Bonding- What do you think?

[valleybelow]

Can I please get some opinions on how bonding is going for my rabbits?

I adopted a new rabbit, Jack, about three weeks ago to bond with my existing rabbit, Sugar. Sugar is about a year old and Jack is about a year and half. Both are fixed. Jack is about twice as big as Sugar. Jack spent a week at my apartment and they both he and Sugar spent two weeks at his foster home so his foster mom could help with bonding. They are now back at my apartment sharing a pen split down the middle.

Yesterday I decided to devote the whole day to bonding. I put them out on my porch (neutral territory), where they have plenty of room to interact or ignore each other, with their toys and litter boxes. The pattern of behavior I am seeing is that Jack will chase or lunge at Sugar, and she always hops away immediately. These incidents last only a few seconds at the most so I don't interfere. I only saw fur pulled out once. They also ignored each other a lot. They do ask for grooming a little, but I have to put banana on their heads for this to happen.

So my question is (finally!), does it sound like Jack has established his dominance (or is in the process of doing so)?

Thanks!

 

[Haley]

Sounds like things are going well for you so far! Ignoring is a good thing. And it sounds like they're not fighting too much. I think Jack is probably still in the process of getting Sugar convinced that he is in charge. Just let them continue to interact (i think once a day for 20 min or so..as long as theres no fighting) would be fine.

I always try to end my bonding sessions on a good note...raisins work well for this! But overall, I would say it sounds like things are progressing very nicely for you...keep up the good work!

-Haley

PS..sounds like youve done your research, but heres a link that has lots of other good links and bonding info: http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12072&forum_id=17. Good Luck!

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

It does sound as if Jack is establishing his dominence and Sugar knows it.

I have a bonded pair but lately they have had a few little tifs and the male, Mocha, is constantly lunging at my doe, Zoey, and chasing her. It only lasts until he's chased her a foot or 2 and then he leaves her alone.

Basically, as long as one is back off (AKA running off) and can get away, it's not a bad thing. You should continue doing bonding sessions in neutralterritory until Jack stops lunging at Sugar and don't move them onto non-neutral territory until they can go a week without any lunging.

Other things that may help 'speed it up' is taking a spray bottle full of water and squirting Jack when he goes to chase Sugar. It doesn't always work but it worked with my pair. Mocha soon got so annoyed with the water being sprayed at him that he stopped chasing her. It may also help to pet Jack when Sugar approaches but again, it may not do a thing.

Grooming comes in time, my doe refused to groom my buck for quite a while.

AndI also agree, make sure to end it on a good note -- grooming, going near each other without fighting, etc.

 

[valleybelow]

Thanks for the feedback and info. Things do seem to be going okay. The fighting isn't bad and they do not seem too stressed out. This morning Sugar groomed Jack for a long time without too much of a banana bribe. Hopefully things will continue to go well.