Bonding question...

[LadyOnslaught]

I took my new black bunny to the vet this past Saturday to get a check-up and to make sure that it is a girl. I was told she's healthy and is in fact a girl from what the vet can tell. I put both buns in our hallway and they seem to be getting along fairly well. No chasing or biting or anything. The black bunny wants to establish dominance. She does follow Riley around but I would call it following, not chasing. She doesn't seem like she's being mean, just wants to be around her.

There are times though when she will not stop humping her. Should I intervene or just let them work it out? I have not seen any biting or anything mean towards the other one. Riley seemed to be getting stressed so I separated them for awhile but she also seems like she doesn't like that. There was a time where it they were going in tight circles and looked as though they had a hold of the other one behind the neck but really I think Riley was trying to establish dominance and so was the other one. What should I do about that?

One last thing...Riley has been making noices. Kind of squeaky noises since they've been together. What might that mean? Thanks for any advice!

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Sorry nobody has responded yet! (It gets busy for us all when it gets warm out, it seems.)

I have minimal bonding experience, but I know that what you have going on sounds good.2 females? They can be difficult, but not impossible, to bond. So, you have your work cut out for you, lol.

I would say as long as it doesn't get really physical, let them work it out, in a smaller area. So you can intervene if need be. Also, yes, I think the dominance/submissive thing needs to be worked out for buns early on in the bonding process, so this is normal.

I wish you the best of luck, and please post questions on your journey and most certainly post pics too!


Squeaky noises? I've never heard them, but it sounds like it could be a happy noise, from what I've heard from others. We'd probably have to have an actual recorded/video'd sound to know for sure, if then. But, we can try!

 

[LadyOnslaught]

AngelnSnuffy wrote:

Sorry nobody has responded yet! (It gets busy for us all when it gets warm out, it seems.)

I have minimal bonding experience, but I know that what you have going on sounds good.2 females? They can be difficult, but not impossible, to bond. So, you have your work cut out for you, lol.

I would say as long as it doesn't get really physical, let them work it out, in a smaller area. So you can intervene if need be. Also, yes, I think the dominance/submissive thing needs to be worked out for buns early on in the bonding process, so this is normal.

I wish you the best of luck, and please post questions on your journey and most certainly post pics too!


Squeaky noises? I've never heard them, but it sounds like it could be a happy noise, from what I've heard from others. We'd probably have to have an actual recorded/video'd sound to know for sure, if then. But, we can try!

Thank you for your reply I figure everyone gets busy. I didn't have time to work with them last night but I'll try tonight as long as I have time. I figure they're just pretty much going to have to work things out (as long as things do not get out of hand between them). I will try and get some pics but all I have is my camera phone so I doubt I can get a recording of the noises she makes but I will try! Thanks again .

 

[tonyshuman]

I'd let them hump for a little while (no more than 30s at a time), then push them off of each other so that the one doesn't get stressed out. humping is important to establish dominance, and it's more than likely one of your bunnies will be the dominant one. The following around is good, and I don't know what the squeaking is. My bunnies only squeak when you're holding them and they don't like it (ie on their back to cut their nails) and only two of them squeak at all. I think the context of the squeaking is important to figure out what it means.

The only things you really don't want to let happen while bonding are outright fighting, repeated nips, nips in deliacate areas (I'm currently helping a poor little boy heal who got nipped in a VERY bad place), or chasing in circles. Chasing in circles means that they both want to dominate each other and won't give in to each other. A few little nips, especially while humping (they often nip to hold on to the back of the neck) is ok--still try to discourage it, though.

ETA: Are you planning on getting them spayed? A spay can upset a bond that is already formed, partly because the spayed rabbits smell different without theiry hormones. Also, it might be better to wait until after the spay to try bonding because it should be easier to do with altered bunnies.

 

[LadyOnslaught]

tonyshuman wrote:

I'd let them hump for a little while (no more than 30s at a time), then push them off of each other so that the one doesn't get stressed out. humping is important to establish dominance, and it's more than likely one of your bunnies will be the dominant one. The following around is good, and I don't know what the squeaking is. My bunnies only squeak when you're holding them and they don't like it (ie on their back to cut their nails) and only two of them squeak at all. I think the context of the squeaking is important to figure out what it means.

The only things you really don't want to let happen while bonding are outright fighting, repeated nips, nips in deliacate areas (I'm currently helping a poor little boy heal who got nipped in a VERY bad place), or chasing in circles. Chasing in circles means that they both want to dominate each other and won't give in to each other. A few little nips, especially while humping (they often nip to hold on to the back of the neck) is ok--still try to discourage it, though.

ETA: Are you planning on getting them spayed? A spay can upset a bond that is already formed, partly because the spayed rabbits smell different without theiry hormones. Also, it might be better to wait until after the spay to try bonding because it should be easier to do with altered bunnies.

Thank you for the reply. I have not seen any aggression but have been watching for it and I will continue to. Yes, they will both be spayed as soon as possible. Would it be serve any purpose to get them spayed at the same time...would that help at all?

 

[tonyshuman]

I think that would help, since a big part of rabbits unbonding following a spay is that the recovering animal smells "sick" to the other bunny, and as such can be abandoned because she's a risk to attract predators or something. I'm not a rabbit psychologist by any means, but I think that's what I've heard before. I think someone on here had two girlies that were bonded, and had them spayed at the same time. It's more worry for you, but I think it works better.

 

[LadyOnslaught]

tonyshuman wrote:

I think that would help, since a big part of rabbits unbonding following a spay is that the recovering animal smells "sick" to the other bunny, and as such can be abandoned because she's a risk to attract predators or something. I'm not a rabbit psychologist by any means, but I think that's what I've heard before. I think someone on here had two girlies that were bonded, and had them spayed at the same time. It's more worry for you, but I think it works better.

To me it's fine to have them both done at the same time. I will probably just need to wait a little longer since the new one isa little younger by about 2 months.