is it easier to bond a baby bun and an adult

[renaelock]

I'm already thinking about getting Polo a friend. I'd prefer to rescue but I found someone thats selling mini rex babies. My question is, which would be better or have a better chance at a successful happy bunnyship - adult adult or adult baby?

 

[undergunfire]

I think you should go to the rescue and take your rabbit there to do bunny dates with already spayed/neutered bunnies. Is your bunny altered already? If not, then you really should wait until he/she is.

You can never tell what kind of personality a baby rabbit will grow up to have, so thats the risky part with getting a baby rabbit to bond with an adult bunny.

 

[Inle_Rabbitry]

The first thing you should really consider is to have your rabbit spayed/neutered. This will not only help prevent a near immediate conception once the rabbits are introduced (if they are of breeding age), but will usually prevent aggressive behavior due to territorial conflicts.

There is really no best answer to your question as all rabbits have their own personalities that either conflict with or compliment another rabbit's personality, much like with people.

Another thing to keep in mind, is that rabbits are territorial. Allowing a new rabbit into your rabbit's already existing territory could lead to fighting. Both male and female rabbits are territorial.

The best pairings for rabbits are mother/daughter, sister/sister, or brother/brother (only if neutered, otherwise they will constantly fight). Generally, females will get along better with other females as opposed to males being together. However, if all parties are altered (spayed/neutered) then they should all get along.

If introducing a young rabbit to an adult, I would suggest that the adult be a female, so she will feel less threatened and more "mother like" to a younger rabbit.

When you do introduceyour rabbits together, put themin a neutral area (such as a bathtub), so they don't have to feel like theyneed to defend their territory, and give them some enticing treats so they canquickly learn to share their food and boundarieswith each other.



http://www.inlerabbitry.webs.com

 

[elrohwen]

You should really go to the rescue and do some bunny dating. Sometimes babies and adults will get along, but it's not a true "bond". As soon as the baby goes through hormonal periods fighting can break out and often re-bonding after fixing is like starting from the beginning.

I would 100% recommend bunny dating with adult already fixed bunnies for the best chance of success. If you get a baby, it will be hit or miss and you could potentially have two separate buns for a very long time (or forever).

eta: I also wanted to disagree a bit with what Inle said. Generally male/female pairings are the easiest and most stable. Male/male is next and female/female is the hardest as females are the most territorial and tend to have the most dominant personalities. There may be some benefit to mother/child or sibling relationships, but since you already have your bunny it's not an option for you. I would look for a nice female bun, or potentially a laid back male, for your boy, but only after he is neutered and had 4-6 weeks to calm down.

 

[renaelock]

Thanks for the comments guys, I would prefer an older rabbit thats already fixed - my boy is neutered - versus a baby but it seems that what I am looking for "isn't in shelters" at the moment. Or at least shelters that are closer. I know in the end Polo gets the choice, but I hope I get to at least choose color...

 

[elrohwen]

If you're willing to wait you may be able to select a bun that both of you like, but really it's up to the bun. I found that my boy got along with every single rabbit we put him with, so we had a lot of choices. We did want another lop, so when one came along we introduced them, it went well, and we brought her home. If your guy ends up being picky, then you may need to just let him pick who he wants to bring home.

 

[kirbyultra]

elrohwen wrote:

eta: I also wanted to disagree a bit with what Inle said. Generally male/female pairings are the easiest and most stable. Male/male is next and female/female is the hardest as females are the most territorial and tend to have the most dominant personalities. There may be some benefit to mother/child or sibling relationships, but since you already have your bunny it's not an option for you. I would look for a nice female bun, or potentially a laid back male, for your boy, but only after he is neutered and had 4-6 weeks to calm down.

yep I agree with this. Same sex pairings are challenging. Littermates of the same sex have better odds but I think opposite sex pairs trump all.

I would say overall, adult/baby or adult/adult have the same odds as perfect strangers. When it comes to perfect strangers, I always recommend rescue bunny.

I have personally made the mistake you are currently considering and debating so I hope my story makes you reconsider the rescue route. Baby bun was so cute and I thought I could condition him to bond with my 2 year old bunny as he grew up. 1 year later, they still hate each others' guts. I finally gave up 2 weeks ago and went to a rescue to get my now-3-year-old bunny a girlfriend. They are doing a thousand times better in 2 weeks than my baby bun and existing bunny in a whole year. It's exactly like undergunfire said: you have no guarantee about the personality of the baby bun. At a rescue you have the option of introducing Polo with the rescue bun first and take home the most promising match.

 

[kirbyultra]

Also to add, but maybe someone already said it: rescue buns are typically young adults and fixed so there's no risk of age and inclement hormones unbonding the bunny with yours.

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

I would do a older bun I am in the process of bonding now My I think 3 or 4 year old Nether Dwarf to my 7 month old Holland Lop. Both rescues one from a shelter one from a family.


I would do a older bun and personalities do collide. Just like with people.