could really use some advice

I have a neutered male and female that I have been bonding for a week.

The male is new to us. The female lost her partner a month ago.

The male lives in a hutch in the main run and the rabbits take it in turns to use the run. They can see and interact through the wires of their hutches.

They have had some time every day in a neutral run to bond each day. The male is very dominant with the female and she is very submissive. At first he mounted her a lot and pulled a clump of her hair out which was a little bloody but ok. He now grooms her and she pushes her face into him for grooming and now he seems to be licking her a lot around the wounded area (which is healing).

Today I let them out in the run together and opened the males hutch so they could explore together - they seemed to get on and ate a green leaf together. I then opened the female hutch and the male had a great time racing around exploring.

The problem is - I have just seen that the female has a large clump of hair missing from her rump - the skin is not broken.

Any ideas what I should do?

Hopefully this behaviour will subside. at least the female is submissive so that is a good sign. Just try now to leave them together so they can get the hierarchy sorted out and start to settle with one another.

Obviously if he persists in vbeing vicious then you will have to rethink the situation. but give them a chance to sort themselves out. It should take 2 or 3 days if together all the time.

Thanks so much for your reply.

Should I leave them alone overnight? I guess I have to - I can keep checking in on them throughout the day but they will be alone at night. Her hutch is massive with 2 floors and has open access to the run and I can leave his hutch open so I guess if she needs to escape him she can.

Did you neutralise the hutches with vinegar? If not this would help reduce any territorial squabbling.

Whether to leave them overnight will be up to you - when I am bonding I know if they will be ok to be left and if I'm doubtful I put them back in their rrespective hutches and start again the next day.

Thank you very much for your replies.

I left them in their separate hutches last night and then cleaned both hutches out using vinegar and water this morning. Great fun was had by both bunnies as I tried to get the run and hutches organised.

I have left them together all morning and so far so good - she is constantly going to him for grooming and she has even given him a little groom!

Although they are very distracted with all the activity that has been going on and they haven't settled down in either hutch, it's looking good.

Thanks for giving me the confidence to go on with this - I think without this forum I would probably have given up after the first couple of days!

No don't give up - it sounds like you have a very submissive female, quite often the female is very feisty making it very difficult to bond her with another rabbit. In a few days, all being well, they should have settled down together and beginning to bond. :thumb: