Hello everyone!
I am completely new to bonding. I’ve read through several articles and watched some YouTube videos on bonding rabbits, but I’m still quite nervous about sticking my buns together. I can’t help but think that I have the rabbits that will eat other. I thought if I posted on here where there’s a bunch rabbit-savvy people that someone would be able to help walk me through it or give me tips about the process. First I’ll tell you a bit about my rabbits.
HITCHCOCK is a two-year-old spayed Holland Lop doe that’s approximately 3lbs. I’ve had her the longest (since she was a kit). She is very attached to me (she sleeps on my bed with me). The easiest way to describe her personality is that she’s the spoiled oldest sibling that hates any one and any thing that takes her time away from me. Once I brought her home, she had never seen another rabbit until I brought home the other two. I’ve tried to house her in a pen next to each of the other rabbits in turn, but she’ll run up and down the fence line, growling and stomping her feet. It subsides after many hours, but she doesn’t really seem to enjoy neighbors at all. I’m most nervous about bonding her.
DIGDUG is a ten-month-old spayed Holland doe. She’s just under 3 lbs. I’ve had her for approximately 6 months. I haven’t really figured out her personality. She’s kind of a…goofball. I think she may have some fear aggression issues. She seems to okay with me, but she tends to attack anything that comes into her domain even before she knows what it is. I could toss her in a leaf of kale or lettuce and she’ll grunt and lunge at it. Then she’ll figure out what it is and start nibbling it. She’s currently housed in a pen that’s next to the pen with my buck. She doesn’t seem to have any issues with him being there. When I let her lose for playtime, she’ll interact some with my buck through the bars, but they seem be sniffing each other. Otherwise she seems to ignore him.
TOLKIEN is a seven-month-old neutered Holland Lop buck. He is my largest at 4lbs 6 oz. I’ve had him since he was 6 weeks. He is the most mellow out of my rabbits. He seems to be very personable and will most likely to be a cuddlebug. Before he was neutered he was very interested in DigDug when he was free. He wouldn’t leave the front of pen. He’d pace back and forth in front of the pen, stomp his feet in frustration, and hump the air. He’s been neutered two weeks and now he actually goes exploring and hops around my apartment when I let him loose for playtime. He seems to have mellowed out even more. He doesn’t seem to mind DigDug being next door.
None of my rabbits at this point are bond to any of the other ones. The all live in separates pens. Two of the pens are next to one another while the last one is in my bedroom, away from the other two.
I was hoping that I could get some advice on how to prepare, things to expect, and how actually to go through the bonding process, especially with three rabbits. If any more information is needed, please let me know!
Thank you!