Help with bonding

One of my female buns Thistle has been on her own since I've had her..about 2 years. She is an elderly bunny and when I've tried to introduce her to other single males she has always been submissive. Unfortunately Bran wouldn't stop mounting her..keeping it up (pardon the pun! ) for 3 hours..until I thought he would have a heart attack as he's an old man too!
Crosby just attacked her , biting her face even though she kept asking to be groomed. Crosby is now paired with Fern who put him in his place when he bit her and poor old randy Bran will have to stay single.
My friend's male rabbit lost his partner recently and he's so docile we thought of pairing him with Thistle. On their first meeting all seemed calm. However I brought him home 3 days ago and although they met on neutral ground Thistle keeps attacking him. This time its poor old Pebbles who asks to be groomed and she just acts like a thug! I've persevered but do not want to stress either too much. I can't believe shes so horrid with him after being so submissive to 2 others.
Any ideas???

Try putting them somewhere neutral but with a mesh barier inbetween, that way they can get used to each other but not attack. Also try holding them next to each other, and stroke both of them particularly is she likes noserubs. That way she has a positive experiance. She may be remembering that each time she has met a bunny in the past she had a 'bad' experience and has decided to get in quick before he can get her. So you need to get her to associate having him near her to a good experience so nose rubs, treats etc.

You may need one person per bunny if they are wriggly

Was the first meeting at his house, if so is it possible to have a few more meetings there?

Did you introduce her to the other two bunnies in the same neutral space your using now? If so try somewhere else.

Goodluck!
Tamsin

thanks for advice Tamsin..I have tried holding them both next to each other and nose rubbing but as soon as I stop she goes for the kill
they did meet initially on his home ground but not so easy to arrange meetings there.
I am going to try swapping the area destined for them with the one Fern and Crosby are in..so they have a large neutral area with a hutch that is new to both of them..I thought if they are busy exploring an area which smells of other buns they might forget their animosity..here's hoping!
PS I have tried feeding them next to each other too.

Hi honeybunny!! I was advised to take them on a car journey - as this is a stressful situation for them and they rely on each other for support, which they did - I have never seem them so close!! My husband drove around for 15minutes and I sat in the back with them on a towel making sure they were safe. It worked temporarily - but then the fighting started again. It was difficult for me to spend alot of time due to my job, but I did pretty much try everything. Nothing wkd for me, Ralf HATES other rabbits - his one true love died last April and we cannot get him interested with any other female. We tried 6 in total and Poppy was the most successful - but that didnt work in the end either. If you do have the time I would perservere, but I couldnt live with the worry of finding one of them dead or injured when I got home, as the fights were pretty horrific so gave up after trying pretty much everything! Good luck!! :wink:

That doesn't fill me with a lot of hope! Pebbles isn't aggressive towards Thistle he only fights back when she goes for him..most of the time he just thumps a warning and runs away. I will persevere as I think rabbits should not be kept alone unless they really have to. Thistle may turn out to be one of these but I'm hoping not

I'd try the holding next to each other & nose rubs thing some more, your probably looking atleast 4-5 sessions before you see a change. You could also use a water sprayer like you would with a wallpaper chewer and if you see her think about going for him give her a quick spray. and say no. Or give her something really yummy as you stop the nose rub as she can't munch and nip at the same time. You can keep the sessions short, only 5 mins to start with shorter if needs be and try to always end them on a positive note. So if you get two minutes of nose rubs in then a munch of a carrot stop there.

If you can pop him in a crate/carrier (still somewhere neutral) then she might be able to sniff him and get used to him without feeling the need to bite.

Tam

Hi Jill,
I'm sorry to hear it isn't going terribly well.

My Thistle is still being awkward too. After the initial good start aided by the car journey home, and one night of peace, he reverted to his usual wicked self and started nipping Opal (now Cloud) She was not having it and they started fighting, so I had to separate them. I put them in adjacent cages and have been doing a bonding session with them everyday, including another ride in the car one day. I really think we are getting somewhere and this is going to work. Yesterday I saw her give his ears a quick lick, and he was lowering his head asking for grooming instead of zooming in to nip her most of the time. He groomed her without nipping too, which a few days ago wouldn't have happened. I'm not ready to trust them alone yet though :?

I really think the car journey made things easier by breaking the ice. It didn't make them love each other, hopefully that will come later, but it did start getting them used to being in close proximity to each other. Having used the technique a few times now with different rabbits, I think the best thing to do is take them for a bit of a drive in separate carriers so they are a bit unhappy and then put them together so they can comfort each other while you drive some more so they are not confident enough to start fighting. If you do this along with other tactics like holding them together on your lap next to each other, and switching them from one hutch to the others so they get used to each others scent they may well come around.

Have you any pics of them? I'd love to see the other Thistle
And you have a Dasiy too :lol:

Hi Louise..have already tried most of advice on here..I think there's been a bit of progress today..Thistle asked for a nose rub from Pebbles about 3 or 4 times but unfortunately he just ran away..at least its a step in the right direction!

Hi Jill,
Very glad to hear you have some progress. Asking for noserubs is def on the way :thumb:

My Thistle and Cloud (Opal) groomed each other this evening No nipping :thumb: Thistle did a binky straight after. He is a happy boy now 8)

Hi honeybunny, that sounds really good, it sounds as though it will definately work with perserverance. I agree that rabbits should not really be left on their own, but Ralf will just NOT accept another rabbit since Phoebe died so I dont really have a choice. He even has a go at Poppy through the bars and puts his ears back when she approaches!! :shock: Believe me, I did spend alot of time when I got home from work and on weekends trying the water sprays, car journeys, treats - you name it I tried it, but had to settle on the fact that Ralf would never accept another female. I went to 3 different rescue centres, all on neutral territory and nothing worked, he went ballistic at every female we tried him with. It sounds though, in your case that it really is going to work as yours are not really showing any true aggression to each other like Ralf was. Keep up the good work, it sounds like it really is doing the trick! :wink:

Bad news..another BIG fight today..dont think it will be worth perservering they are both getting so stressed. I think Pebbles just doesn't fancy Thistle. (obviously no taste!) He may have to go back to my friend and have to look for another bun for Thistle....

Awww im so sorry to hear that - it really sounded like it was going to work. I can totally sympathise - its horrible seeing them fighting and trying to work out what to do for the best. Good luck - keep us informed.

Took Pebbles back on sunday after another bad fight He just didnt want to know...Thistle is not physically hurt but extremely emotional as she cant understand why this male bunny didnt fancy her! she offered to share her enclosure and tried to clean his face but he was having none of it. She even let him share her food bowl!!!
I have successfully bonded 2 other pairs ( Rufus and Daisy...Fern and Crosby) So a shame this didnt work out.
Will be looking for another elderly male to try her with.

Awww, I am sorry to hear it bonding is such hard work .

Poor Thistle Silly Pebbles :?

I hope a more appreciative gentleman comes along soon.