Help with bonding please. What's normal?

I collected a 4yr old neutered female bun from the SSPCA on mon. She's very quiet and placid. Pretty unsure of herself and surroundings at the mo. I've had her in a cage next to mushroom so they can sniff thru the bars etc and she doesn't seem concerned by him at all. She's interested but not growling or foot stamping or showing any signs of aggression.

Mushy is 6 months old now and was neutered a month ago. He's very interested by Lola's presence and seems very excited by it!! They were introduced to each other at the rescue and he did try to hump her a lot which she just put up with. So this morning I've taken them both into the kitchen to meet each other again in the open and all mushy wants to do is hump her!! She's growled but that's it and I've been just lifting him off her when he does it.

So is this normal? Should I interfere or let her stick up for herself tho she doesn't seem like she'll tell him off?! Help! There's no malice in him I don't think. He doesn't seem to want to hurt her at all. He is a very bold and confident bun tho. I just want them to love each other and then they can go outside and live in my lovely huge hutch and run that's waiting for them. Any advice much appreciated.

Do you know when your doe was neutered?

I think it takes about 6 weeks for hormones to settle so your boy isn't ready to be bonded yet.

Personally, I would separate completely (I wouldn't even let them see each other, let alone smell one another) for the time being otherwise you run the risk of spoiling any chance of bonding.

When it's 'time', you will need a completely neutral area for bonding, so it cannot be regarded as the territory of either of them.

The rescue said she was spayed in her first year. She's 4 now. My plan was to bond them in the new outdoor set up as neither has ever been in it so it'd be a completely neutral place. However the rescue said I should put them in 2 seperate cages next to each other indoors so I can monitor them and let them speak thru the bars. Let each one out in turn and then both together for short supervised periods. They know my boy was only neutered a month ago tho he didn't display any typically male behaviour before he was done. I guess I thought since he never seemed hormonal pre neuter that he wouldn't now.

So if I seperate them now, when it comes to introducing them again should I just do it outside? Do I build up to it by dividing them and letting them talk thru the bars or do I put them in together straight away and monitor them? And if I do that do I seperate them again at night?

Thanks.

I think you would be wasting your time putting them together indoors because when you eventually put them outside tthey would have to re-establish their hierarchy. what I would do is pop the boy into their new living accommodation followed by your female and monitor them. You have a perfect setting in that it is completely neutral to both rabbits so territory won't be a problem.

For 2 or 3 days the boy might chase the female trying to hump her but this is normal, they are just sorting themselves out together. For the first night, unless they seem really happy together, pop them back in their indoor cages so you can sleep and start again the following day. By day 3 they should be getting on much better and you should be able to trust them together at night.

Give them plenty of hay and have a few healthy treats ready when you first put them together. Also scatter their food as they won't be able to share a bowl at first as the female won't trust the male.

Hopefully there will be no confrontations and they will bond fairly quickly. Please let us know how it is going.

Thanks. That sounds like good advice. I'll definitely let you know how it goes. Hopefully the humping won't last too long!!!