male bonding

[Amedee]

Hi everybody! 

I’ve had a male bunny (neutered) for over a year now. and a week and a half ago I got him a friend, which is also a male and which is 4 months old. I have an appointment to get him fixed as well next week. Then I will wait 1 month until I introduce them for the first time. 

In the meantime, I keep them in separate cages which are close to each other so they can get used to each other. The first week went very well, but now I notice that my first bunny is getting a bit restless and has his tail up a lot (which I read to be a sign of aggression). He is usually very calm, much calmer than the new bunny. 

Does anyone have any tips? Should I put the new bunny out of sight for a while or should I just wait until they both settle down? 

[Mikey]

Since your new bunny isnt neutered yet, its possible hes started to become hormonal and your previous bunny can smell it. If possible, start swapping their cages (bunny1 goes into bunny2s cage for a day while bunny2 goes into bunny1s cage for the day), or swap their toys/litter boxes/ect. Doing this will help them get used to eachothers smells being in their territory. You also have to know that since youve had your previous bunny for over a year, wherever hes been in your home is “his”. So having the new bunny nearby is bringing in a stranger to his territory. He wants to defend it. When you bond youll have to bring them into a neutral area and watch out for any aggressive signs. Always end bonding on a good note

[Author]

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