Bonding two males?

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Mubunny

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Is it possible to bond two older altered males? I'm looking to rescue two rabbits but they are both males and a little older and I haven't heard good things. Is it possible to do this or will I have to keep them separate forever? :(
I have a dog play pen style cage for them to live in so I was thinking of using one of the panels to separate them so they can see and smell each other.
They were briefly put in the same room at the spca.
One of the bunnies is very shy and the other one just tried to hop over to him and smell him but the other ran away. After that they just sat at opposite sides of the room.
I fell in love with the shy one and the other boy has been there for a long time and is close to being destroyed.
I can't give them up.
 
Hello and Welcome to RO :)

It is harder to bond 2 males. I wouldn't get my hopes up on bonding them. If they weren't raised togther it will probably be hard.

You can try, but I would take it really slow. And use a neutral area. I would start by putting their cages next to each others without touching and see how they act toward each other. Bonding can take months.



http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12072&forum_id=17

Here is a link from the library on bonding



 
I had two males that where bonded. One recently died, otherwise they would still be together.

Older is probably better than young as they should be calmer and less hormonal.

If they got along, as in no attacking each other, at the shelter, that is a good sign. Ignoring each other is way better than any hostile behaviour.

You need to consider if you can house two of theme separately if they do happen to not bond properly. You could build cages on top of each other or side by side.

Hopefully they will bond, but you must have a back up plan just in case.

I would do another session at the shelter, maybe in a puppy pen so they can't get so far away. If it goes well, and there is no fighting, then you can use the car ride home to do some further bonding.

-Dawn
 
I would try and give them lots of time to get acquainted. I thought letting them out together at play time and veggie/treat time would let them associate each other with good times as long. As I feed them their portions and have my boyfriend there in case things get out of hand.
The room we were in was only about a foot or so bigger then the area they would stay in together if they got along.
They smelt each other face to face is that a good sign?
 
There will be probably be some smelling, grooming and humping. I wouldn't let them hump each others face. So they don't bite their penis. Humping is normal to show dominance.



Like Dawn said, with them being older maybe it will be easier to bond. Just take it slow. :)
 
The people at the shelter said there would be humping (they didn't say it would be hard or they might fight or anything) and I would be fine with that as long as it isn't causing trouble.
I just wanted them to have someone to play with and enjoy while I'm at work and I know I can't keep a bunny company like another bunny. I so badly want to help both of them.
 
Well, could you foster them for a while, and see how it goes?
 
Sounds like their doing fine around each other so far. Have bunny dates in a neutral area. Start out 10 minutes & work your way up. Alot of ppl (and i) used the bath tub for bunny dates :)
 
I'll have to ask about fostering. Thanks for all the help guys :hug: I'll have to give it a go and hope for the best.
 
Hi Mubunny! Welcome to the forum! :welcome1

Congratulations on your new bunnies. Do you haveWinston now, and getting Popular later?

I got your Pm. I am a volunteer/foster at the shelter. I am there at least twice a week and spent6-8 hours per week with the rabbits. We don't have enough people to handle all the rabbits (socializing and cuddling the rabbits).

Is this the first time you owned rabbits?

Stan

 
Yes it is the first time.
I would be getting both of them at the same time. I'm beginning to think I should get Winston first and get him all settled since he is the more nervous one and hope that Poplar will still be there in a month or two. He has been there since early June so it's likely and if he gets adopted by someone else I'll be happy for him.
I'm just scared they won't ever bond and I don't have enough room if they don't. Since they are both coming home after being fixed I would have to wait a long time to introduce two bunnies who are both in a new area.
Winston has been in the shelter twice and for a long period of time each time. I don't want to do that to Poplar if they start fighting.
 
Do you think that it would be ok to see if I can get them together again at the shelter?
I don't want to bug the people there since I know how busy it gets.
I think seeing if I can put Poplar on hold and bring Winston over so they can have more time to visit each other would be best if that is allowed.
 
Personally, this is the way I would to about doing it:

I would pick them both up on a day when I did not have to work and I could be there first thing in the morning. I would do a bit of a bonding session at the shelter, and if all things went well (no aggressive behaviour) I would take them both home. I would put them in the same box/carrier on the way home to increase the bond.

Once home I would set them both up together in a pen or room. I would then proceed to spend the rest of the day with them watching to make sure they don't fight.

This is the method I used when I first got a two males to bond to my female. They got along with no fighting from the start, so I just kept them in a big pen in my living room for about a week, then moved the the three of them to their cage.

You might as well take advantage of the fact that your house is neutral territory. Bringing one home and then the other will give the first bunny the chance to claim the space as his own.

If you see any aggressive behaviour, I would not use this method. Any nipping or aggressive chasing. Some humping and a little bit of chasing is fine, just nothing that seems aggressive or really persistent.

However, I would still adopt both at the same time and start doing bunny dates every day starting with short sessions and increasing the length until bonded. I would keep them in cages or pens right next to each other so that they can get used to each other.

-Dawn
 
Mubunny wrote:
Do you think that it would be ok to see if I can get them together again at the shelter?
Click to expand...

The shelter would be most accommodating to help you match the two. I don't think they will put Popular on hold for a long period of time though. He is a priority bunny (the time he spent at the shelter) and he is afeatured bunny on the Adoptions Page.

I think he may be getting fixed at this moment, as I don't see him on the adoption list.

 
Well I'm sticking with him. I will be bringing him home whenever he is ready.
I actually just brought Winston home since they realized he was already fixed. He is really very timid and just sitting in a corner. I've left him for some alone time and getting acquainted in his new home.
They said Poplar would probably done on Tuesday. Shoot I need to get him a cage really quick that means.
 
Atta girl :highfive:!

Way to pull for the shelter buns! So happy you've got two little loves on the way :0

Very cool that you know Stan, btw :D Looking forward to plenty of photos!
 
Well I don't really know him, but saw he was in my area and worked with the shelter I adopted them from (Edmonton humane society). I might have to bug him for tips haha. Everyone has been so helpful :bow even though I'm a total bunny noob.
It's killing me that I can't take pics, I think I have to go and buy a camera tomorrow. :)
 
68hqwi.jpg


Here isthe file picture of Winston.

He was very shy and timid. He always huddled in the far corner when I gave him food and treats.
Ihad to leave a treat in front of his nose and close the cage door before he would eat it.


 
Ah there is my little guy. He's the same way for me all up in the corner. I have to actually touch his nose with a treat, I can have it not even an inch from his face but he won't have any of it. I love him though, I think he has a sweet reserved personality.
And he's much more handsome in person.
 
I have three bonded males so is possible. :)
 
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