Vanilla extract to mask scent?

Another obstacle of bonding of course. I noticed that when I pet Phoenix for a certain amount of time with hippo next to us he will lunge at the hand I pet her with. This is either due to the fact that he is being dominant with me or that her scent is just unfamiliar to him (they've been living side by side for 2 months.)

Can I put a dab of vanilla extract on their heads to give them an identicle scent?

Thanks Michelle

Michelle, I read that somewhere when I had the first problem with mine but wasn´t exactly sure what to buy to do this as is it the stuff you use for cake making or something else. I´d be interested if anyone could throw any light on this as well.

Bump. Anyone have any input?

Are you talking about Hippo lunging at your hand after you've been petting Phoenix, or while you are petting her? I have a girl rabbit that will lunge at her buddy while I'm petting him, but she is upset that I am petting him and not her, and my hand just happens to get in the way while she is trying to get at him to chase him off so that I will pet her instead. So I arrange it now that I either pet both at the same time or just pet him when she isn't anywhere near us.

Yes, you can use vanilla extract, or even another scent on the nose to mask strange smells. I would use the food grade extract (like for making cakes.)

However, I wouldn't really recommend that method, personally. It doesn't sound like much more than a bandaid, so when it wears off, the same behavior will still be there. What about exchanging their toys (without washing first), to get them used to each other's scent before introducing them? Or even exchanging their fleece or flooring? Desensitizing them that way would probably give you more consistent results down the road because it allows the rabbits to become comfortable with each other, rather than "tricking" them with the extract. Just an idea.

Oh god.... If you knew lol.... I already exchange their pens and litter boxes, toys and hideouts every night. He will lunge at my hand after I have pet her, like the smell of her on my hands is bothering him. They've been living in very close proximity to each other for 3 months. Does that mean he just really doesn't like her or that he's just being a dominant and stubborn rabbit? I'm trying to calm him down and have him associate her scent with treats and good things

Ps... They both really want to bond, they flop next to each other at different times but if one does it it's when they want to do it and if they don't they will try to nip the other one and they are both trying to be the dominant bunny. My female is willing to compromise more than my male but they're both very stubborn... I'm hoping in time they will figure it out.

They are both spayed/neutered? Have they had any one-on-one contact yet?

The behavior he's displaying sounds hormonal to me. Most bucks aren't aggressive when they're unneutered, but there are some who are. If he's still displaying that behavior after neutering, he may be one that will be very difficult to bond! If you haven't tried cautious, supervised one-on-one contact, maybe try it and see how it goes? Sorry if I'm beating a dead horse...there are so many members on this forum, I have a hard time linking people to past posts. Maybe you've already been trying! lol

I had introduced them before. He didn't display behavior like that but I got into a bonding rut.

He is 5 years old and has been neutered for years, he's just a grump. He was previously bonded and his bond mate died so he does want a new one I can see it. I think he's just afraid to trust her since she's nipped him once or twice before. And vice versa.

I don't want to do one on one yet until mid next month. I'm just switching their enclosures for now. Oh and when one is flopped over on the cage bars I will call the other one over and I've started petting them in this sense to get them used to each other

Thanks for the reply

Oh and yes she's spayed she has been since the beginning of October

Ah, okay. If he's been bonded before, that is a good sign. Best wishes with re-introduction this spring!