Bonding a timid rabbit?

[JennyL]

After a break, I’m once again back to trying to bond my two rabbits. I had initially assumed Jinglebell’s (flemish male) aggression towards Jojo (little lop female) was the main issue, but I’m starting to wonder if Jo’s extremely fearful nature is what’s really preventing any progress. I’ve never seen her do anything but hunker down in ball whenever he’s near. Even when Jingle behaves enough that bonding sessions last longer, she never seems to let her guard down. She won’t touch him or lick him, and if he tries to nip or chase her she never does anything but run away. I’ve tried putting banana on his head, but she doesn’t seem tempted.

Does anyone have tips for bonding an extremely introverted bunny?

[NataliaT]

Unfortunately not all rabbits can be bonded. Just like humans, they have different personalities and this may result in a distant or unhealthy relationship between the two. Are you bunnies spayed/neutered? That may also be playing a role in the issue. Bonding takes a lot of time and patience, so it might even take a year.

My two bunnies lived together for 2 1/2 years and never ended up getting along. So give it your best shot! there are many helpful tips and tricks online from different owners that may also help you. One lady I spoke to said she put her two bunnies in a carrying cage and took them on a car ride. through their mutual fear they turned to each other for support/reassurance. Perhaps this could help? They don’t necessarily need to physically interact in order to be bonding effectively so keep this in mind. In the beginning, for a handful of sessions, it would be best to keep them apart and in a small monitored space where they cannot fight. Part of the process is just accepting the other bunnies’ prescence

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