Bonding - throw them all in or separate each day? Plus equipment needed.

Hi, I'm preparing to start bonding two of my buns, probably near the end of November when my girl is about 5 weeks post spay (my male was neutered 4 weeks ago).
So I'm just trying to get any tools I might need. So far I've got a dog crate to start the bonding in as it will be neutral territory and I'm going to put it in the only room neither of them has been in. I'm planning on buying a pen for when they start getting along so that I can gradually increase their space and see how they get on. I've got a water spray bottle, gardening gloves and a broom ready. I've also heard of using an animal calming spray to keep them relaxed if it doesn't start off well.
I'm going to buy a couple of new fleeces that neither of them will have used before to line the flooring of their crate and put food and hay in there with them to give them something to do. Is there anything else anyone can suggest I might need?
Also, the thing I am most confused about is whether to put them together for 10 minutes each day and gradually increase time together/ if they start a fight should I put them away in separate areas each day? Or, do I just throw them in together and NOT separate them (obviously I'd stop any big fights), once they are together in the crate they stay together until they get on? Which have you had most success with?
Don't know if it makes any difference but they spend every day in adjoining runs so are very used to each other and I've seen the girl lick the boys head once through the bars (she then also nipped him a couple of times).
Thanks for any help!

The difficulty with keeping separating them and then puting them together again is they sort of have to start the bonding process from the beginning again each time they are reunited.Some people do it that way but many set aside afew days when they can watch them closely day and night and put them together in their neutral space and simply referee only separating if they fight.Abit of scuffling is normal as is chasing and mounting but chasing in a "small circle" or a lot of biting can spell trouble.Ignoring each other is a good sign-they are sussing each other out.
Sounds like you've done your research and have everything ready.A couple of tunnels may be useful so the bunnies can hide but can enter and exit easily.Im not sure about the calming spray and wouldn't use it myself but maybe others have had success with it.

The best of luck with the bond.Hope it all goes well.

I used a puppy pen for mine when I bonded as it was easy to get to them if I needed to intervene.

I would have something to keep you entertained like a laptop. Also you can take pics to entertain us with. Food and drink for you so that it is easy to stay and watch for long periods.

I did the 24/7 thing in a pen in my bedroom. They were there for around two weeks! Not everyone has time to leave them that long before putting them into their new (neutralised with water and vinegar) home.

I made sure there was a litter tray per rabbit and one extra and that there were two water bowls. They had a big bonding pen and lots of piles of forage and hay so that no one could claim the food pile.

It really depends on your circumstances ie have you got time to be with them for long periods. Best of luck.

I do the 24/7 thing. Done it 4 times and each time I started really early morning, supervised all day and on all 4 occasions I was happy to go to bed at 10/11pm that night (with all the doors open and bells on the bars incase they did fight), as they had a couple of scuffles but all early on in the day and had improved significantly after 12/14 hours.

I use a large cage base with a puppy pen around, just fill the tray with hay and put a water bowl in the middle (sounds odd, I know. I started off with in one corner but if they chase each other they go in circles and it kept getting stepped in, putting it in the middle means they go around it and nobody can claim it).

Food gets scattered in there (I scatter feed anyway). No litter trays, toys or tunnels etc (aren't I mean!) as they may claim ownership and that can cause problems.

They stay in there until I am happy with their bond (for the trio this took 4 days), then they go out into one of the boarding hutches (9ft by 3ft) and then into their respective homes!

I don't use a broom. I would worry that as everything seems to happen so quickly a bunny might move in the way and get the bristles to the face (specifically worried about them going in eyes). I just have gardening gloves on and separate with my hands if necessary. I have a towel on hand to throw in if I need it but have never used it.

Hope that helps!!

I just put my hands on them and talked softly. Worked fine to separate them and they normally dislike being handled.

Thanks everyone, I think once they are in the crate I will leave them there until they are bonded! Do you reckon it's worth booking a couple of days off work? I thought of maybe starting the bonding on a Saturday morning and having taking the Monday and Tuesday off work. Hopefully by that point they will have the space of the crate and the play pen attached until the following weekend when I would attempt to move them into his hutch outside. I'm guessing I'd need to leave them for a day or so with just the hutch space so one doesn't try to claim the run as their own whilst one has the hutch. And then eventually put them both in the big run and hopefully they still get on!

Yes sounds like a plan:thumb:

Keep us posted on progress.

I think I have the bonding process planned out now but I'm thinking about their housing now - I have an aviary type run and another separate run on the grass. Currently my male (Albie) lives in a hutch in the aviary and there is another hutch in there with one of my females in (Boo Boo). I am planning on bonding Albie with my other female (Florence) and keep the housing set up as it is - hutches sharing the same aviary space. However, I am a little unsure whether the presence of Boo Boo fairly close would affect the bond Albie and Florence will hopefully have. Would having another rabbit in the same sort of area cause problems? They never actually see each other - I make sure none of them are running around the aviary whilst the other is in their hutch as I don't want to cause more issues with Boo Boo (she is awful towards other rabbits). But I'm just wondering if having her smell around would affect things with Florence and Albie?

Two of my bonded pairs live near each other but cant see each other and they are fine,there is a 2 foot gap between their enclosures.

I'm not sure about your particular situation though which is abit different to mine.Their might be a problem as the scent of Boo Boo might be confusing to them.