Trying to bond neutered male rabbits

I've ended up putting another litter tray in so there's the same things at each end of the pen. I'm hoping that will stop any guarding of a particular side. They seem to be sitting at opposite sides of the pen until Oreo moves, then Denzel chases him and sometimes there's a bit of fur pulling, with it ending with Oreo back at one side of the pen and Denzel at the other. I'm squirting water at Denzel every time he chases Oreo. There's no grooming between them or sitting close together. I'm wondering now if they will ever get on.
Having said that I've just gone in to them and they were near each other. Oreo had his head down in front of Denzel, does that mean he wants grooming? They were eating face to face too, I'm tending to put a lot more food in, I don't want them to be fighting over food.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

This is the pen set up at the moment.

Denzel and Oreo face to face



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I would take out the black box and the cardboard box as they are forming a kind of barrier across the middle and could be claimed as territory. I would use one big litter tray that they can both sit in together (underbed storage boxes are good) and put plenty of hay and herbs/forage in it. You might also need to remove the tunnels too so they don't claim one each.

Zoobec said:

I would take out the black box and the cardboard box as they are forming a kind of barrier across the middle and could be claimed as territory. I would use one big litter tray that they can both sit in together (underbed storage boxes are good) and put plenty of hay and herbs/forage in it. You might also need to remove the tunnels too so they don't claim one each.

Click to expand...

Thank you I will try that, I have a large tray which I can put in as the litter tray. I thought if Oreo could hide from Denzel he might calm down a bit which would hopefully stop Denzel chasing him. I think I'm worried that Oreo will stand his ground and there would be a massive fight.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Maybe one large tray and perhaps make the pen round, so they can't claim corners.

Right I've just taken everything out and left just one litter tray, Denzel is still chasing Oreo but will see how it goes


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

https://vimeo.com/199312828

I can't make the pen round but I've taken 2 corners off it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Denzel is the big bunny at the back stretching out


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This looks good to me, I just wish they were lying next to each other


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am certainly no expert, but I would say give them time.
Have you seen the mypamberedpets bonding videos on YouTube?

Horace the Bold said:

I am certainly no expert, but I would say give them time.
Have you seen the mypamberedpets bonding videos on YouTube?

Click to expand...

I don't think I have but I will check them out thankyou


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The last 2 mornings I have got up to find Denzel has jumped out of the pen and is guite happily sitting on the sofa. He's mooched around the room throwing the cardboard boxes and tunnels, I've taken out of the cage around. There's no tuffs of fur so I don't think they've been fighting. They're still no closer though, Denzel still chases Oreo. They will eat facing each but that's as close as they get.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

It seems like they are feeling more relaxed around each other:thumb: could you peg a sheet or put some boards or cardboard over the top of the run to form a barrier so Denzel can't jump out?

Denzel is an expert jumper, when I had them in separate pens next to each other he would jump out of his cage and on top of the cage that Oreo was in.
I think, this morning he has jumped out of the cage at night and then back in again before I got up.
I've put a few boxes back in cos they were both looking really bored. They seem happier now with the boxes in for them to chew up. They're sitting facing each other when eating. Denzel still chases Oreo but they both seem much calmer and there's been no tufts of fur for a few days now. I'm feeling a lot happier now.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Just when I thought everything was okay, Denzel and Oreo have had a big fight so I've had to split them up again. They've been living together in the same pen, I wouldn't say they were best buddies but they put up with each other and kept a respectful distance until feeding time when they would sit facing each other eating. Yesterday I gave their pen a real good clean out. I put them in the outside pen while I sorted it out. When I went out for them there were tufts of fur everywhere and Oreo had a cut foot. They came in together but we're fighting every time Denzel went near Oreo. I have had to split the pen again. I don't know if this is it now or if they will ever tolerate each other again. They can see each other through the pen so I will see how they get on.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am sorry they have had a fight - probably by putting them in a new enclosure. I have never bonded boys so can't offer any advice, sorry.

Just a quick update, Denzel and Oreo are still in separate pens, next to each other. At first they were attacking the cage trying to get each other, thankfully that's stopped now but I don't think I'm going to be able to put them back together again.
I'm a bit stuck really now. I hate seeing them in the smaller pens, they just don't seem happy. I've been in touch with the Rspca to see if they would be willing to swap a single female for one of my males but they can't do that. I've been in touch with rabbit rescues to try and swap one rabbit for a female but the latest is that both rabbits need to be vaccinated with nobivac and filavac. The vets have just informed me that that would cost £71.00 per rabbit. Their vaccination ran out in February. My husband thinks we should just take one back to pets at home but they won't check into where it's going so it could end up on its own in a small cage, just what I don't want. The rabbits are indoor rabbits so a life in a little wooden cage outside would be awful for them. I don't really know what to do now. I wish pets at home were more responsible and made sure people were really aware what is involved with keeping rabbits.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I'm so sorry to hear about this. I think we started bonding about the same time originally and I'm gutted to hear that it's not turned out well for you. This was my ultimate fear when I was bonding mine. I don't know that I have any advice to you that hasn't already been said in the past, although without reading the whole thread - have you tried taking them on a car ride?

If this doesn't work, are yours house bunnies or outdoors? Is there anyway you could keep both but keep them separate? Your husband might kill me for suggesting this ... but if you kept them both (my nightmare would be to have to choose between keeping one of my boys and which to give up, it would break my heart!) maybe you could get 2 females and bond them with your boys and you could then have 2 pairs and they would have bunny friends and not be lonely but you could keep both!!

I agree that PAH shouldn't be selling animals. These animals are bred for pet shops and are kept in tiny cages and so often these problems come up. Adoption from a rescue is always the best way forward, there are so many bunnies just waiting for loving homes and most rescues will match up bunnies and make sure you have a bonded pair to take home.

I'm so hoping you are able to keep both and get them bunwifes xxx