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BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately!  Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES 

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum BONDING Need some advice on bonding

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    • Aly
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        Hi everybody! I have had my mini rex rabbit for 15 months now. In April I adopted Sheldon so she would have some company. They are still in separate cages because I haven't been successful in bonding them. They have gotten better with each other and they now groom and lay together when I have them out in a pen. But, they do occasionally have a little fight where they kind of do this jump around chase each other kind of thing and Sheldon sprays her with urine. Is this a normal thing for a neutered male rabbit to do to a spayed female rabbit? I have never heard of this behavior when reading about bonding. If anybody has any suggestions I would appreciate it. I just want them to bond and be happy already.


      • MoveDiagonally
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        2361 posts Send Private Message

          What have you done to try to bond them? It will help people give you advice if we know what you’ve tried and why it didn’t work.


        • Beka27
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            I agree, more info on what you’ve done specifically would be helpful. If they can get along for extended lengths of time, it sounds like you’re on the right path. Is there anything specific that triggers the chasing/spraying behavior? A certain location, or feeding time, or territorial behavior over the litterbox, for example?

            I would definitely not give up now, but rather I would recommend you start stepping up the bonding sessions. There’s a point in bonding where you really need to (to put it a bit crudely) “beep” or get off the pot… But… we need to know what you’ve already done so we know how you can increase your efforts.


          • Aly
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              I have tried a few different things. I will try something for a while and then think or hear of a new technique and try it out. The very first thing I did was sit on a small bathroom floor with them and pet them. A couple times I turned the shower on to create some noise and maybe stress. I have swapped litter boxes between them. I have put them in a small laundry basket just big enough for them to be side by side and pet them. A couple times I put them on top of the laundry dryer in this basket while the dryer was running. I have also carried them around in the basket to create some movement. Sometimes I would just watch TV with them next to me in basket. The latest thing I have been doing is putting them in a pen made of storage cubes with a litter box and some hay. Sometimes I will give them their veggies in the pen together. In each of these settings they have lunged and pulled a bit of hair out, mounted (both have mounted the other), and Sheldon has sprayed Lilac with urine. I have never noticed anything that causes this it just kind of happens. They have also made progress in each of the settings by being affectionate and grooming each other. One day they can be this way and then the next time I try they end up lunging and pulling some hair out and Sheldon sprays her. I’m so confused. Sometimes I feel I should just put them together and let them work it out and not worry about it.
              Yesterday I actually switched their cages. I put Sheldon in Lilac’s cage and then put Lilac in Sheldon’s cage. They sniffed their new surroundings for a little bit and then didn’t seem to care just went about their normal business.


            • Aly
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                Any advice?

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            Forum BONDING Need some advice on bonding