How to bond my bunny with newly adopted bunny?

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Darojati

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Hi!
I'd like to seek your advice how to start bonding bunnies pls.

we have got female HL (spayed) bunny at home that bond with us so well. And we have been thinking a lot to bring in a buck bunny for her mate/friend. Now we have decided to get a buck HL, not yet neutered. We will neuter the bunny 2 weeks after he is home because of the Vet's waiting list.
Now would you please advise whether we (bunparents) should bond with the new bunny first? Or should we let him play in a playpen first, get him neutered, then we bond with him.. then after that, bond with our female HL? Which order should I go first? What's success rate to bond female HL with newly neutered male HL? Thanks
 
Hi!
I'd like to seek your advice how to start bonding bunnies pls.

we have got female HL (spayed) bunny at home that bond with us so well. And we have been thinking a lot to bring in a buck bunny for her mate/friend. Now we have decided to get a buck HL, not yet neutered. We will neuter the bunny 2 weeks after he is home because of the Vet's waiting list.
Now would you please advise whether we (bunparents) should bond with the new bunny first? Or should we let him play in a playpen first, get him neutered, then we bond with him.. then after that, bond with our female HL? Which order should I go first? What's success rate to bond female HL with newly neutered male HL? Thanks
Neuter first, you dont want something to happen before hand that ruins a chance of a bond, also even if they do bond before going to the vet can make the bond fall out anyway
 
Hi, what age is the new male rabbit? How long ago was your girl neutered and how old is she?

I agree, keep them separately and best if they can't see or smell each other. In my experience when an intact male can see or smell a female he gets really upset and trying to get to her all the time, biting on the bars, generally very stressed, spraying urine all around, some can get aggressive and start biting even your hands if you have scent of her on them maybe from holding her before him. So I spray my hands and clothes with 5% white vinegar between holding my rabbits who are not bonded, just to reduce stress. So I would really suggest keeping them totally separate until 8 weeks after his neutering.

For your bonding with this new rabbit, sure you go ahead and hold him, bond with him, just don't show him your female yet and as I said, rub your hands and spray your clothes with vinegar to neutralise her scent if you were holding her before him. Or if you want to let him be it's fine as well, whatever you feel ir right for you and him, just remember if he smells a female he can get nervous so don't be surprised.

All rabbits are different, maybe he is super laid back and won't get stressed, it happens as well, but in your situation if he is getting neutered in just 2 weeks, keeping them separately would be the simpliest way to bonding them later.

Given that your female is already neutered and not hormonal, it is also possible that they could bond even now when he is not neutered, but in my experience he will still hump a lot and will spray urine on her and everything around, I think that would be very unfair on her and also if you only have to wait 2 weeks + 8 weeks after neutering, I wouldn't really risk that, just keep them separately until August to reduce any stress.

Please keep us updated too and post some pics we love pics :)

What's success rate to bond female HL with newly neutered male HL? Thanks
Neutered male still will remain hormonal up to 8 weeks after neutering, sometimes even longer, and they say a male still can be even fertile up to 4 weeks after neutering. So please don't try bonding immediately after neutering, wait at least 6-8 weeks. There's no need to risk their future bond, it's only 10 weeks from now, he will need time to heal and must be kept in a limited space without exercise at least for one or two weeks, or longer if there's any complications, and after that it's just a few more weeks sure you can wait and prepare some neutral territory for bonding them.

Is your female in a playpen or a cage or free-roamed, she can get territorial if you just put a new rabbit into her playpen, so you have to prepare some other space for bonding them
 
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These first two links have info on forming a bond with your new rabbit. You can spend time with him before you get him neutered. On the best way to bond with him, it depends on how nervous of a rabbit he is. If he's a very scared rabbit, it will take time patience to earn his trust and form a bond with him. If he's friendly and unafraid, it will be easier to form a bond with him.

https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/bonding-with-your-bunny.html
https://flashsplace.webs.com/bondingwithyourbunny.htm
Then at least 8 weeks after his neuter when you are ready to bond him with your girl rabbit, the links below have some info on that bonding process. Whether or not they will bond depends on if they are the right personality match for each other. There's really no way to know until he is neutered and the hormones have faded.

https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/bonding-bunnies.html
http://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Bonding_rabbits_together
 
Hi, what age is the new male rabbit? How long ago was your girl neutered and how old is she?

->>the male rabbit is 13months. My

I agree, keep them separately and best if they can't see or smell each other. In my experience when an intact male can see or smell a female he gets really upset and trying to get to her all the time, biting on the bars, generally very stressed, spraying urine all around, some can get aggressive and start biting even your hands if you have scent of her on them maybe from holding her before him. So I spray my hands and clothes with 5% white vinegar between holding my rabbits who are not bonded, just to reduce stress. So I would really suggest keeping them totally separate until 8 weeks after his neutering.

For your bonding with this new rabbit, sure you go ahead and hold him, bond with him, just don't show him your female yet and as I said, rub your hands and spray your clothes with vinegar to neutralise her scent if you were holding her before him. Or if you want to let him be it's fine as well, whatever you feel ir right for you and him, just remember if he smells a female he can get nervous so don't be surprised.

All rabbits are different, maybe he is super laid back and won't get stressed, it happens as well, but in your situation if he is getting neutered in just 2 weeks, keeping them separately would be the simpliest way to bonding them later.

Given that your female is already neutered and not hormonal, it is also possible that they could bond even now when he is not neutered, but in my experience he will still hump a lot and will spray urine on her and everything around, I think that would be very unfair on her and also if you only have to wait 2 weeks + 8 weeks after neutering, I wouldn't really risk that, just keep them separately until August to reduce any stress.

-->> very well noted. I think 8 weeks will be a long 2months!

Please keep us updated too and post some pics we love pics :)


Neutered male still will remain hormonal up to 8 weeks after neutering, sometimes even longer, and they say a male still can be even fertile up to 4 weeks after neutering. So please don't try bonding immediately after neutering, wait at least 6-8 weeks. There's no need to risk their future bond, it's only 10 weeks from now, he will need time to heal and must be kept in a limited space without exercise at least for one or two weeks, or longer if there's any complications, and after that it's just a few more weeks sure you can wait and prepare some neutral territory for bonding them.

-->> ok, thanks. I hope there won't be any complication

Is your female in a playpen or a cage or free-roamed, she can get territorial if you just put a new rabbit into her playpen, so you have to prepare some other space for bonding them

-->> she is completely free-roamed. Indeed, we need to find new playpen for the new buck.
 

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