just ignores her.

We let them into the kitchen and as it is a dining room/kitchen combo we sat blocking it off in half. We didn't need to bother as both George and Harry showed no aggression and happily munched on some kale together and sat in their litter tray and groomed each other.

So we let them have full access to the kitchen and they quite happily hopped about, with Harry following her big brother like a little shadow.
Once George had down enough exploring he settled down under his favourite chair and Harry soon joined him.

I've took some more photos on my phone, so I'll post them tonight as I am at work at the moment.

I am so pleased as this is my first successful bonding, but I didn't have to do much. They just choose each other.

Other good thing, is that Hershel is still happy to sit on the other side of the run partition and groom George, I haven't seen him do it to Harry but is also happy to sit or lay next to her as well. So at least he is getting some socialising with other bunnies. :thumb:

Aww. Glad the adorable looking Hershel is still getting some company through the mesh x

Sounds like a nice straight forward bond for the other two.