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BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately!  Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES 

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 Bonding an 8 wk old and 8 month old

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    • waponiiwoo
      Participant
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        Hello! I have an 8 month old spayed Holland Lop. She is social and friendly with humans and dogs. I would love to get her a bunny to bond with and I’ve been watching rescues and local shelters for a neutered boy her age.

        Unfortunately, I’m not finding the right match…we have two dogs who are very bunny friendly but most of the bunnies I’ve found have had negative dog experiences and the shelters won’t adopt to someone with dogs. Obviously, I respect that. I want a happy house, not an anxiety ridden one.

        I am in contact with a great breeder and could easily bring a young rabbit around 8wks old into our home but some of the things I’ve read online have me feeling REALLY nervous about that idea.

        So, for those out there that have gone through the bonding process, what is your advice?


      • Wick & Fable
        Moderator
        5771 posts Send Private Message

          On BB, the general message is bonding occurs between two, fixed rabbits who go through prebonding, dates, supervised time, etc.. it can take months.

          Since the rabbit will only be 8 weeks old, it would be most safe to keep the rabbits separate until the young rabbit is fixed. Hormones play a big part in bonding. Young rabbits will get along with any rabbit generally because they don’t have hormones driving mating or territorial behaviors. Initially, this is why a lot of people misunderstand and believe young rabbits are bonded. The danger of trying to bond an 8 week old to your rabbit now is that it may seem to go well, but you have no idea when the young rabbit will develop hormones and once that happens, a morning of cuddles can turn into a very dangerous fight while you’re sleeping.

          I’m assuming this is not what you wanted to hear (you need to wait to bond), but it would ensure the best happiness for you and the buns.

          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.


        • Nutmeg
          Participant
          594 posts Send Private Message

            Exactly what Wick said!
            You can still get a young rabbit, but just keep them separate until they are also fixed – give about a month for hormones to settle and for pre-bonding and then you can start the formal bonding process.


          • waponiiwoo
            Participant
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              Great advice! I appreciate the input. Boy, they’d have a long time getting used to each other’s scents before the new buck was neutered. That can’t be a bad thing, right?

              I’ve also reached out to our closest rescue…three hours away…and though they don’t have boys today, we may be able to work together to find a bun who is older and already neutered via that group.

              Keep the great info coming! Thanks again!


            • Nutmeg
              Participant
              594 posts Send Private Message

                No, its not a bad thing – that’s what I had to do with mine. They had to be separated for 4 months before I could get them fixed and then a month after. They had all that time to get used to the other ones presence and scent.
                I called it Pre-PRE-Bonding lol.

                Keep us posted on how it all goes!

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            Forum BONDING Bonding an 8 wk old and 8 month old