Scared to start bonding

[Jazlyn]

So I have 2 male rabbits and they are both neutered, have been for over a year. They were friends beforehand but got into a fight because they weren’t neutered. I separated them and they’ve been separated for over a year as well, simply because I’m very nervous about starting the bonding process.

I have no idea what to expect from them and I don’t want them to fight. I’m scared of either of them getting hurt, especially because it’s a half hour drive to the vet.

Both of them became very docile after being neutered and I have introduced them to each other, but I’ve never let them touch each other because I’m too scared. They seem to be okay with each other though, no one lunges and they both go up to the cage when I let one of them out to see the other, out of curiosity.

I was just wondering if anyone could give me some tips on how to start bonding, and how to get over my fear of it? I’m just so scared that one of them will get hurt, but I want them together again so they can have one giant cage.

[DanaNM]

Hi there,

It’s normal to be nervous! It’s good that they aren’t aggressive towards each other through the bars and have been living side by side for so long peacefully.

Have you done “pre-bonding” yet? That means swapping who is in which cage every day or two, so they can get really used to the other rabbit’s scent and lose track of who’s territory is who’s. It’s typically recommended to do this for about 4 weeks.

For your first date, I recommend using the largest space possible, and the most neutral possible. A pen set up at a friend’s house or the backyard works great. I almost feel like one x-pen is too small, and have had better luck with two linked together.

I think for early sessions (esp when you’re nervous) it helps to set short time goals (1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, etc), so you aren’t tempted to push things too far, because you always want to end sessions on a positive note.

For your first sessions, here’s what I would do:

First, try to be as calm and positive as possible. Bunnies do react to their owner’s emotions, so if you are tense and on alert, that can affect them a bit. Take a few deep breaths and smile (even if you’re faking it).

Bring both buns to bonding area in separate carriers. It might be nice for you to have a helper if you have one available, but not necessary.

Be armed with either leather gloves, oven mits, heavy gardening gloves, or tennis shoes on your hands. Some people also like to use a dust pan to disrupt disputes, but I tend to like to just use my hands….

Release the buns on opposite side of the pen. It is most likely they will spend a little while just exploring the space, since it is unfamiliar. Ignoring each other is a good sign!

At some point, they will likely approach each other. Ears back, tail up = danger, Ears forward, tail down = interest/curiosity. If they come nose to nose, pet them both A LOT and swap their scents. This will help build a positive association between the two of them. Gauge whether they are tense or seem relaxed.

There could be attempts to mount, and this is OK as long as it isn’t head-mounting. If the bun being mounted tries to leave, prevent the other bun from chasing too much.

If they start circling, or flat out chasing, my preferred way to intervene is to pin the one chasing to the ground (or both if they are circling) and pet to calm them. If they are circling you can turn one so they are side by side rather than head to tail. Do NOT let them fight! Don’t be afraid to have your hands on them constantly in the early sessions until you get a read on what behaviors can escalate to a fight.

Once you hit your target time goal, end the session as long as things are positive. If they aren’t (say they were just chasing or something), pet them both to calm them down for a minute or so, then end it.

Once you do some short sessions you will get a feel for how they are around each other, and can have a better sense of how long sessions can be, what behaviors to allow vs. to stop, etc. But the first few are really to start building trust between them, and to help you get a read on what they will be like with each other.

Worst case scenario, say you put them in the bonding area, and they just flat out go after each other into a bunny tornado. This is rare! But, if it happens, pin them both down (this is where many ppl like the leather gloves), and pet pet pet. Wait until they are calm(ish), then end the session, even if that means you are just petting them and holding them in place (or holding the aggressor in place). In that scenario, do not despair, but try stressing for the next session (car rides are wonderful for this, or in a bin on top of the washing machine), as stress can work wonders for pairs that are initially aggressive towards each other.

You can do it!!! I have a feeling things won’t be too hard for you since they have known each other for so long and have had a year as peaceful neighbors.

Remember, find a space that is as neutral as possible!

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Jazlyn]

Thank you so much for the reply! It really made me feel better about doing this.
I haven’t done cage swapping yet, as I’m also nervous to do that because the last time I tried, my one bun, Benji, jumped over the thing separating their cages into Zel’s cage. BUT that was almost a year ago and he hasn’t done it since.
I’m going to start cage swapping Sunday then! And hopefully this goes well. I remember reading that you only had to do it for 2 weeks, but I’m going to take your advice and go with 4 for sure, it’s not like taking longer can hurt.
I’ll update on this post how it’s going!

[Sirius&Luna]

Make sure you put a roof on if you think they might jump into each others cages

It can be as basic as a sheet pegged over the top, if they see a roof, they won’t jump

[DanaNM]

Ah yes, nothing shows you how high a bun can jump like pre-bonding!

Second adding a roof, or making the barrier much taller than you think it needs to be!

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

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