Bonding 2 females that have always been in separate cages

Paulgibbonzz · Dec 17, 2013

Hi I started with 2 female rabbits in one hutch then 6 months later I got 2 more female rabbits and they lived in another hutch facing each other, I tried letting all 4 rabbits play together but with no success as they would all either fight or hide. Sadly 2 of my rabbits have passed away and I now have 2 rabbits one in either hutch, I've tried on numerous occasions letting them both out for a run together so I could eventually put both rabbits in one hutch, they still fight and when I say fight I mean chasing each other and biting each others fur out until one gives up and hides away. Are there any techniques I could try or they just simply believe I'm letting them out together to fight? When either one is for a run they always end up perched right outside the others hutch and they are basically sat together but through the mesh wiring, there's nothing more I'd love for them to both cuddle, clean and keep each other warm in winter but there just doesn't seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel, I would open any advice you have to offer, thanks

Babsie · Dec 17, 2013

Rabbits are very territorial and will fight badly (often with disasterous consequences) if not introduced and bonded properly in a neutral space where neither of them has been.

First of all, though, are they spayed?

The Duchess · Dec 17, 2013

Babsie said:
Rabbits are very territorial and will fight badly (often with disasterous consequences) if not introduced and bonded properly in a neutral space where neither of them has been.

First of all, though, are they spayed?

Agree with the above.

Spaying if they aren't already done is a must do and then no introductions until the hormones drop which could be 4-8 weeks or more but usually 6 would be good enough. They find somewhere where neither has ever been, a small enclosed area where you can sit and watch them continually for the period of the intitial introductions is necessary.

There are different ways to bond bunnies (they are all different and therefore need slightly different ways to deal with it depending on what you see) but the basics remain the same. Neutral space, neutered first, watch like a hawk and don't expect it to happen overnight.

Some bonds can take a week or more to settle into some routine and by trying to go too fast it might just mean it will never work.

So set aside some time for this, get everything ready and then spend your time concentrating on what you are seeing and adjust the procedure accordingly. Chasing and mounting is acceptable but biting or scratching where injury is likely is not. So if you see any blood/fur with plugs of skin then you must stop for the sake of the rabbits. And do not leave them unattended until you can see for sure they are very happy - fights can start in seconds and can result in serious injury.

Lots of info about bonding these days on the internet so I'm sure you'll find a way of doing it that suits them.

But please be aware that bonding females is possibly the hardest type of bond to try. You would possibly be better off getting them a husbun each and keeping them as pairs.

If you are on Facebook this might be useful and is a guide to how I bond for rescue purposes. https://www.facebook.com/notes/the-rabbit-crossing/my-guide-to-how-i-bond-rabbits/463430373700695

I have also used the slowbonding method with lots of space and tunnels for a trio of my own rabbits where one was very very scared and it worked so I will at some point revise the info in the note above to reflect that too)

Zoobec · Dec 17, 2013

The Duchess said:
Agree with the above.

Spaying if they aren't already done is a must do and then no introductions until the hormones drop which could be 4-8 weeks or more but usually 6 would be good enough. They find somewhere where neither has ever been, a small enclosed area where you can sit and watch them continually for the period of the intitial introductions is necessary.

There are different ways to bond bunnies (they are all different and therefore need slightly different ways to deal with it depending on what you see) but the basics remain the same. Neutral space, neutered first, watch like a hawk and don't expect it to happen overnight.

Some bonds can take a week or more to settle into some routine and by trying to go too fast it might just mean it will never work.

So set aside some time for this, get everything ready and then spend your time concentrating on what you are seeing and adjust the procedure accordingly. Chasing and mounting is acceptable but biting or scratching where injury is likely is not. So if you see any blood/fur with plugs of skin then you must stop for the sake of the rabbits. And do not leave them unattended until you can see for sure they are very happy - fights can start in seconds and can result in serious injury.

Lots of info about bonding these days on the internet so I'm sure you'll find a way of doing it that suits them.

But please be aware that bonding females is possibly the hardest type of bond to try. You would possibly be better off getting them a husbun each and keeping them as pairs.

If you are on Facebook this might be useful and is a guide to how I bond for rescue purposes. https://www.facebook.com/notes/the-rabbit-crossing/my-guide-to-how-i-bond-rabbits/463430373700695

I have also used the slowbonding method with lots of space and tunnels for a trio of my own rabbits where one was very very scared and it worked so I will at some point revise the info in the note above to reflect that too)

I just read through that link and I think it's absolutely fantastic

. It ought to be a sticky on here :thumb: If I'd have had that before bonding my quad it would have saved me hours of trawling through endless bonding posts to get all the information together. Not that I minded but I constantly seemed to have sore eyes and a headache at the time just reading through everything :lol:

The Duchess · Dec 17, 2013

Zoobec said:
I just read through that link and I think it's absolutely fantastic . It ought to be a sticky on here :thumb: If I'd have had that before bonding my quad it would have saved me hours of trawling through endless bonding posts to get all the information together. Not that I minded but I constantly seemed to have sore eyes and a headache at the time just reading through everything :lol:

That's very kind of you to say so, thank you.

tulsi · Dec 17, 2013

Zoobec said:
I just read through that link and I think it's absolutely fantastic . It ought to be a sticky on here :thumb: If I'd have had that before bonding my quad it would have saved me hours of trawling through endless bonding posts to get all the information together. Not that I minded but I constantly seemed to have sore eyes and a headache at the time just reading through everything :lol:

I agree. A brilliant link.

The Duchess · Dec 17, 2013

tulsi said:
I agree. A brilliant link.

Thank you.

I stand by all that I have written but I have also found new ways of doing things since I first penned that. I am learning every time I bond and sometimes I just rip up the rule book.

A bond I have just done meant I had to forget everything I have said to others as it was just not working but I knew that it would if I could just get the one rabbit to see that he was safe. He was my first ever rescue bunny and had lived with his mum his whole life (8 yrs) and she bullied him over food for that time (she recently passed away). So, he has to unlearn the fact that he had to fight for his dinner and this meant he was always defensive. Luckily for me it worked using a very slow process and a large space with lots of hidey holes. The two ladies he now lives with took it all in their stride, never retaliating and now I have a pretty happy trio.

That is the exception to the rule but illustrates how it's all well and good us all telling others how to bond but each bond is totally different and has to be based on the characters of the bunnies.

But the basics remain, neutered bunnies, totally neutral space and lots of time!

Bonding 2 females that have always been in separate cages

Paulgibbonzz

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