Moving from bonding pen to permanent home?

Trying to bond my neutered male and female rabbit, but failing!
The female has a few medical issues, (blind, possibly partially deaf, sometimes incontinent, slight limb weakness; vet thinks a possible EC survivor).
They get on absolutely fine in the neutral bonding pen such as mutual grooming, eating together, flopping together. Left them together for 48 hours.
But when I put them into their permanent home (previously the male's) they fell out after about a week, fur pulled out and ears bitten. I did start them off in a small portion of the total area and then gradually increased over a few days.
After a few weeks break, bonded again in neutral territory, all good signs, but once back in their permanent home (only a small part of it) they fell out again this time within hours.
Each time their home is cleaned and soaked in diluted white vinegar.

Can anyone offer any advice?
What can I do differently?

Perhaps try leaving them for longer in their neutral territory?

Thanks for the reply.
What is the typical time rabbits should stay in the bonding pen?

Castor said:

Thanks for the reply.
What is the typical time rabbits should stay in the bonding pen?

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I'd say it varies massively and depends how the bond is going.. Once behaviour is okay for a while and you feel happy they're okay, you can increase space etc.

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Have you got any pictures of the bonding pen and the permanent home?

Sorry not signed up to any photo sharing sites.
Bonding pen is an 8 sided play pen in my conservatory with two litter trays and water bowls and tons of hay and straw.
The permanent home is a 6'x3'x3' hutch over a 6' x 10' run connected by runaround tubes (removed the ramps as they were too slippery).
For first attempt they had just the hutch part initially with litter trays, water, straw. Over the next few days I gradually increased the space they had. Ended with fur pulled out from both buns and both with bitten ears.
Second attempt they had a 4' x 6' section of the run with everything from their bonding pen moved in with them. Initially happy with mutual grooming and lying together. About 4 hours later fur pulled, ears bitten.

Castor said:

Sorry not signed up to any photo sharing sites.
Bonding pen is an 8 sided play pen in my conservatory with two litter trays and water bowls and tons of hay and straw.
The permanent home is a 6'x3'x3' hutch over a 6' x 10' run connected by runaround tubes (removed the ramps as they were too slippery).
For first attempt they had just the hutch part initially with litter trays, water, straw. Over the next few days I gradually increased the space they had. Ended with fur pulled out from both buns and both with bitten ears.
Second attempt they had a 4' x 6' section of the run with everything from their bonding pen moved in with them. Initially happy with mutual grooming and lying together. About 4 hours later fur pulled, ears bitten.

Click to expand...

I presume the hutch is outside? Could it be therefore that the buns feel safer in the conservatory and that something is spooking them outside to make them react in this way? Other than that, then I would just leave them in the bonding pen for a lot longer, before moving them. There's no 'normal' as far as bunny bonding is concerned I'm afraid

Thanks, I had not thought about "something" spooking them outside, although what could be very hard to discover. They are currently living side by side in the divided permanent home so maybe they will become more relaxed in the surroundings.
They seem so happy together I dont want to give up just yet!
Definitely going try longer in the bonding pen.

I would definitely recommend leaving them for longer before extending spaces or moving them, as either of those can cause things to kick off. Hopefully if you can take things slowly then it should work out fine. Fingers crossed for you all:thumb: