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Guidance/advice please on bonding and introduction

Craig 1965

Warren Veteran
Please may I ask for your varied opinions/help and guidance again on a bonding issue. Some of you may have been following the odd posting I've had with Lillian bun - our new and only bun so far. We are looking to bond her but this is likely to be in the new year. Thus far, Lillian is an indoor bun making herself very comfortable in the living room with her comfort toy bun, ginge. Lillian is about 18 months old, and we are looking to get her spayed in December - certainly in the next 4 weeks. After spaying, it takes about 4-6 weeks for her hormones to settle. Lillian has had free roam of the room so far and she enjoys galloping round the garden when weather allows. She has also taken a shine to our old hutch which is empty following the loss of our 2 bonded buns about a month ago. This means she is probably teratorial with the outdoor hutch and possibly the garden - although it is quite a large garden.
I have seen a really sweet young bun called Henry at rabbit rehome who looks like a gorgeous wee boy and I would very much like to consider bonding him with Lillian (if he was still available). He has been neutered and is 2 years old and looking for a bun to keep him company. My thoughts are, if we were to get Henry, then we'd also get a second hutch to avoid any conflict or territory issues even though Lillian is (and probably will be) indoors over the next few months. We also have a second indoor hutch if needed.
Any potential bonding would need to be on neutral ground - might be a bit tricky that, and done once Lillian has recovered from her op. Potentially having the 2 buns indoors and in view of each other might help until the physical bonding begins but if we got Henry, we couldn't really let them begin bonding until Lillian was fully recovered.
I would dearly love to find Lillian a partner and I'm sure she will be happy to bond once she has been spayed. Failure is always a possibility but I would very much hope to avoid as much conflict as I can and would like both buns (if I got Henry) to be happy together. I would also assume we'd have to then use the newer hutch for the home because Lillian would regard the present hutch as hers.
Please can you give me any tips/advice and help with this please so that I can consider making enquiries with regards to Henry.
Thank you all in advance - craig (and Lillian)
 
I think everything you have said in your post is correct except that it might take a bit longer for her hormones to settle, depending on how she is, ie some females are more hormonal than others. As you have a big garden perhaps this would be the best area in which to introduce the 2 buns and the larger space would give you more of an idea as to how they are interacting. If the female attacks the male then maybe you will have to rethink how and where to bond them. If the male chases the female, and she runs away then this is a very good sign - it means she is submissive to him and it should work out successfully. If your Doe is very quiet there may be hardly any interaction when bonding and this is also very good and less stressful for the human! You will have to find her a partneras youdon't wnt her to be on her ownand this little chap sounds good. He is a good age, not too young, and neutered, so .....
 
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