lonely bunny

Hi ive got 5 rabbits did have 6 untill today when i had to have my old girl molly put to sleep the problem is the rabbit she lived with seems very lonely they had lived together for about a year since mollys other friend died.I've also got a 9 week old dwarf x lop that i thought i could try bonding with my lonely bun bella, How do i go about doing this? I bonded molly and bella really easily within a day but im thinking second time round wont be as simple.My other rabbits are 2 lops one that likes guinea pigs but doesnt like other rabbits and the other is spayed but has got an attitude and my neatherland dwarf male hasnt been castrated so neitheir of them can go with him. thanks in advance

We've successfully grouped 3 sets of rabbits now, and although it may not be the best way to do things, what we did was put both bunnies in a carry case and take them for a ride in the car (a trip to the vets is normally the excuse). Try putting a little bit of lavinder oil on both bunnies to confuse their sense of smell. You could also try rubbing each rabbit with a towel, to transfer each bunnies scent to the other.

Once they get back from the car journey, put them both out to play in a large area (a room in the house is normally the best way, but it has to be a place neither rabbit has been before). Give them things to play with, and some food. If they start to fight big time then seperate them but if it's just a bit of nugging leave them, as they are just trying to sort out the dominant one. Same goes for mounting. Try again in a few days.

If you feel don't confident leaving them together, but they seem to be getting on, put them in seperate cages but make sure they can see each other through the wire and try again a day or two later.

The biggest mistake to make is to think they are getting on fine and push them together too quickly, and also seperating them and not giving them regular contact with each other.

Your best bet is a male and a female, or two females, although we've never had much success with the latter.

I hope this makes sense and good luck!

sorry you had to have your girl molly pts.

i always find that a male and female pair are much better than 2 bunnies of the same sex.

if they were bonded before why did you split them?

if i were you i would get my 2 males neutered and try them with the girls, which i think will work better in the long run!

sophie

Bella has only been bonded with molly, mollys friend misty died a year ago so molly was lonely thats when i put bella in with molly and they got on straight away. Ive tried bella and the baby rabbit together this morning and they didnt fight bella was just nudging and licking the baby rabbit,ive seperated them again now but i will put them together again a bit later for a short time. Thanks for the advice.

Just an uptade i put bella and the baby bun together yesterday and they were not bothered by each other bella did a bit of nudgeing but that was all then bella started washing baby.There together again in the run today i keep checking on them theyve been laying together . Im not sure if this was the way to do it but its worked. Im not housing them together yet i will give them a few more days to get to know each other.

That sounds really positive.

Sounds as if its going OK. Might change though as hormones kick in