New to this bonding thing!

[Bunmom5525]

I’ve had my male bun for several months now and we decided to get him a friend! He is neutered and 8 months old. We got a female that is around 10 weeks and un spayed. I plan on getting her spayed as soon as she’s old enough. Both of them are in the same pen with a divider in between. My male has been doing binkys and running circles since we brought her home like he’s really excited to be around her. They lay beside each other with the pen in the middle. My male has even full flopped beside her. No signs of aggression from either thru the pen.

My question is.. could I let them have play dates here and there before she is spayed? Since he is neutered, is a bond possible without her being spayed just yet? I keep reading mixed reviews about bonding a neutered male to an unspayed female!

Any help is appreciated!!

 

[Shimmer]

How long ago was he neutered? Boys are still fertile up to 6 weeks afterwards.

 

[Bunmom5525]

How long ago was he neutered? Boys are still fertile up to 6 weeks afterwards.

He’s been neutered since the first of Sept

 

[joey&boo]

Its certainly possible - I've known a few members on here bond their neutered boy with their yet to be spayed girl. I hope it goes well, whenever you decide to go for it. Sometimes they don't behave quite so nicely once the bars are down

 

[Omi]

I've done it Details were slightly different age-wise, but the concept of bonding an unspayed, pre-pubertal female with a neutered male was the same. It was hugely successful.

We had a 7 years old neutered male, who had recently lost his partner. We then got from a rescue a 12 week old female. Our bunnies have always lived outside and so bonding in a neutral space is more difficult. We brought her home and divided the large outside run, so that she had half the run and the male had half the run plus access to the shed. First of all the male kept running up to the division and thumping at the sight of her, but also on occasion binkeying. We left them divided for the first night. The next morning we opened the outside up, but not the shed, so they could meet. She was very playful and kept approaching and then running away. Absolutely no aggression from either. They were very closely observed for the rest of that day. As things seemed reasonably OK between them we then opened up the shed for overnight that night and they stayed together ever since.

It's said that pre-pubertal bonds are not true bonds and that sometimes there are issues after neutering, but we didn't find so. At around 5 months she went off to have her spay, came home the same night and we put them together again immediately with no problem.

As you are aware there are different bonding methods. I must admit I'm not a fan of 'dates' and then splitting up afterwards, as I think the bunnies then have to start again with their bonding issues each time, possibly also becoming confused.

If you are sensing no aggression from either then I would say give them a try together and if possible leave them together if all is well. I agree that behaviour behind a barrier is sometimes different when that barrier is removed, but give it a try.

 

[bunny momma]

Sending your bunnies lots of bonding vibes.