Have I messed up this bond already?

Hi so I have a spayed female rabbit called Josie, who is eight years old. I lost her partner Donnie in April. To say Josie couldn’t care less would be an understatement but nonetheless, rabbits should be in pairs and I’ve got a huge enclosure so yesterday I brought home Crumble from a rescue. He’s an 18 month old neutered male. The rescue I got him from offered a bonding service, but as it’s quite far away and I didn’t want to drive Josie all that way I decided to bond them myself given that I have a large enclosure (shed with fenced off outdoor section) that I have cleaned and partitioned off an area inside for Crumble to stay in. It seemed to go well at first with Josie and Crumble sniffing each other through the double wire barrier. Unfortunately overnight Josie managed to punch her way into Crumble’s area no injuries occurred but I suspect Crumble spent the night cowering in the upstairs area of the hutch while Josie lorded it about downstairs!

Given that they just spent the night together I thought I’d see what they were like let out together: it didn’t go well, Josie chased Crumble about nipping at his back and he was trying to run away so I separated them. Crumble has been in a run on the grass since then, and Josie was sniffing about the run at first and they were touching noses through the wire, so no irreparable damage done, right?! I’ve now shut Josie back in the bunny house and Crumble is in the run for now.

So, how do I move forward here? I’ve been considering partitioning off the outside area of the house and putting the hutch in it, as it would be more secure and Josie wouldn’t be able to punch her way in. However, I’m not completely keen on that idea as foxes sometimes come in the garden overnight and I prefer for them to be shut safely in the shed. I suppose Crumble would be okay shut in the hutch overnight especially as it would be inside a wire ‘paddock’. I think I have secured his current indoor enclosure against Josie now.

I’ve been reading obsessively about bunny bonding on here and will definitely try the vanilla essence trick;I’ve heard it works really well for guinea pigs at least. Do you guys think I should also clean out Josies area and spray it with diluted vinegar? do you think that would make her less protective over her area? What do you all think of this situation so far?!

Bump

It is usually always difficult when you bring home a male to be bonded with a permanent female resident as female rabbits are very territorial and won't accept anew friend easily. Have you got a space where your female hasn't been where you can set up an enclosure for them to meet in. If so it is always best to put the male in first then the female. This is possibly your best way of getting her to accept him. Leave them together (if they don't fight) for a week before considering moving them back to where they will be living. When you put them together give them plenty of hay and some treats.

If this doesn't work out you will have to try two cages next to one another.

I haven’t really no I’m trying him living in his own enclosed area in the bunny house, so they’re just 2 layers of wire mesh apart from each other. If this doesn’t work I guess I’ll have to ask if the bunny rescue will try bonding them for me....