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Time to give up with bonding?

E

ElaineG

New Kit
I have 2 female spayed rabbits, age 10 months, 1 lop and 1 rex. They are housed outside in a hutch with an attached run.
The rex is frequently chasing the lop around the hutch, and won't let her stay in the run for more than a minute before chasing her back into the hutch.
I have been trying to bond them for the last 4 months, and have been through the process twice, ending up at the same point - excessive chasing.

The problem is that the rex wants to hump the lop and wants to be groomed but the lop refuses to groom her and runs away when she tries to hump her.
So right now the stand off continues, with the rex getting more angry and the lop getting more and more scared to move for fear of being chased - she won't even go in the run anymore.

When I started the bonding process (the second time round) I had them in a cage inside for a week and they behaved like they were in love - lying side by side and grooming each other all the time. Then I gave them the bottom half of the hutch for a week and they behaved the same way - lying side by side, happy together. Once I opened up the top half of the hutch they seemed to become a little more distant - sitting away from eachother more. Once the run was opened the chasing began.

What should I do?
-Keep them locked in the hutch for longer till they sort it out?
-Accept defeat, give up with bonding and house them separately?
-Open a second run and let them be separate all day, and then together in the hutch at night?

I feel very sorry for my lop, she is being bullied and is not able to exercise outside at all. Is it better for her to be alone but free?

I really appreciate any help you can give me. I don't want to have to give them away. I have even installed a BunnyCam to try to figure out how much chasing is going on.

Many thanks in advance
Elaine
 
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It's a shame isn't it but personally I would separate them for good. You have given them long enough to become friends and it must be very unpleasant for the Loppy bunny. I don't know how much space you have but one way might be to introduce a biggish male who can help to keep the peace. He would then be the dominant one but it isn't a guarantee that it would work but at least you would finish up with a happy pair and one single? The hutch you have in the photo wouldn't be big enough for 3 Rabbits.
 
Babsie said:
So, they have only been allowed in the hutch, not their run?
Click to expand...

They have been allowed in the run for a short time every day for the last week or so. Usually in the afternoon when I can sit outside and supervise. My lop is afraid to go outside and sits in the hutch by the tunnel door trying to work up the courage to go out.
 
Its stressful when bunny bonding doesn't go to plan - I'm sorry you're going through this. Non related females are said to be the most difficult pairing. You have given them loads of time & I think I'd prob call it a day as I'd be concerned about lop bunnys stress levels. If you were determined again then I'd go back to the last set up it worked in & increase space very gradually . Good luck with what must be a really hard decision
 
joey&boo said:
Its stressful when bunny bonding doesn't go to plan - I'm sorry you're going through this. Non related females are said to be the most difficult pairing. You have given them loads of time & I think I'd prob call it a day as I'd be concerned about lop bunnys stress levels. If you were determined again then I'd go back to the last set up it worked in & increase space very gradually . Good luck with what must be a really hard decision
Click to expand...

I agree with all of this.
 
Thanks for all your help, I really appreciate it. My biggest worry about housing them separately is how they will cope with their first winter. Will they be OK living alone outside? I hoped they would have each other for warmth.
 
ElaineG said:
I have 2 female spayed rabbits, age 10 months, 1 lop and 1 rex. They are housed outside in a hutch with an attached run.
The rex is frequently chasing the lop around the hutch, and won't let her stay in the run for more than a minute before chasing her back into the hutch.
I have been trying to bond them for the last 4 months, and have been through the process twice, ending up at the same point - excessive chasing.

The problem is that the rex wants to hump the lop and wants to be groomed but the lop refuses to groom her and runs away when she tries to hump her.
So right now the stand off continues, with the rex getting more angry and the lop getting more and more scared to move for fear of being chased - she won't even go in the run anymore.

When I started the bonding process (the second time round) I had them in a cage inside for a week and they behaved like they were in love - lying side by side and grooming each other all the time. Then I gave them the bottom half of the hutch for a week and they behaved the same way - lying side by side, happy together. Once I opened up the top half of the hutch they seemed to become a little more distant - sitting away from eachother more. Once the run was opened the chasing began.

What should I do?
-Keep them locked in the hutch for longer till they sort it out?
-Accept defeat, give up with bonding and house them separately?
-Open a second run and let them be separate all day, and then together in the hutch at night?

I feel very sorry for my lop, she is being bullied and is not able to exercise outside at all. Is it better for her to be alone but free?

I really appreciate any help you can give me. I don't want to have to give them away. I have even installed a BunnyCam to try to figure out how much chasing is going on.

Many thanks in advance
Elaine
Click to expand...

Defiantly not!

I have just managed to bond my Trio and they would try and kill one another! Full lock on fights, fur pulling, chasing, growling....this went on for months!

I did seek the help of a professional in the end as the complete change of environment helped, as well as removing myself from the process.

I am not sure if this link will work, but on my Instagram I have a video archive of the bonding process mine went through: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17902013281556948/?hl=en
 
joey&boo said:
Its stressful when bunny bonding doesn't go to plan - I'm sorry you're going through this. Non related females are said to be the most difficult pairing. You have given them loads of time & I think I'd prob call it a day as I'd be concerned about lop bunnys stress levels. If you were determined again then I'd go back to the last set up it worked in & increase space very gradually . Good luck with what must be a really hard decision
Click to expand...

I agree.
I just wonder, though, whether you changed their accommodation/gave them too much space too quickly? Were they together before they were spayed or had either been in the hutch before you put both of them in it? I don't know how long it takes for hormones to die down after a spay.
 
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I suspect both are quite stressed but reacting very differently. To me, it looks like there is one territorial rabbit taking it out on the other, in a very confined area. As they are not actually fighting, I would look at ways of reducing the stress levels for both of them in the hope that they will settle down together.

They both need much more room to run around in on a permanent basis - not just an hour or two a day. I would look at improving the run so they can safely spend more time out of the hutch. The RWAF gives minimum size recommendations. Maybe look at aviary panels to build a walk-in run around the hutch? It would be safer from predators and easier for you to have contact with the rabbits. If necessary, you could put the current run inside a bigger one, with each rabbit having access to separate areas (and maybe swap them over daily). Provide tunnels and hiding places (even cardboard boxes will do) so that each can find a safe space. Over time, hopefully they will accept each other.

Getting a third (neutered male) rabbit would be another option - but may generate even more stress, at least initially - plus there is still the issue of available space.
 
Shimmer said:
I suspect both are quite stressed but reacting very differently. To me, it looks like there is one territorial rabbit taking it out on the other, in a very confined area. As they are not actually fighting, I would look at ways of reducing the stress levels for both of them in the hope that they will settle down together.

They both need much more room to run around in on a permanent basis - not just an hour or two a day. I would look at improving the run so they can safely spend more time out of the hutch. The RWAF gives minimum size recommendations. Maybe look at aviary panels to build a walk-in run around the hutch? It would be safer from predators and easier for you to have contact with the rabbits. If necessary, you could put the current run inside a bigger one, with each rabbit having access to separate areas (and maybe swap them over daily). Provide tunnels and hiding places (even cardboard boxes will do) so that each can find a safe space. Over time, hopefully they will accept each other.

Getting a third (neutered male) rabbit would be another option - but may generate even more stress, at least initially - plus there is still the issue of available space.
Click to expand...

Some very good advice.
 
Shimmer said:
I suspect both are quite stressed but reacting very differently. To me, it looks like there is one territorial rabbit taking it out on the other, in a very confined area. As they are not actually fighting, I would look at ways of reducing the stress levels for both of them in the hope that they will settle down together.

They both need much more room to run around in on a permanent basis - not just an hour or two a day. I would look at improving the run so they can safely spend more time out of the hutch. The RWAF gives minimum size recommendations. Maybe look at aviary panels to build a walk-in run around the hutch? It would be safer from predators and easier for you to have contact with the rabbits. If necessary, you could put the current run inside a bigger one, with each rabbit having access to separate areas (and maybe swap them over daily). Provide tunnels and hiding places (even cardboard boxes will do) so that each can find a safe space. Over time, hopefully they will accept each other.

Getting a third (neutered male) rabbit would be another option - but may generate even more stress, at least initially - plus there is still the issue of available space.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your message. The run we have is 2.3m x 2.8m (my husband built it for them) although they only have access to half of it as we didn't want to give them too much space too quickly. I like the idea of giving them separate outdoor space as I feel they've been cooped up for too long, while we've been waiting for them to settle before increasing their space again. Would it be a mistake to give them separate space all day and then put them back together in the hutch at night??
 
Babsie said:
I agree.
I just wonder, though, whether you changed their accommodation/gave them too much space too quickly? Were they together before they were spayed or had either been in the hutch before you put both of them in it? I don't know how long it takes for hormones to die down after a spay.
Click to expand...

Hi, thanks for your message, yes they were in the hutch before they were spayed, and we gave them 1 month to recover separately, during which they lived side by side - one in the hutch and one in a small run (both having access to adjacent outdoor space). We alternated them every day so that neither claimed the hutch as their own. When we'd started the bonding process indoors we cleaned out the hutch thoroughly and tiled the floor with vinyl tiles so that it would smell / feel different (and also to protect the wood).
We gave them 1 week in the cage indoors (they displayed no negative behaviour), 1 week in the lower half of the hutch (again, no fights, just flopping together lots), and 1 week in the entire hutch (no chasing, but not together so much either), before opening the run a little bit every day. That's when the chasing started. It's been a long and frustrating journey!!
 
Finn.The.Mini.Lop.Bun said:
Defiantly not!

I have just managed to bond my Trio and they would try and kill one another! Full lock on fights, fur pulling, chasing, growling....this went on for months!

I did seek the help of a professional in the end as the complete change of environment helped, as well as removing myself from the process.

I am not sure if this link will work, but on my Instagram I have a video archive of the bonding process mine went through: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17902013281556948/?hl=en
Click to expand...

Many thanks for this, and congrats on your bond! Would you be happy to give me the contact details of your professional bonder? Thanks
 
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