Bonding question

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ChristineWilcox

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Last week I got June, a spayed female (angora), about two years old. I have been bonding her to my neutered male Johnny. Johnny is a free-roaming bunny who lives with my 14 year old neutered minirex Oscar. I know Oscar won't be with us much longer, which is why I got June. Oscar is so fragile that I am not aiming to bond the three of them (though June has met Oscar and they are fine).

We have had several short bonding sessions a day which have gone fairly well--Johnny obsessively grooms June and humps her, which she generally tolerates. June has nipped him a few times and he runs. June hasn't mounted Johnny--mainly because when she tries, they circle, and I need to break them up so there won't be a fight.

June is extremely territorial. She lunged and bit him when I brought him into a place she had only spent an hour (thinking it was neutral). She nipped him when he tried to share her carrot.

Finally, my question. I am considering making June an enclosure in the bedroom, Johnny's territory, while we continue bonding. But will this make June territorial about the bedroom, even if I don't let Johnny into her enclosure? And even if it does, is this okay? Johnny seems to be very laid back about territorial things. Any insight would be appreciated.
 
Is it real fighting or just nipping? Just nipping is a way to show dominance and to establish it- full on fighting (running after each other, losing blobs of fur, etc.) can be very dangerous. If it's only a nip here and there, I'd continue with what you are doing, and not go into Johnny's territory quite yet. The nipping should subside and at that point I would call it safe to put them in his territory.
 

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