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Bonding Rolo and Nala

Archie90

New Kit
Hello everyone!

My first post here and just wanted to say what a great site this is full of great knowledge and tips.

On Saturday we adopted our female rabbit Nala to provide a friend for our boy Rolo who we have had for 9 months.

Nala is 6 months old and is unspayed, she will be getting this done next Tuesday.

She is in her own cage at the moment in another room locked away from Rolo who is a free roaming house rabbit.

She seems to of settled in well and although quite shy she doesn’t seem nervous.

When do you suggest putting Nala’s cage next to Rolos area so they can start the bonding process. We were told to have there cages side by side for at least two weeks before attempting a supervised meeting. I’m just scared that as she Hasn’t been spayed yet this could affect things but at the same time don’t want to keep her locked away for another week.

Any advice is much appreciated!

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Rolo

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Nala
 
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Hi, welcome to the forum :wave: Your rabbits are lovely, which is which?

I think you will get several different views on the issue you have raised, as people tend to have different methods of bonding. I presume it was the rescue who suggested that you put the cages side by side for two weeks before starting to bond?

Some people consider that having cages close like this is beneficial as the two rabbits can get used to each other's smells and also they can see each other. However, other people consider that to have rabbits close to each other like this can cause frustration as the rabbits can't physically get to each other. In your situation also you have the added complication that Nala will only just have been spayed and so will still be hormonal.

I would prefer to keep rabbits completely separate and then put them together in a neutral space. I would also attempt to keep them together from then, whilst obviously monitoring them closely for signs of aggression.

I hope it all goes well whatever you decide to do. I'm sure that others will contribute to this thread and give you their views.
 
Hi, welcome to the forum :wave: Your rabbits are lovely, which is which?

I think you will get several different views on the issue you have raised, as people tend to have different methods of bonding. I presume it was the rescue who suggested that you put the cages side by side for two weeks before starting to bond?

Some people consider that having cages close like this is beneficial as the two rabbits can get used to each other's smells and also they can see each other. However, other people consider that to have rabbits close to each other like this can cause frustration as the rabbits can't physically get to each other. In your situation also you have the added complication that Nala will only just have been spayed and so will still be hormonal.

I would prefer to keep rabbits completely separate and then put them together in a neutral space. I would also attempt to keep them together from then, whilst obviously monitoring them closely for signs of aggression.

I hope it all goes well whatever you decide to do. I'm sure that others will contribute to this thread and give you their views.

I too would keep them seperate but as Omi says, there are lots of bonding styles. I think Nala will be ok where she is for a few weeks. I'd recommend you give her a good while to fully recover post op - spays are a big proceedure & it could be a few weeks til she is fighting fit (hopefully she'll present as fully recovered much sooner)

Welcome to RU. Both of your rabbits are beautiful
 
Hi Omi

Thanks for the reply!

The lop eared is Rolo and the other Nala.

Yes it was the rescue that suggested that and had read a few things online saying the same as well.

I’m in two minds at what to do it seems there no right or wrong awnser just whatever works for you. Nala has settled in so well and tonight when opening her
Cage has learnt how to hop out in and out of it and all had a full binky session so I’m hesitant in interrupting that to put her next to Rolo when she’s having fun where she is now!


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Hello there and welcome. I also agree with Omi, also bear in mind Nala is in new surroundings and is going to be spayed on Tuesday. In view of this I would keep her calm and relaxed so she will be ready to undergo her operation. How old is she?
 
Hi everyone just an update.

So Nala had her operation and as healed up well. She has settled in so well and is an a absolute live wire, she loves jumping around everywhere!

We had let her and rolo meet through her cage and they seemed to get on well, constantly sniffing each other and both of them lying right by the fence.

Last night we had our first face to face bonding session. After some initial humping from Rolo, they didn’t seem to do much except sit right next to each other hunched up. I’m guessing they were scared? I dropped some kale in and they shared that together no problem.

Eventually Nala started to move around and was grooming Rolo, however he didn’t move and when Nala put her head down in order for the favour to be returned, he showed no interest in doing so. At that point I let them share some more kale together and called it quits for the night.

Is this Rolo trying to be the dominant one and playing hard To get or is it more that he’s scared? Sorry for all the questions in Just Desperate for this to work!

Thanks

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Lovely photos of the two of them together, when you said called it a night, did you put them back separately please? I am sure someone will be along soon with good advice.
 
Yes they were put back separately. Nala currently lives in our spare room and rolo as a free roam bunny has his area in our kitchen.

As soon as we did separate them almost straight away Rolo went straight for the spare room and was trying to get in!


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Yes they were put back separately. Nala currently lives in our spare room and rolo as a free roam bunny has his area in our kitchen.

As soon as we did separate them almost straight away Rolo went straight for the spare room and was trying to get in!


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Thank you. I have a newly neutered female to bond so am very interested in your thread.
 
They look fine from the photos, maybe a good idea to now keep them together as separating is sometimes a backward step. Good luck.
 
They look fine from the photos, maybe a good idea to now keep them together as separating is sometimes a backward step. Good luck.

Just tried another bonding session this time putting a towel down on the floor so it wasn’t slippy.

At first Rolo was very passive and just sat there, Nala was trying to groom him and kept putting her head under his body in an attempt to be groomed back, he ignored this though.

After a while Rolo livened up and kept trying to hump her from the front, when he did this we separated them. Eventually he was humping from the back, she was getting quite resistant and they just ended up spinning in circles like a dog chasing its tail as he kept trying to mount. There were a few chunks of fur everywhere as well. They showed no signs of calming down and could hear a few groaning noises so have separated them again.

Is that behaviour normal and we should of just leave them to it or was I right to separate.

Part of me just wants to leave them to get on with it but it’s scary seeing little Nala being chased about and don’t want her to attack him or herself get harmed!


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Hi. I'm no expert but like others have said is it possible when you separate them to put them somewhere together? I made the mistake of separating mine and only made progress when I kept them 24 hours in sight/smell of each other swapping areas/trays etc. I would leave them to get on with it as much as possible humping/ chasing but if you are worried it is escalating do something to distract them- throw a towel in, clap your hands, use a gloved hand to persuade them apart without actually removing one?
It sounds positive so far as there is no outright agression. Good luck!

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I would be a little bit worried as Nala is only just post spay so you don't want any fights to break out. Chasing, mounting, fur pulling is normal for some bonds. I have usually used a big space so the female can run away. Don't expect grooming at this stage.
 
So an update.

We were bonding in a small space on our kitchen floor which is quite slippy for them and that was going really well. They would eat together, sit together and groom each other. We left them in there for an hour last night and they were perfect.

We let them live separated side by side after that bonding session and heard nothing untoward.

Tonight we put them in a small area in our bedroom which is a neutral area for them and is carpeted. Almost straight away they were circling and fur flying everywhere, had to break them up constantly. Eventually they seemed to settle down and were just ignoring each other both flopped down, going well we thought. Eventually though they started getting active again and the circling ensued. It seems to be whenever Rolo approaches her rear that sets Nala off and the circling/fighting starts. Have stopped Again for tonight and they are back together close but separated.

Will this circling eventually calm down? I know they can get along as I’ve seen it when they were on the slippy floor, I just want that to transfer to when there on the carpet!

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Hi there. May be you could keep them in the kitchen only and increase the time they are in there rather than trying different spaces before they are bonded? Building on an experience there which sounds really positive. You could try putting a floor covering down (?old rug? towel) after a while if you are worried about the slippy floor.
So much of bonding is trial and error- my brain was battered by the end trying to think around what the best thing to do was!


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