Bonding two male buns

[Amber H]

hello all,

I wanted some personal advice on bonding my two male buns! I have previously posted about my 9 month old lop Gucci and his changes in behaviour since getting our rescue Kenzo, my nethie who is now nearly 5 months. Kenzo got neutered around 2 weeks ago and has healed following his two post-op checks. I know the best time to wait till bringing the boys together is around 4-6 weeks and I plan on waiting that time. I have never bonded bunnies before, but have kept neutered boys (that were already bonded) so I am not sure about the process.
So far, I have been swapping soft toys around, letting one roam around the others hutch when one is out and the other indoors and also when they are both in for bedtime they are next to each other in their hutches (they are both indoor rabbits).
my experience so far has been that Gucci (my bunny that has entire free roam of the house), is happy to lick keno through his hutch when HE IS OUT and kenzo Is in his hutch, but when this is reversed and Kenzo is the one looking at Gucci while he is inside, Gucci has tried to bite Kenzo's paws and hasn't reacted as well. Gucci also sometimes will sit outside Kenzos hutch, grooming himself, eating, relaxing etc but once again this is only when Gucci has free roam.
in regards to the teddy bears, Gucci was first reluctant to Kenzo's soft toy, attacking it and throwing it around but after a while, he has begun to groom and lick the soft toy. Do these signs mean anything? I do have videos which I will post if I can.

both buns have free roam of the house all day, with Gucci tending to have our living rooms and bedrooms and Kenzo being in the Kitchen and conservatory (all of course bunny proofed), they only tend to be in their cages when im cleaning one out or simply for the bonding purposes for small periods at a time.

The next step which I was advised by our vet was to start swapping their hutches over and I plan on doing this today, alternating on even and odd days. I have also researched youtube videos which talk about stress bonding to be the next step after the cage swaps. however, my worry with this is that if the situation is not that stressful for Gucci (he is used to sounds of the hoover, drying machine, washing machine, car drives and in general is a fearless bun haha) that he will attack kenzo and being in a confined area, this is difficult to separate. Following the 4-6 weeks of Kenzo's op, and obviously the cage changes, what would you guys suggest is the best next step? I will attach photos and videos that I have so far captured of their bonding journey. I may not have a neutral area in my current house, but I do have outdoors and my shower (which Gucci has been into briefly, lying down and enjoying the cold floor haha, but this was a while ago now and is not frequent)

the movies are too large to process, so I will send screenshots from them instead. (sorry for so many haha)

Any help would be largely appreciated.

Amber H

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

It’s likely that Gucci will be the dominant rabbit in this bond. Stress bonding usually works well and it sounds like you have a good plan set out. It makes sense that Gucci attacks Kenzo’s stuffed toy, it smells like him. I think you do have a good idea on what you are doing. So in a few weeks when you start out, get yourself some gloves, put on a long-sleeved shirt and get something to block them if they start to fight. Some people use a dustpan, or a flat piece of cardboard. I know some people put their rabbits in boxes on top of the dryer or washing machine during bonding. Sorry, I don’t know if this helps. Good luck though

 

[Mariam+Theo]

I agree with Apollo's Slave, you need to get a dustpan or cardboard to split them up. For the gloves, get thick snow gloves because the thin rubber ones will get shredded if they get in a fight. I would read this link and watch this video: Bonding Bunnies.

I also noticed that your litter boxes are too small. I would get a large bin and use this setup.

 

[Amber H]

I have watched that video before, which is where I got the worries about the stress bonding, based on Gucci's already aggressive behaviour towards Kenzo.

In regards to the toilet, Kenzo's is from the rescue place as he was already toilet trained with it and Gucci has both a similar set up to the website and this blue one, he tends to use the blue one much more which is why we stuck with it.

Thanks tho!

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

You will just have to break the fights up. If they get really serious or they’re still fighting after months of bonding, it might be best to keep them apart. But it’s not likely. You don’t need to stress about it, you aren’t there yet. Just be vigilant, if a fight breaks out, stop it.

 

[Mariam+Theo]

I have watched that video before, which is where I got the worries about the stress bonding, based on Gucci's already aggressive behaviour towards Kenzo.

In regards to the toilet, Kenzo's is from the rescue place as he was already toilet trained with it and Gucci has both a similar set up to the website and this blue one, he tends to use the blue one much more which is why we stuck with it.

Thanks tho!

If you want to take another approach to it you can do this method that someone on here (I can't remember who) uses:
"(they have not met each other yet or done any sort of bonding yet.) I put them in cages or x-pens next to each other. NOT touching or in reach of each other or they will nip at each other. Close enough so they can investigate each other. After about 2 weeks I move the pens closer together provided they have not had any fighting. Then after a month, I start 5-10-minute sessions in the bathtub per night for about a week. Then on a Saturday I clear my schedule and move an x-pen in the living room where I supervise all day. I put them in there together right away in the morning and leave them in there all day. I watch closely and break up any fights if they start immediately. But, I don't take them out if they start fighting, they need to get it out of their systems. I will leave them in there all day and all that night, and sleep in the room with them if they still aren't getting along after the day. I usually have pretty good luck that they are getting along at this point. Then when I am feeling good and trusting they aren't fighting after a day or so. I move them back into the room they were in, in the same x-pen they were in the last day or so. I put it in the center of the two areas they were occupying before I moved them out. This way both their scents are there. Then I hang sheets or old towels around the outside of the pen so they can't see where they are, and they only see each other. Then play it by ear I see how they are doing, if all is going well and they aren't trying to escape I start removing a panel a day of the outside cover, so they slowly see their surroundings. Usually, they see their old habitat and get so excited to go back home with their new friend I don't make it to the end of the covers and I let them into their now shared area.
No stressing for me or the rabbits and it has worked every time I have tried it. I have used this for my female rabbits that I tried using other methods that did not work. I developed this on my own after lots of reading and trial and lots of error. My 7-year-old un-spayed female who I never thought would bond with another after she lost her mate has even bonded with another un-spayed female using this method."

That makes since about the litter boxes, but I wanted to let you know that you don't have to put litter all on the floor of the cages. It may confuse the rabbits about where to use the bathroom. I get that your method works though, every rabbit is different.

 

[Breezekoz]

hello all,

I wanted some personal advice on bonding my two male buns! I have previously posted about my 9 month old lop Gucci and his changes in behaviour since getting our rescue Kenzo, my nethie who is now nearly 5 months. Kenzo got neutered around 2 weeks ago and has healed following his two post-op checks. I know the best time to wait till bringing the boys together is around 4-6 weeks and I plan on waiting that time. I have never bonded bunnies before, but have kept neutered boys (that were already bonded) so I am not sure about the process.
So far, I have been swapping soft toys around, letting one roam around the others hutch when one is out and the other indoors and also when they are both in for bedtime they are next to each other in their hutches (they are both indoor rabbits).
my experience so far has been that Gucci (my bunny that has entire free roam of the house), is happy to lick keno through his hutch when HE IS OUT and kenzo Is in his hutch, but when this is reversed and Kenzo is the one looking at Gucci while he is inside, Gucci has tried to bite Kenzo's paws and hasn't reacted as well. Gucci also sometimes will sit outside Kenzos hutch, grooming himself, eating, relaxing etc but once again this is only when Gucci has free roam.
in regards to the teddy bears, Gucci was first reluctant to Kenzo's soft toy, attacking it and throwing it around but after a while, he has begun to groom and lick the soft toy. Do these signs mean anything? I do have videos which I will post if I can.

both buns have free roam of the house all day, with Gucci tending to have our living rooms and bedrooms and Kenzo being in the Kitchen and conservatory (all of course bunny proofed), they only tend to be in their cages when im cleaning one out or simply for the bonding purposes for small periods at a time.

The next step which I was advised by our vet was to start swapping their hutches over and I plan on doing this today, alternating on even and odd days. I have also researched youtube videos which talk about stress bonding to be the next step after the cage swaps. however, my worry with this is that if the situation is not that stressful for Gucci (he is used to sounds of the hoover, drying machine, washing machine, car drives and in general is a fearless bun haha) that he will attack kenzo and being in a confined area, this is difficult to separate. Following the 4-6 weeks of Kenzo's op, and obviously the cage changes, what would you guys suggest is the best next step? I will attach photos and videos that I have so far captured of their bonding journey. I may not have a neutral area in my current house, but I do have outdoors and my shower (which Gucci has been into briefly, lying down and enjoying the cold floor haha, but this was a while ago now and is not frequent)

the movies are too large to process, so I will send screenshots from them instead. (sorry for so many haha)

Any help would be largely appreciated.

Amber H

Hi Amber,

It took me about 1 year to bond my male rabbits. This was mainly due to me not particularly wanting to stress bond. I had adopted a new rabbit that was brought in as a stray to the humane society. So he had some street cred in terms of not being scared of much Haha. The best stress bonding I had the most success with was taking them for a drive in a laundry basket. I did that on about 9 or 10 occasions. I also had them in pens right next to each other so they could interact. They ended up finally decided they loved each other and it's been great every since. I like the idea of switching their hutches around. It just seems to take awhile for their hormones to really stop after neutering.

I wish you the best of luck!!! It will happen!

 

[Amber H]

thank-you so much!!! that is assuring haha, there is hope!!!

there are around two weeks left until kenzo's op. will be a month so I will start properly then.
So far, every day they are in hutches opposite each other (this is only in mornings and nights as they're mostly free roam). I will definitely try the laundry basket in the car. Gucci is very used to the car as we often visit my aunt who lives 15 mins away and enjoys having cuddles in the car, but he doesn't like bumps at all so maybe I will try a route with a few bumps when trying it so he will seek comfort in Kenzo??

did fights break out? and if they did, what did you do to separate it in such a confined space?

Thanks a lot!

 

[Breezekoz]

thank-you so much!!! that is assuring haha, there is hope!!!

there are around two weeks left until kenzo's op. will be a month so I will start properly then.
So far, every day they are in hutches opposite each other (this is only in mornings and nights as they're mostly free roam). I will definitely try the laundry basket in the car. Gucci is very used to the car as we often visit my aunt who lives 15 mins away and enjoys having cuddles in the car, but he doesn't like bumps at all so maybe I will try a route with a few bumps when trying it so he will seek comfort in Kenzo??

did fights break out? and if they did, what did you do to separate it in such a confined space?

Thanks a lot!

Yes take the bumpy road lol! They actually didn't have any scuffles which was suprising since they were always trying to fight any other time. I drove the car while my fiance sat in the back. He wore an oven mit in the event something were to come up. Fortunately it didn't. We also had a see through piece of plexi that we put between them when first putting them in the basket. After we started driving we'd remove that and they would be good.