Quintet Bonding

I'm bonding my trio with my two single rabbits. I'll be updating frequently so feel free to comment, ask questions, or offer advice. This is semi cross posted with another forum so if you recognize my bunnies say hi!

Bunny Guide:
Frosted Pearl (white) English Lop = Monty
Opal (dusty) English Lop = Helo
Blue (grey) English Lop = Inara
Palomino Rabbit = Penny
Chestnut Agouti Rabbit = Dexter

Day 1: Session 1 - The Introduction (Last night)
We had them together for about 20 minutes. There was a bit of chaos at first. Monty growled and lunged at Inara. We kept intervening and petting both until things calmed down. All the while everyone else just kind of ran around smelling each other. After a bit Helo decided he wanted to hump Dexter backwards so we broke that up. He then took up humping Inara. We let him hump her for a little bit and then gently pushed him off so she wouldn't get mad about it. Helo seemed satisfied with the outcome and everyone settled in and mooshed together for the rest of the session. I didn't get any good video but I did manage to snag some pics:












Overall, I'm really happy with how things went!

Day 2: Session 1
Today's first session was about 2 hours long. It started out pretty awful but we did see some improvements by the end! Helo humped Penny and Dexter right of the bat. We let him do it and then pushed him off gently before they started getting upset. We put hay in the bonding pen and Helo and Monty ate together nicely for a few minutes... And then it all fell apart. Everyone started trying to fight with everyone else. My husband had taken off his gloves to make some coffee and came back in to help me. He ended up with a couple nasty bites. Always wear your gloves folks!

I bought a small dog crate off craigslist because 3 or more bunnies would fit inside for stress bonding. We stressed Monty, Helo, and Inara together because they were having the most difficulty. They huddled together and after about 5 minutes of them sitting nicely we put them back with Dexter and Penny. Things improved quite a bit from there on out. Dexter, always the caretaker, even groomed Helo a little. We did a couple more rounds of stressing when some problems started cropping up again between Inara, Monty, and Helo. When we ended the session they were all hanging out without any issues.

This is our current bonding set up. Ignore all the bonding mess >.<

It seems to be working out pretty well right now.

Pics from session:








I also realized that people on this forum are not familiar with me or my bonding experiences. I wanted to make sure I pointed out that my bonding methods may seem aggressive or extreme to some but I've never had a bunny get injured during bonding (sometimes us humans have not been as lucky!). If I ever felt their mental of physical health was in jeopardy I would not continue to bond. Safety is priority #1.

Where'd these cute little critters come from? All breeders?

Hey Zombie Sue! I recognize your name from BB

- Dexter and Penny (the up eared rabbits) came from a local rabbit rescue. We adopted them as two single rabbits at the same time. If I remember correctly Penny was an owner surrender and Dexter was raised by the rescue with his siblings.
- Monty ( white E-Lop) was found outdoors at my old place of employment. It was a really rural/industrial area that gets used a lot for pet "dumping". We caught him, tried to find his owner, but when no one claimed him we kept him.
- Helo and Inara were purchased by someone we know though my husband's father for this last Easter. Afterwards the purchaser lost all interest in them and gave them to us.

Yess! that forum isn't as active as this one, though, probably because they don't allow discussion of breeding? IDK, but it's nice to be in both lol. I don't recognize yours though, sorreee

You're lucky you can tell what most of them are even though you only bought two of them. Sometimes I'm envious of people who know a lot about their rabbits x(

Day 3 Update

Day 3:
Today's session was 4 hours long!
Hour 1- More of the same in regards to Monty, Helo, and Inara fighting. We stressed bonded them off and on for most of this time.
Hour 2 & 3- Was really good, no fighting. I did something I tell people not to do and used some small litter boxes (that we use as storage containers not as actual litter boxes) and filled when with hay. They all took turns munching and even though some of them hopped IN them no one seemed to be playing "king of the mountain". Some of them dozed together and Dexter groomed both Helo and Inara at different times.
Hour 4- They started bickering over the hay boxes and I took them away. We stressed Penny, Monty, Helo, and Inara because they were causing the trouble. Put them back in and the rest of the hour went really well with some cuddling and sleeping.

I feel really good about today!
Pics:

Day 3 pics continued:

This is amazing!!
I've had more bad experiences than good with bonding.
They all look so adorable together.

Wow, you're brave! I have a hard enough time bonding two, I can't imagine doing 5! Despite the scuffles, they sure look like they are getting on pretty well. Beautiful rabbits! I hope it all works out.

Thanks Blue Eyes and JBun! I'm really happy with how things are going.

Day 4:
Three hour session today.
Hour 1: Was Helo humpfest. He humped Penny, Inara, Dexter, and started to hump Monty but didn't. No fights at all until about 45 minutes in. Helo and Monty started having issues so we stress bonded them. Things settled down after that.

Hour 2: Dexter groomed Helo and then nothing of note happened for the next 30 minutes or so. They just kind of hung out. A few almost fights happened but I just ended up petting whoever was getting agitated and nothing escalated. The highlight of this hour would have to be towards the end when Helo groomed both Penny and Monty.

Hour 3: Opened up the pen some for them a bit and hid apple pieces all over their heads and behind their ears. They had fun sniffing and licking each other (cute!). After that they Helo, Inara, and Monty binkied around the pen (not really playing together just happy).

Definite improvement! I'm so happy with how things are moving along.

Pics:
The only thing I didn't like was the poopapalooza -_-

Wow, I really have to admire your bravery for this. I've not tried to bond rabbits myself, but I've certainly heard plenty of horror stories. So it's amazing to know that everything is going really well for all 5 bunnies. Best wishes that it continues to progress well, will be interested to keep reading

Loving the pictures too

omg lol sorry about your floors.

Question about your stress bonding--are you doing car rides? (sorry if you already said) and do you put them in a carrier or how exactly do you transport them?

Thanks Azerane! Bonding gets less and less scary the more you do it.

I'm glad people are enjoying the thread and pics.

ZombieSue - Haha, thanks! They all have such great litter habits in normal situations but all the territorial pooping... -_- I had to sweep three times during bonding. I haven't done any car rides with them yet but you've got me thinking about doing one later. When I stress bond them I use a small dog crate and jostle, rattle, carry it, put it on an office chair and wheel it around, gently bounce it on the couch, set it up on a table (they don't like the height), etc... Just stuff around the house that makes them less happy with me but more comfortable with each other, lol. They don't stay mad though. One bit of apple and all is forgiven.

When I move them into their bonding space I put the trio in the dog crate and the two singles in their own carriers. I let them all out in the pen at the same time. If I was going to take them on a car ride I'd put them all in a box or dog crate. This is mainly because my bunnies are on the larger side (42 lbs total). If they were smaller (or I had less of them) I would just use a regular carrier.

I don't know if I mention previously but Monty, Dexter, and Penny are my trio and Helo and Inara are the singles I'm adding.

Out of curiosity, will these rabbits actually be bonded, or are you hoping for peaceful cohabitation?

Golfdiva - I'm not sure what you're asking exactly.

The goal is for them to work as a long term functioning group with a developed social structure. With groups there may be some that are closer with specific others but none are left out and all are able to enjoy each other's company. Not all bonds are super cuddly, for example with my bonded trio. Penny and Monty play together, eat together, sleep together, do some mutual grooming, and hang out together but are not as cuddly with each other as they are with Dexter.

I want them to develop lasting relationships and a group dynamic not only tolerance.

Day 5:

3 hour session

Added litter boxes into the mix. They ran around playing "musical litter box" for about 10 minutes. We had a few scuffles between Helo and Monty so we stress bonded them. 30 minutes in everything had settled down and other than some minor altercations there was no more aggression.

Penny groomed Helo
Helo groomed Monty
Dexter groomed Helo, Penny, and Monty

After about 2 hours Helo decided to hump everyone including Monty (the boss rabbit of the trio). About 30 minutes after that Helo groomed Monty. The rest of the session was spent munching on hay and hanging out.

Pics:

BunnyWabbit said:

I want them to develop lasting relationships and a group dynamic not only tolerance.

Click to expand...

That answered my question perfectly! Thanks!

Am just loving seeing all these buns together, I just love those long ears. I really do take my hat off to you, I have three and can´t imagine adding any more, have thought about it at times but worry about the issues of another one in the group.

Hope that you reach your goal, certainly looks as though they are all reasonably OK together and things are progressing. Will look forward to following these five.

I really like this thread. I enjoy reading bondings, but this many is a treat to see indepth. As for your methods, I don't find them aggressive. I notice different countries have different and successful ways they bond bunnies. When I bonded my two i used the slow method recommended around these parts and in hindsight I regret it a bit because i'm positive doing it the way your doing, or even a bit more aggressive would have succeeded better. Either way I wish you luck and look forward to a happy quintet bond.


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