Bonding?!?

[1357bunnylover]

My 7 month old mini lop cross Bella was spayed about 2 months ago so she could be bonded with my 1 1/2 year old neutered male mini lop x Buckley. Before she was spayed, Buckley and Bella got on well with no fights, but since being spayed they both attack each other, at first it was justBuckley attacking her, and someone on here suggested separating them for a few weeks then rebonding them, and they are great if they are in separate runs and will kiss each other through the bars and lie next to each other, but once they meet on neutral ground they fight.. Basically, I have now given up hope of successfully bonding them! And I know bunnies should always have a friend, so would they still feel happy and feel like they have a friend even if they don't share the same housing but live next to each other so they can see and smell each other?
Thanks for reading

 

[Blue eyes]

Hmmm... whenever I had bunnies that would try to fight while bonding in neutral territory, they would do the same thing when separated by cage bars. They would attack each other through the bars.
Have you tried a 'new' neutral area? Some place where you know that neither of them have ever, ever been? How are you putting them together in there and what is going on?

It just seems that if they are snuggly when just separated by bars that a bond could work. I've just never experienced that kind of reaction while bonding bunnies. Maybe others have had a similar experience to yours and can weigh in. My bonding knowledge is limited.

 

[LakeCondo]

The only other thing I can think of to try is to switch them around into each other's place a few times so they get more used to neither place being just theirs.

 

[ajohal]

Hey I had a hard time bonding my rabbits too and they still aren't fully bonded.

I found that switching hutches every night helps, so that they get used to each others scent.

Also putting them in a bath tub helps because they aren't fans of the slippery surface.

I have also found what helps if I give both of them loads of attention and strokes before I put them together it seems to calm them.

Also what I used to do once they were past the stage where they wanted to bite each other was put them both on my lap side by side. They are used to being put on my lap to be stroked and both enjoyed it. They would sit there really well and I'd stroke both of them and it sort of "forced" them to be together.

I know some people say that you can take them on car rides and they get scared and bond that way, personally I wouldn't want to unnecessarily scare my rabbits, but it could work for you.

You can also put vanilla essence on them to neutralise their smells.

But if they are lying next to each other near the cages like others say it might be a change of scenery for the dates.

I'd start the dates at 15 mins and as they got on better started to increase them.

Good luck!

 

[1357bunnylover]

Thanks for the advice! Blue eyes.. I don't really understand it myself! Basically when they are put in neutral terrortory Bella humps Buckley and won't stop so after a while Buckley gets mad and they get into fights, but when they have the bars of the runs in between then Bella can't hump Buckley so they are happy together then. I must admit they don't meet on neutral terrortory often, so if I put them in neutral ground every day for like 15 mins at a time everyday hopefully Bella will stop humping Buckley! All Buckley does is lie down wanting to be groomed but she just humps and humps him and he starts getting mad then..
Thanks for all the advice

 

[Nancy McClelland]

ray: