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Blabauve

Blabauve

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Tucker, Georgia, USA
I have a 1 year old neutered Angora Buck. I brought him to a local rabbit rescue to pick out a friend earlier in the week. The first night we went I picked a small female rabbit with the neatest cage because that was what I was hoping for. :) He met the female Rabbit and they did quite well - we only let them interact for 20 minutes or so.

Tonight I went back to the shelter and let them meet again. They did VERY well, my boy was grooming her within a few minutes. He even did a few binkys while chasing her.

Obviously since things went so well I adopted her. I brought her into his territory tonight and they did excellent. They ate out of his litter box together, lounged on the top area together, etc etc.

I'm trying to play it safe so I set up a big dog crate next to his cage. When I took her out my boy promptly ran over to a piece of carpet and viciously started to shred it. . . is he jealous I took her out or upset that she was missing? I put her in the cage next to him and she just keeps looking over into his cage and sniffing his nose acting like she wants to go back.

Do I just ignore this behavior and play it safe? I so badly want to put them together, but I also realize they could still potentially fight. Thoughts?
 
Here is the odd couple:

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Go slowly with the bonding - there are lots of tips on how to proceed - I can't help you with that and I'm getting ready to try to bond my two boys once the little one's fixed.

However, I did see the shelf they're on in the second pic. You might want to think about getting all the grid holes covered, I read of a bunny who's foot got stuck in a hole and he was found hanging upside down from the shelf the next morning - not dead, however, but definately not 100%. Cardboard is better than nothing too

Both buns are super cute, your angora looks like a wooly mamnmoth in the second pic - the girl is adorable!
 
You have a bonded pair. My two bonded instantly like yours did.

When you are able to watch them, have them together. I would leave them together only a few minutes when you go check the mail, then increase it as they get along more.

A bonded pair will fight but it will not break their bond if they are male and female. My two had one fight and they are still bonded. Watch them and if they do fight, separate them and let them cool down then put them back together.

Also your bunnies are very cute!
 
They're so cute together!

It does seem like they've made an instant bond. I'm cautious by nature, so I would take it slow and try introducing them like this a few more times before moving them in together. When you do move them in full time I would completely clean the cage and all of the items - sometimes bunnies can be territorial out of nowhere about some toy that smells like them, so it can help to strip everything down and make it like a new cage. Then move them in and keep an eye on them for a couple days (I would do this when you can be home all day and sleep near them at night). If they can make it through a couple days like that, they're officially bonded!

eta: I disagree that all bonded pairs will fight and that it won't break their bond if they are male and female. A serious fight will break up any bonded pair, no matter the gender, and you'll take a big step back. Now a little scuffle with some fur pulling is different - this may happen and I agree to separate them, then reintroduce, but an all out fight is a different beast.
 
Well I was able to keep and eye on them today so they got to stay together the entire day, which made them very happy. I didn't see one tiff, they act like best buds. I had them in their cage a lot and in an xpen in another room - they do excellent both places. I will post pictures in a few. :)

I had no idea bunnies could instantly fall in love!
 
The look in love. It seems rare for rabbits to get along that well after only a few times together.

I am going to assume she is spayed since you adopted her. If she is not, you should get it does as soon as you can. Bonding before spaying might not be the best as you will have to separate them while she heals. If she was recently spayed (in the last month of so), she may still have some hormones to work through, so don't be surprised if she changes. If she has been spayed for more than about 4-6 weeks, then they should be fine to bond and hopefully live together for a long time.

I would not rush it as she does need to settle in. It might be good to wait about a week or so so you can tell what she is like once she gets used to a new place. If they are still happy then, then you can move on to having them in the same cage.
It can also be good to spend the time getting her onto the food you use if she has been on something else. Otherwise you can have feeding issues if your male wants to eat the other food. You could just separate them when you feed pellets so they each get their own share.

They are adorable together :)
 
She is spayed and luckily they're eating the same thing. What I was told at the shelter was that 5% of buns can have love at first sight and bond right away - and that's what they think happened with these two. I'm keeping a close eye on them and do seperate them - but they seem happiest together. Tonight my buck did hump her some but gave up after she kept running away. They spend a lot of time grooming each other - it's adorable! I've also noticed they follow each other around - I assume that's a good thing.
 
Yes that is a good thing. Yes some rabbits do have love at first sight, that happened with Sweetie and Prince. Others take a while to bond.

Congrats on your bonded pair!
 
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