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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.

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Forum BONDING Advice on Bonding

  • This topic has 2sd replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 7 years ago by Diane.
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    • Diane
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        First a little background. I have had my blue boy Ash for 4 years, he is neutered and has been a solo bun until a few weeks ago. We decided to try and bond him with a bun from my local HRS. I have been taking him to Hoppy Hour for about a year, to at least get him used to the idea of other rabbits. We went on a few dates and almost took a girl home, until the 3rd date when she started humping him a lot and he got very upset, but wouldn’t tell her no and just kept running until he was exhausted. We ended up bringing home a gorgeous 2 year old female rex named Diamond. She is very sweet and gentle and seems quite interested in Ash without the humping.

        Our first date at home did not go well at all. Immediately, Ash tried to nip at her face, so we separated them and had them live side by side for a week and let them get used to each other, mostly for him to get used to having another bun in the house. This passed week we have been doing some stress bonding to help Ash with his nipping. We have them in a corner of the kitchen (neutral territory) where it is tiled and usually cook chicken in a frying pan because neither of them like the sound. The dates have been going OK because Ash is too upset about the situation to try and nip at Diamond. I try and keep them together when they are in the kitchen and pet them while their faces are next to each other. Yesterday after their date, we took them into our bathroom (neutral territory) with no rug and textured tiles. He didn’t immediately try to go after her face this time, but after about 10 minutes of sliding around, he started getting agitated, then he got nippy again.

        They are set up in our guest bedroom in two 4×4 xpens side by side with chicken wire in between so they can’t get to each other. We swap their pens every night after dates. At first he would dig, claw, and bite at the wire anytime she was near, but that seems to have stopped. He will follow her from their beds to the litter box sometimes, or if he thinks she has something interesting, he will sit as close as he can and just watch her. They tend to sleep either in their houses which are set up next to each other, or on opposite sides of their pens on the other side of the litter boxes where they can’t see each other

        The other day, I noticed that one of them had been grooming one of the stuffed bunnies in their pens. Today, I saw it was Ash that was grooming a stuffed bun, which he has never done before. I also verified today, that he dead bunny flopped twice in his little house right next to where she was. We have a Nest camera set up, so we can see what they do all day long.

        Tonight we are doing another date in the kitchen and we are going to try to go to the bathroom after. I am going to bring banana and hope that gets them into a more positive mood. This weekend, we are going to try a few car rides and a box on top of the dryer. Things seem to be progressing, but any time he is placed near her and has grip under his paws, he starts with the nipping.
         What kinds of signs should I be looking for to know that we are progressing? 

        It’s so stressful for me to see this side of my sweet boy 


      • Mikey
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          Nipping isnt totally bad. I would mush them together side by side with their faces faces the others but (so one facing north and the other facing south). That way your boy cant face nip, and they are feeling/smelling one another. With them gently mashed together like this, pet them for a good few minutes. Bonus points if you get them both chattering. Start your bonding sessions like this, and end your bonding sessions like this. It might not make an immediate change, but it should help over time, as they are forced to see one another as nonthreatening

          Edit to expand a bit on nipping (if youre sure its not lunging and biting)

          Nipping is how rabbits communicate that they dont like something. It could be him saying “I dont like that youre close to me” or “I dont like that your in my territory”, or something as simple as “I dont like that you looked at me”. As long as fur isnt pulled and skin isnt punctured, most nipping should be allowed (not on the face) and not a sign of worry  


        • Diane
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            We have been doing the smooshing at the beginning and end of every date. My boy gets too upset about the entire situation to chatter, but she has seemed pretty ok with it. Once I stop petting them, he starts to get irritated.

            The first date, it was definitely a lunge and bite. Since then, he has stopped the lunging as much, but will still pull fur out. We have a squirt bottle to stop him from nipping at her face, which seems to work. He reaches out like he is going after her nose, mouth open, then he sees the water bottle and turns away. He was only squirted a couple of times before he got the idea that biting ends with a bit of water. His nipping is definitely the “I don’t like that you’re so close to me” type of nip.

            Lately, the dates they have been having in our bathroom (neutral), they just sit about 5 feet from each other and stare. Not much movement, just both of them sitting there staring at each other. She has gone across a couple of times to check him out, but he starts with the reaching out and shies away when he sees the water bottle. He is always near the door and she is always nearest the toilet. I swapped them once and she started getting nippy towards him until he moved out of “her spot” and back towards the other corner.

            I know if she were to groom him, he would accept it, he has accepted grooms from other bunnies at Hoppy Hour. Should we try putting 2 litter boxes and 2 water dishes in the bathroom and sit nearby all day to see how things go?

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        Forum BONDING Advice on Bonding