Difficult Bonding

Hi,

I have a difficult bonding in between a neutered 5 months old male bunny and a 2 months not yet spayed female.

It’s a tricky situation because I live in a studio. I have the girl in a playpen and the male free roaming. I can’t neutralise all the smells in the flat but I did in the toilet (even if the male litter was there since the beginning) and I’ll use it as next ground for bonding. At the moment I am putting the male in the playpen with the new bunny 15/20 min a day with me in it monitoring as he try to bite her all the time. Now is better when I am there with them closely and sometimes they snuggle are head to head but as soon as she turns around he would chase and bite her, yesterday she was really scared! Is been 2 weeks so far and this has not improved.

So I also leave him in the playpen at times to get her out a bit because it breaks my heart to see her there all the time but he gets even more upset since is not used to be closed in small spaces. Anyway I’ll keep doing this for a while until the chasing biting stops even if I start to think won’t and it’s just not a match…

I will bring them out together once and see if works better outside too.

If anyone has any tips or info please send a message, I would really appreciate!

Thank you

Your girl is still intact and very young. She should not yet be in any contact whatsoever with the male. If he is trying to bite her, this is not progress and should not be allowed to happen at all. If allowed to continue, it will likely ensure that they do not get along in the future.

The young girl should be spayed before bonding attempts begin. The hormones of the female can affect the behavior of the male even if he is neutered. This is the unfortunate difficulty in trying to get a young, intact rabbit to get along with another rabbit.

Since the male is just 5 months of age, I'm guessing his neuter was fairly recent. How recent was his neuter? It can take up to 6-8 weeks for hormones to fully dissipate after surgery. If it has been less time than that, that could also be having a negative affect on their interactions.

Until she can be spayed and have time to heal, keeping them separate would be best. They can do some "pre-bonding" by living in proximity but separated by the pen walls. This arrangement can be maintained from now until after she is healed from her spay.

Here is some further info on bonding rabbits.

Blue eyes said:

Your girl is still intact and very young. She should not yet be in any contact whatsoever with the male. If he is trying to bite her, this is not progress and should not be allowed to happen at all. If allowed to continue, it will likely ensure that they do not get along in the future.

The young girl should be spayed before bonding attempts begin. The hormones of the female can affect the behavior of the male even if he is neutered. This is the unfortunate difficulty in trying to get a young, intact rabbit to get along with another rabbit.

Since the male is just 5 months of age, I'm guessing his neuter was fairly recent. How recent was his neuter? It can take up to 6-8 weeks for hormones to fully dissipate after surgery. If it has been less time than that, that could also be having a negative affect on their interactions.

Until she can be spayed and have time to heal, keeping them separate would be best. They can do some "pre-bonding" by living in proximity but separated by the pen walls. This arrangement can be maintained from now until after she is healed from her spay.

Here is some further info on bonding rabbits.

Click to expand...

Hi, thanks for your answer I really appreciate.
Loto the male was neutered the 29th of march. She’s less then 3 months I think so might be too early to spay! My issue here is that I live in a studio as well so I have to keep her in a small space until this situation is resolved and just swap them around when I can but is not easy, I’ll ask a vet on Monday what he suggest. Do you think i should attempt to bond them again and keep her until spayed with this stressful situation with the risk that won’t work anyway? I don’t know what to do. I love her but I want the best for all of us. I am willing to keep going but is going to be a lot harder ti find her a new home once she’s fully grown.

Also if he’s just settling with the neutering maybe in sometime he’ll be less interested in her? I am not sure why he’s aggressive instead of just wanting to mount her?

Also she eats a lot, really a lot. Twice as the male and I am not sure why, maybe because she was the smallest of a litter? Or might be a Digestive problem ?

Thanks for your help

Linda, Loto & Cher

LindaBon said:

Hi, thanks for your answer I really appreciate.
Loto the male was neutered the 29th of march. She’s less then 3 months I think so might be too early to spay! My issue here is that I live in a studio as well so I have to keep her in a small space until this situation is resolved and just swap them around when I can but is not easy, I’ll ask a vet on Monday what he suggest. Do you think i should attempt to bond them again and keep her until spayed with this stressful situation with the risk that won’t work anyway? I don’t know what to do. I love her but I want the best for all of us. I am willing to keep going but is going to be a lot harder ti find her a new home once she’s fully grown.

Also if he’s just settling with the neutering maybe in sometime he’ll be less interested in her? I am not sure why he’s aggressive instead of just wanting to mount her?

Also she eats a lot, really a lot. Twice as the male and I am not sure why, maybe because she was the smallest of a litter? Or might be a Digestive problem ?

Thanks for your help

Linda, Loto & Cher

Click to expand...

You need to keep them separated until a couple of months after her spay. UK rabbit vets will spay from 16 weeks. Can you not divide your room in two? Don't keep trying to bond them now, it's very unlikely to work and very likely to lead to injuries.

Thanks again,

No I can’t unfortunately because is not high enough and the male bunny can jump over it so I am keeping it small to be able to also cover it. She’s only 2 months so is going to be a long way before she can be spayed and even longer before she’s fine. So I am not sure what’s best to do at this stage.

Do you think if I go through all this there are good chances it will work afterwards?

LindaBon said:

Thanks again,

No I can’t unfortunately because is not high enough and the male bunny can jump over it so I am keeping it small to be able to also cover it. She’s only 2 months so is going to be a long way before she can be spayed and even longer before she’s fine. So I am not sure what’s best to do at this stage.

Do you think if I go through all this there are good chances it will work afterwards?

Click to expand...

Why don't you get some higher panels he can't jump? Or maybe keep one of them in the bathroom (if that's an OK size)? Alternatively, perhaps you could find a rescue centre near you who are willing to board her and perhaps even bond her with your boy eventually. Obviously you will need to pay. I think there is a good chance they will bond eventually but not if they have a fight now.

The idea of getting help is a good idea but even so I would have to wait that she’s spayed right?
He chased her and bit her a couple of times but wasn’t a massive fight.
It’s funny because she knows he’s in charge and she would stay low and still, she submitted to him. She would give him kisses at the start though but now she’s scared of him and just freezes.

I think the panels I have are the highest I could find I’ll have a look

LindaBon said:

The idea of getting help is a good idea but even so I would have to wait that she’s spayed right?
He chased her and bit her a couple of times but wasn’t a massive fight.
It’s funny because she knows he’s in charge and she would stay low and still, she submitted to him. She would give him kisses at the start though but now she’s scared of him and just freezes.

I think the panels I have are the highest I could find I’ll have a look

Click to expand...

Yes, to bond you have to wait.

LindaBon said:

Hi,

I have a difficult bonding in between a neutered 5 months old male bunny and a 2 months not yet spayed female.

It’s a tricky situation because I live in a studio. I have the girl in a playpen and the male free roaming. I can’t neutralise all the smells in the flat but I did in the toilet (even if the male litter was there since the beginning) and I’ll use it as next ground for bonding. At the moment I am putting the male in the playpen with the new bunny 15/20 min a day with me in it monitoring as he try to bite her all the time. Now is better when I am there with them closely and sometimes they snuggle are head to head but as soon as she turns around he would chase and bite her, yesterday she was really scared! Is been 2 weeks so far and this has not improved.

So I also leave him in the playpen at times to get her out a bit because it breaks my heart to see her there all the time but he gets even more upset since is not used to be closed in small spaces. Anyway I’ll keep doing this for a while until the chasing biting stops even if I start to think won’t and it’s just not a match…

I will bring them out together once and see if works better outside too.

If anyone has any tips or info please send a message, I would really appreciate!
If you want to learn more but don't know what to do, you can download the GPT chat application at the Getmodnow website Nova ChatGPT APK
Thank you

Click to expand...

Here are some tips and information to help you with the bonding process:

Spay/Neuter: It's crucial to spay/neuter your rabbits before attempting to bond them. This helps reduce aggression, territorial behavior, and hormonal issues that can hinder the bonding process. If your female bunny isn't spayed yet, it's advisable to wait until she is before proceeding with the bonding.

Neutral Territory: Using a neutral area for bonding is essential. As you mentioned, the toilet can be a good neutral space since you've neutralized the smells. Ensure the space is large enough for both rabbits to move around comfortably.

Gradual Introduction: You're on the right track by starting with short supervised sessions in the playpen. Increase the duration gradually as long as both rabbits are showing positive behaviors. It's normal for some chasing and nipping to occur during the bonding process, but it should decrease over time.

Positive Reinforcement: Reward positive interactions between the rabbits with treats, praise, or petting. This helps them associate each other's presence with positive experiences.

Parallel Activities: Engage both rabbits in parallel activities while they're in the same space. This could include feeding them treats simultaneously or providing them with toys to play with. The goal is to create positive associations between being near each other.

Swap Scents: Exchange the rabbits' bedding or toys between their living spaces. This helps them become familiar with each other's scents, which can promote bonding.

Supervised Dates: As the bonding progresses, you can gradually increase the amount of time they spend together under close supervision. This can include allowing them to explore a neutral territory together or having supervised play sessions.

Patience and Time: Every bonding process is unique, and it can take several weeks or even months for rabbits to bond successfully. Don't rush the process and be patient with your rabbits. It's essential to observe their behaviors and adjust the bonding sessions accordingly.