Bonding Dilemma ...maybe

[mootpoint]

I brought Mackie, a neutered male, home to try to bond him with my spayed female, Rosie. Rosie lives in a pen made from grid squares, and I bought some more squares and made a little sub-pen for Mackie. They have one adjoining wall, as I heard this was a good way for rabbits to familiarize with each other without hurting each other. They squabbled a bit through the bars at first but soon became calm around each other.

Over the past couple of day, Mackie has been somehow getting from his pen into Rosie's pen. I took him out and put him back all the times I found that he did this - by the time I noticed though I'm sure they had been in the pen together all day for those two days.

Mackie will nip at Rosie a bit, but he doesn't seem to do it too hard and he doesn't look like he's being aggressive. Rosie seems a tiny bit nervous when he nips her but otherwise they seem content together. They even share bits of banana and eat out of the same bowl.

My question is:
Should I separate them again (I found how he's been getting in) and continue to bond in the ways listed on bonding pages? Or should I let them stay together and warm up to each other on their own?

THANKS!!

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Since he seems to want to be with her, then let them be together but only when supervised. So separate them at night and when you are not around. As they get used to each other, you can let them together more.
Personally, I do like to make sure they are getting along when I am around before having them in the cage when I am not there. If they do well for a few days or longer, then I will let them together when I am not there for short periods, then work up to overnight. Once they are ok overnight, then they should be ok to live together.

 

[mootpoint]

I didn't get your post until this morning, and since they seemed okay I did leave them overnight. I figured that since I am a light sleeper, any scuffles would wake me up.

Everything went fine, the only thing is, there were poops EVERYWHERE this morning, and Mackie peed outside the litter box as well. Is this just him marking his territory? Because I know that before you move rabbits in together you're supposed to do a huge clean and change all the accessories and such...obviously I didn't do that yet because I didn't expect them to be together this soon.

 

[LakeCondo]

I guess so, though usually it's just stray poop.

I think it's a sign they aren't 100% ready to be together 100%. I would separate them when you're not there & awake & watching [they could fight quietly] but switch the bedding & such until they settle down, then do it again, etc until they are just a few stray poops & no urine, then go for unsupervised togetherness.