• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Trying to bond neutered male rabbits

andyjudy said:
Ok thank you, it's very nerve racking this bonding business. I plan to set up a pen in the bedroom for them, they've never but up there. But I will have to take them up in the same carrier. Not sure I'm 100% confident yet


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
If you can, I'd ask someone to help you. Being put into the same carrier could leave to a squabble and i don't think you'd want to start a bond that way.
Could you get a second carrier?

Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk
 
daphnephoebe said:
If you can, I'd ask someone to help you. Being put into the same carrier could leave to a squabble and i don't think you'd want to start a bond that way.
Could you get a second carrier?

Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Hi - I agree with DP here, I'd avoid the same carrier at this stage too
 
Just to update and ask for more advice. We have been putting the rabbit together in the kitchen and they have ignored each other or snuggled close up but no fighting. This week the door was accidentally left open between there pens and Oreo got in with Denzel, they fought but it was nothing like the first major fight. Anyway to cut a long story short they are now in the same pen, they have been in there for 2 days now with a few squabbles but nothing like the original fight. I don't know if it's gonna work out yet, we are watching them most of the time, the larger rabbit Denzel seems to be back ruling the roost. They eat next to each other but there is no cuddling or grooming, Oreo looks a bit frightened but he will eat with Denzel right next to him. Denzel seems to be keeping Oreo in the corner of the cage, when Oreo moves Denzel chases him till Oreo is back in the corner.
PLEASE help, is this working or not, I've included a bit of video, I don't want to split them if there's a chance that they can live together, but I don't want to worry Oreo if it's not going to work.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
On the first video it was only a little scuffle and the bunny who was chased goes straight back up to the other boy so that's a good sign, if they were really fighting hard or terrified to go near one another I'd be worried. It's horrible but if it's just a little chase/fight then it is better to leave them together, they need to work out who's the alpha bunny, that's why I took mine to a rescue/boarding place because I knew I'd get scared and want to separate them at the slightest little scuffle
 
DemiS said:
On the first video it was only a little scuffle and the bunny who was chased goes straight back up to the other boy so that's a good sign, if they were really fighting hard or terrified to go near one another I'd be worried. It's horrible but if it's just a little chase/fight then it is better to leave them together, they need to work out who's the alpha bunny, that's why I took mine to a rescue/boarding place because I knew I'd get scared and want to separate them at the slightest little scuffle
Click to expand...

Thank you Demi for putting my mind at rest, I'm thinking they will be okay but I didn't want to think it was just me and wishful thinking. They have been grooming each other in the last half hour but as soon as Oreo comes out of the litter tray Denzel chases him back in.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
DemiS said:
On the first video it was only a little scuffle and the bunny who was chased goes straight back up to the other boy so that's a good sign, if they were really fighting hard or terrified to go near one another I'd be worried. It's horrible but if it's just a little chase/fight then it is better to leave them together, they need to work out who's the alpha bunny, that's why I took mine to a rescue/boarding place because I knew I'd get scared and want to separate them at the slightest little scuffle
Click to expand...

Did you manage to get yours together?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
We've had quite a bit of joint grooming today, Oreo is still in the litter tray but he's been flopped out asleep in there with Denzel laid outside the tray next to him. I'm so pleased with them and how it's going so far, I never thought the day would come that they would be back together


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
I got quite a lot from this page when I was reading about bonding my two males. I found a link to this page, I think on here somewhere I think in one of the sticky notes, I can't remember where tho ...

http://flashsplace.m.webs.com/site/...=1&fw_sig_locale=en-US&fb_sig_network=fw#1021

And also this I found useful ...

http://rabbit.org/faq-bonding-multiple-rabbits/


I also found the bath a good neutral space. It's easy to clean down after each time so no lingering bunny smells from either so remains neutral and because it's sloppy if they do go to fight, they really struggle to get traction to do anything much so they don't get hurt anywhere near as bad and it's easier to split them up too.
 
Last edited:
andyjudy said:
Did you manage to get yours together?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Yep after a few weeks of slow bonding with a lady in Doncaster (much more experienced than myself), they're back together :D They've had one little scuffle since with a bit of fur pulling and I was so scared, but I kept them together and they've been absolutely fine. Grooming is a great sign :)
 
Oh that is good, if there was somewhere I could take them for them to do the bonding, I would but I don't know anyone local with rabbits. Mind you, after each scuffle lately, there's no tuffs of fur so I think it's all going in the right direction.
 
andyjudy said:
Oh that is good, if there was somewhere I could take them for them to do the bonding, I would but I don't know anyone local with rabbits. Mind you, after each scuffle lately, there's no tuffs of fur so I think it's all going in the right direction.
Click to expand...

I googled "rabbit bonding nottingham" and found a place about 40mins away (Small Paws Boarding), the lady has a boarding business and small rescue. To be honest though it sounds like it's going well, I wanted someone experienced to do it for me because my boys were ripping chunks of fur out of each other (one was even bleeding) and every attempt of mine to re-bond them failed. I think the best thing about using someone else is they don't have that personal attachment to the rabbits and have seen scuffles happen all the time before so they're less likely to intervene prematurely, yours are already at the stage where they aren't fighting, they're happy to sit near each other and groom so I don't really thing it's necessary :)
 
When ours first fought before they were castrated poor Denzel had a real long cut round his rear end which Oreo had done, there was fur and blood everywhere. Thankfully there has been nothing like that this time. Mind you tonight there has been two tufts of fur as Denzel has chased Oreo around as soon as he came out of the litter tray. And yet I've just put more food in next to Oreo and they are both eating next to each other. They're very complicated animals aren't they?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
This morning when I've got up, Oreo is finally going out of the litter tray, Denzel is still chasing him till he gets back in but as I've been spraying Denzel with water this has stopped it a bit and Oreo is getting the chance to move around and explore there enclosure a bit more. Oreo is looking more alert now and seems happier with the situation. I've seen no mutual grooming today but there's no tufts of fur either so I'm still confident.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
andyjudy said:
This morning when I've got up, Oreo is finally going out of the litter tray, Denzel is still chasing him till he gets back in but as I've been spraying Denzel with water this has stopped it a bit and Oreo is getting the chance to move around and explore there enclosure a bit more. Oreo is looking more alert now and seems happier with the situation. I've seen no mutual grooming today but there's no tufts of fur either so I'm still confident.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I'd be tempted to take the litter tray out especially if one bun is being 'banished' there by the other, it's up to you though. Some people believe toys and things in the bonding pen are a good distraction but others say just let them get on with it, don't give them anything to be teritorial over
 
DemiS said:
I'd be tempted to take the litter tray out especially if one bun is being 'banished' there by the other, it's up to you though. Some people believe toys and things in the bonding pen are a good distraction but others say just let them get on with it, don't give them anything to be teritorial over
Click to expand...

Thank you for the advice Demi. They seem to have settled down a bit as the days gone on. Oreo is now sat in the other litter tray with Denzel sat in the other tray. Oreo does seem to have had a lot more time exploring the pen today. I've put cardboard boxes and cereal boxes with food inside for them to play with. I've continued to spray denzel when he has chased Oreo and I think he's getting the message now. My husband said they were scrambling about the pen through the night.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

R
Bonding Troubles
Replies
2
Views
149
InspectorMorse
InspectorMorse
P
Female biting buck's eye
Replies
5
Views
238
InspectorMorse
InspectorMorse
G
Bonding my boy with new friend after loss
Replies
4
Views
390
InspectorMorse
InspectorMorse
Back
Top