bonding advice needed (bunnies have met, but what now?)

[Persephone]

Hi again, so today we took Hades, my first, temperamental and aggressive, rabbit to the local rescue centre to see if he gets on with any of the girls. Our chosen one, she was perfect, couldn't get her away from him, she sniffed and licked him, rubbed all over him, jumped around and on him to get him to play and calm him down. Our Hades was just sat there completely indifferent. I know it was a long and stressful journey for him and that he was scared, but if they wouldn't get on they would have fought straight away? Or at least that even in fear he'd have launched at her, like he does to us?

I've read so so so many threads about bonding going wrong, to me clearly she is happy with our rabbit, but I'm so uncertain of his behaviour. He's is normally very unfriendly, but he's not too territorial in his cage. I fear that as soon as I bring her home, Hades will surprise us with yet even more scary behaviour. He's always had a supervised run of the whole house, so there isn't a neutral territory. Also, if anything was to go wrong, I cannot he there for a couple of days to watch them constantly, I have to go to work...

Has anyone been through this? The fact that they got on today, or that he wasn't bothered, even though he was super stressed, is a hope for everything going ok? I can't bear the thought of them fighting when we're not there!

 

[Family_Moose]

Can the rescue centre help bond them or suggest someone who can, especially if you are rescuing from them?

I'm struggling with rebonding sisters due to not having the time and as they're already ours the rescue isn't an option but I understand a lot of rescues will bond/help bond of you are rescuing from them.

 

[tonibun]

There is a good chance that they will get along as most bunnies do but you won't know until they are put together properly. Can you find a couple of days when you are home and introduce them in a smallish area? You will be able to assess how things are going after 2 or 3 days so that you will feel confident when you have to leave them.

 

[Persephone]

Thanks! I'm absolutely not worried about her at all, but I am about him. He seemed fine over the time they spent together, just indifferent, and I'm not sure if that's a good sign, that he made no effort to befriend her. She's already claimed him haha. I though I had a couple of days but where I run between two jobs it proves impossible for at least a week. I don't want to wait for her so long, she already rules over my heart. I also thought it might be better to now do it asap while they have that little bond, before he settles down into his old place and routine. But there won't be a single full day for a week that I can spend with them myself.

I've already had a thread getting help with him having a fear reaction to me and a change of behaviour after neutering. I had a fresh playpen and a ton of equipment arrive just today for them, maybe if they were in his room in the new thing with take some pressure off it?