How to "Introduce" my bunnies?

[MiaP]

I've read several articles about bonding bunnies who are strangers, but since my bunnies aren't total strangers and I am not sure where in the process they are, I thought I should ask before I do anything new.

Winter, my rabbit, was neutered a couple of weeks ago, and from what I've read, needs to be kept away from my foster bunny Silver (gender unknown) for another couple of weeks in case Silver is female. I'd like to try bonding them once Winter is safe, and if it works I will adopt Silver.

They've been housed in seperate cages in the same room for about a month. For the past couple of weeks, their cages have been pushed together, side by side. Each rabbit is let out to play a couple of times a day, one at a time.

Unofrtunately, Winter is a small rabbit and his cage has a deep pan, so when he dramatically flops down, Silver can't see him, and he can't see Silver, so I don't know whether the fact that Winter is flopping means he is comfy with Silver around? Silver's cage has a very shallow tray and he flops while Winter is loose in the room, so that is a good sign, right?

Of course, each bunny goes around chinning everything in the room when they are out, so the room they are in is not neutral territory, but neither is it just one bun's turf. Should I still do introductions in a neutral room neither has been in before?

As of today, when one is loose, they sniff each other through the cage wires, and that is all. Are there danger signs I should look out for?

Thanks! Mia

 

[Spring]

Hi Mia! I'm currently just finishing bonding my two guys!

Have you read the Bonding section in Bunny 101? Lots of great links!

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

It really helps when both rabbits you are trying to bond are spayed or neutered. Intact bunnies are very territorial and a lot of their aggression comes from their hormones. It's SO much easier when both parties are fixed! Another issue is sometimes intact bunnies are so sexually driven, all they want to do is mount, mount, mount, mount mount! The other bunny gets annoyed pretty darn quickly!

It's great that you have them near each other so they can get used to each others scents and movements. When Winter is fully healed from his neuter and his hormones have calmed down in a few weeks, I would try having them in a neutral area.

It's a good idea to have a spray bottle to give them a spray of water if they do start to fight. Some warning signs are tail up, ears back, and circling. In the beginning, I immediately stop this behavior, and reassure both by pets. I don't let anything get too heated for the first two weeks or so when they are out. See how long they are willing to be together, then if they seem to be doing ok extend the time. It's normal for some chasing and mounting (as long as the one being chased or mounted doesn't become aggressive with it)

Some positive signs are ignoring each other in the beginning, grooming themselves, grooming each other, flopping (Yup! Means they are relaxed with the other bunny), cuddling, and of course, binkies!

Don't get discouraged like I was at one time, just keep at it . In the end, the reward is so worth the effort!