Bonding two young females

[AnnaB]

Hi all, sorry if this question has been asked before, but I've been researching lots about bonding rabbits and not finding answers quite suited to my rabbits' situation.

I received two 10 week-old sister rabbits who were bonded. Unfortunately one died at 11 weeks. Wanting a companion for the remaining rabbit as soon as possible, we have acquired another female rabbit around 3 months old (though she looks a bit bigger than that!). Being so young, neither rabbit has been neutered. I don't want to breed, hence raising two females for now.

At the moment the 2 rabbits are in a large room with a small fence down the middle. I have put their food and water in mirror image by the fence. After some initial nipping through the fence, they seem to be doing alright, some interaction through the fence, both often resting near each other but no longer interacting through the fence (2 days into the process).

I have had a couple of experiments removing the fence but notice one rabbit is more confident crossing over to the other's space. They do ok for a bit, can eat next to each other and check each other out. Then it leads to circling and nipping and they need separating. Can I continue this method or do I need to move them both to another neutral space rather than remove the fence in this space?

The newer placed rabbit is very shy of me and I'm guessing she has been raised without much human contact so we are slowly getting to know each other and she is growing more comfortable around me. I don't want to cause more stress and can't help feeling moving them both to another space will just cause her more stress because of me picking her up etc?

Any advice welcome! Thanks.

 

[Omi]

I suspect that the issues you're experiencing with them are due to the fact that they are hormonal and close to an age when both can be spayed. Each will be territorial of their space.

I think if this were me, if they are settled as they are, I would keep things as now with the divider fence and not attempt to introduce them yet. The danger of letting them meet face to face is that, if a fight occurs, they will be more difficult to get to bond long term and might never accept each other. Also, if they are clearly distressed by being able to interact through the fence, I would separate them, putting one in a different room.

I would get both spayed when they are old enough and then leave them side by side for another 6 weeks to allow their hormones to subside. Only then would I attempt bonding, probably using a neutral space if you have one.

It's also sad that you lost one of the sisters at 11 weeks. As far as bonding is concerned though, a pre-pubertal bond is not a secure bond and you could also have experienced issues as they got closer to puberty and also after their spays.

 

[InspectorMorse]

I am sorry for the loss of the 11 week old Rabbit. How long ago did the loss occur and do you know why she passed? Was she vaccinated? Are the two Rabbits you have now vaccinated?

Any bond that might work out with baby Rabbits are not true bonds. Once the Rabbits reach puberty bonds often break down due to hormonal induced aggression.

Are you 100% certain that the two Rabbits you have now are Does?

Doe/Doe bonds are the most difficult to establish, even when both are spayed. The bond between 2 Does can be unstable longterm. That said, it’s not totally impossible to bond 2 Does but I would not attempt it until 6 weeks after both have been spayed. Hormone surges usually occur during the first 6 weeks after a spay, hence it’s better to wait before attempting to bond.

Pairing up Rabbits (Bonding)

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rabbitwelfare.co.uk

 

[AnnaB]

These are very helpful responses, thank you.

They seem very chilled out hanging out on either side of the fence, not distressed at all and so will keep them like this as you suggest until we can get them spayed.

I guess my other concern with separating them is loneliness, as my understanding is rabbits are such sociable animals. I am around a lot but not 24/7.

They have both been vaccinated and they are both definitely Does. I see I have set myself a challenge with two females!