Advice for my bunny pair

[Haley]

Hi all,

I have done much reading on the bunny bonding process, but I would like some input from others who have bonding bunnies on how you think my two buns are bonding.

I have two adopted and long-ago neutered males that are older. Bobby is the bunny that has been living with me for a couple of months, and he fears nothing! He will approach any new animal, be it a cat, dog, or other bunny and doesn’t mind if the resident cats walk into his pen or if I step inside to tidy up. Bobby is snuggly with me and will often ask for pets. However, he never stretches out to lay down, doesn’t binky, and isn’t much of a playful bunny. Ben is the newest addition, and he binkies like crazy, flops constantly, and enjoys racing around. 

Anyway, to the bonding part. Bobby and Ben have been spending at least an hour a day together in a neutral territory for well over a week now. Bobby likes to approach Ben and grooms Ben’s head. Ben will lower his head for this. Ben likes to stretch out, and Bobby will usually come over and hand out next to Ben. However, Ben has so far refused to groom Bobby back.

When they are together, they can hop around to explore with ease and not startle one another. They stick their heads in the same bowl without issue most of the time and can share a litter box. When I have let them have roam of the area around both of their cages, they have willingly hopped into the same cage together. However, they often end up circling and nipping at one another at some point during their time together. At this point, I either intervene by distracting one of the bunnies or I will end the session. Is this just them still getting to know one another, or is this a sign of a potentially bad match? Is there something I can do to encourage Ben to groom Bobby? (I’ve tried the fruit on the fur trick – no such luck). How will I know when they are bonded enough to live together?

[Cinnabunn the bunny]

honestly some bunnies just reciprocate more than others. I wouldn’t worry about the grooming.

I would take note at how long and in what instances the buns fight as well as how bad and how long they last. Some fighting is okay for the bonding process so long as they don’t grab hold and kick out. try let them fight. its just for them to settle whose more dominant and only stop if it gets too bad or goes on for too long.

Also, never end a session on a bad note.

[sarahthegemini]

True circling (following one another aggressively and nipping, biting or fur pulling) needs to be stopped immediately. Bunnies do not need to fight or participate in true circling in order to establish dominance.

If you are letting them free roam their joint area, no wonder it’s leading to fighting. You need to start with neutral territory. If you’ve already started with neutral and have progressed to semi neutral, you can go back a step.

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