Advice regarding rabbit bonding/pairing please!

[anamil]

We bought a new baby girl bunny on the weekend as a companion for our boy bunny. They are kept strictly separate because he is not being neutered until next week. However, to get them acquainted they take turns free ranging in the back yard while the other is in its own hutch. They keep vigil beside each others cage, even through torrential rain we have been having. Is our boy bunny driven only by lust or can they be bonding?
Also, how can I support boy bunny until his hormones settle? He is often excited and is heavily soiling his bedding with urine which he hasn't done before and I am a bit worried about him, also have not been able to let him inside the house because he is very dirty and I hope he is not stressing over that too.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Neutering is the start of the journey. It will mitigate his hormone driven, territorial behaviors. You'll have to keep them separate for at least a month after the surgery. Also, you really need to have both neutered to have a real shot at sucess.

 

[ZRabbits]

I'd go a bit more than a month. A month for the sperm held by males and then another month to allow all the hormones to dissipate. That's when I saw my boys start to calm down. But also it depends on the individual bunny. Took Kreacher a bit longer to get rid of those hormonal urges after neutering. Thought I was in the clear, but two months after the neutering of the bonded pair, woke up to Dobby with hair removed from his face. Got off luck.

But just watch when the girl comes of age. Females also mark, become territorial. Just like the boys. And could turn on your now neutered male.

Wishing you luck in the bonding.

K

 

[candykittten]

I also found it took about 2 months for my males hormones to calm down after his neuter. Use the opportunity to work on your bond with each of them.. it will be easier while they are separate

 

[Nelsons_Mom]

I'd get him neutered asap and try to keep them away from each other for a month afterwards. I'd just be worried with them exposed to each other when both are hormonal could lead to a fight through the bars and ruin any chance of bonding.

Also, depending on her age, rabbits will mate through the bars of the cage.

 

[ZRabbits]

On thing to add, I made sure when I talked to my Rabbit Savvy Vet that he was comfortable with the age of my males to be safely neutered. He was the one that needed to feel comfortable about it. Though a bunny, female and male, becomes dirty and grump in the teenage months, it should be at the time the person performing the neutering/spaying is comfortable with.

Most Rabbit Savvy Vets have different opinion about the age of a rabbit going through this operation. Some feel that they need to hit maturity before doing so.

K

 

[LakeCondo]

Any bonding with a hope of permanence will have to be after they're both post-hormonal.