PancakePeter
New Member
Hi all,
I am looking for some reassurance and advice on my rabbit bonding. This is my first time and I feel like it isnt going as well as every Youtube tutorial I have watched!
My rabbits:
Pancake is a 2.5yo female, spayed 6 months ago and we have had her for six months. We got her from a shelter, who got her from a hoarder house that had 60+ other rabbits. She weighs 5 lbs and is a domestic mix.
Pete is a 1.5yo male, neutered 4 weeks ago, and we have had him for two months. We rescued him from an acquiantence who didnt have time for him and was sending him to the shelter, so we took him instead. Pete is a 3.3lb netherland dwarf.
The rabbits first met about 2.5 weeks ago in a bathtub. Pancake immediately nipped Pete and ripped out a big clump of fur, so we separated them. We tried again a few hours later in a 2x2 pen on the tile floor and again, more hair pulling, always instigated by Pancake. The next day I tried again and this time Pancake laid down and Pete came and started licking her head. Unfortunately, he thin nipped or licked her eye too hard and she attacked him. I tried again a few hours later, and we were back to the nipping.
I then moved their cages next to each other and waited about a week. Pancake poop-marked for the first few days and then stopped. Pete never marked. I then put them in the 2x2 pen again in a new room and this time Pancake went over to Pete and asked to be groomed. Pete ignored. Eventually she gave up and left. Pete would stay still, but would eventually ventur too close to her and instigate a fight. This pattern of Pancake asking to be groomed, getting ignored, and then getting attacked or instigating one has happened in every daily bonding session for the past week. So, I stopped. Occasionally Pancake would flop and lay down though so I take that as a good sign. Pete does not lay down. Today I tried stress bonding in a 1x1 cage by shaking it a bit and Pancake was immediately attacking Pete and ripping fur. I have noticed some honking/musky smell form Pete so I know his hormones are still at least somewhat active - not sure if maybe that is having anything to do with this aggression. I've also had NEITHER rabbit make any attempt at all at mounting. They always approach each other face to face, which seems to instigate the fights.
I've never had any bloodshed, just fur pulling. But im not sure if I am doing something wrong or if this is all ok. Any ideas on how to make this pair like each other?
I am looking for some reassurance and advice on my rabbit bonding. This is my first time and I feel like it isnt going as well as every Youtube tutorial I have watched!
My rabbits:
Pancake is a 2.5yo female, spayed 6 months ago and we have had her for six months. We got her from a shelter, who got her from a hoarder house that had 60+ other rabbits. She weighs 5 lbs and is a domestic mix.
Pete is a 1.5yo male, neutered 4 weeks ago, and we have had him for two months. We rescued him from an acquiantence who didnt have time for him and was sending him to the shelter, so we took him instead. Pete is a 3.3lb netherland dwarf.
The rabbits first met about 2.5 weeks ago in a bathtub. Pancake immediately nipped Pete and ripped out a big clump of fur, so we separated them. We tried again a few hours later in a 2x2 pen on the tile floor and again, more hair pulling, always instigated by Pancake. The next day I tried again and this time Pancake laid down and Pete came and started licking her head. Unfortunately, he thin nipped or licked her eye too hard and she attacked him. I tried again a few hours later, and we were back to the nipping.
I then moved their cages next to each other and waited about a week. Pancake poop-marked for the first few days and then stopped. Pete never marked. I then put them in the 2x2 pen again in a new room and this time Pancake went over to Pete and asked to be groomed. Pete ignored. Eventually she gave up and left. Pete would stay still, but would eventually ventur too close to her and instigate a fight. This pattern of Pancake asking to be groomed, getting ignored, and then getting attacked or instigating one has happened in every daily bonding session for the past week. So, I stopped. Occasionally Pancake would flop and lay down though so I take that as a good sign. Pete does not lay down. Today I tried stress bonding in a 1x1 cage by shaking it a bit and Pancake was immediately attacking Pete and ripping fur. I have noticed some honking/musky smell form Pete so I know his hormones are still at least somewhat active - not sure if maybe that is having anything to do with this aggression. I've also had NEITHER rabbit make any attempt at all at mounting. They always approach each other face to face, which seems to instigate the fights.
I've never had any bloodshed, just fur pulling. But im not sure if I am doing something wrong or if this is all ok. Any ideas on how to make this pair like each other?
