Bonding spayed female and not yet neutered male

[meeka85]

Hi there,

I have a 6 month old female who was spayed on Halloween, and I brought home an 8 week old unneutered male last week. I've done research online that says that it's best to have already altered animals before introducing face to face, but this wasn't possible in my case. I have both in their own cages side by side and they seem interest in each other when they aren't ignoring the other (a good sign I think). Anyways, should I wait till the boy is completely recovered from a neuter (3 months from now since he needs to be older before my vet will neuter him), or can I introduce them face to face before he is neutered. Any advice would be welcome

Erin

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

It really depends on what he is like. Since he is so young, you can't really tell what he will be like as an adult. Babies tend to bond easily, so even if they did bond now it might not hold as he gets older and matures.

You can try introducing them so they get to know each other, but serious bonding should wait until he is neutered. I would recommend waiting another week or so to give your female a good chance to heal and for her hormones to settle down.

 

[Blue eyes]

If you are intent on bonding them, it would be best to just keep their cages near each other, but keep them separate until both are fixed and recuperated. The reason I'd recommend this is because you won't know when the boy's hormones kick in. When they do, either one may decide to fight the other. You do not want to have them ever fight if you want them to bond. So why risk it?
They can't truly bond until after they are both fixed. Babies get along easily with other buns... until those hormones kick in. So the "getting along" isn't a true bond anyway.

 

[meeka85]

Thank you so much for the awesome advice I will wait till my little boy is all healed from his neuter. Very much appreciate it!!

 

[JBun]

If they seem to get along, it is possible for them to bond before he is neutered. I have a bonded pair where the male was neutered and the female wasn't spayed, and they lived together, snuggled, groomed, for quite awhile until I was able to get her spayed. Their relationship is totally the same now as it was before she was spayed. So it can happen. If they do bond, that bond can possibly change when his hormones come in, but it might not also. One thing right now is that your female may still be hormonal for a while after her spay, and try and chase him around because of it, and that's something that might seem scary for a baby bunny. Just something you'll want to be aware of when you introduce them. Bonding can also just depend a lot on the individual rabbits personalities.

 

[agnesthelion]

I agree with Suzette because I'm of the mindset that they aren't really bonded until buns are fixed. Hormones can break the "bond" at any time. I'd say wait until he is neutered.

 

[meeka85]

And it turns out Orion is a girl! I read that it can be challenging to bond females, but I am still going to wait until Orion is spayed and all that before trying.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Keep them housed close together but I wouldn't try any bonding till a month after neuter. Good luck.