Tonights the night

[dreamgal042]

tonight's the night im going to pick up my newbunny apparently, a little black dwarf. ill post pictures as soon asi can. my question is, and id preferably like the answer from someonewhos had experience with this, how to introduce the new bun to Ivory. iwas assuming id let one of 'em roam the room, while holding the other,but I dont know who to hold, and who to let approach. they're bothboys, and both, as far as i know, unaltered. i have a seperate cage setup for the new guy, and we're gonna get a new food bowl, new waterthingy, and a new carrying case for the two of 'em. any othersuggestions from anyone about this arrangement?

 

[babybunnywrigley]

I have no experience in introducing new rabbits so I'll let someone else answer that



I'm so excited for you though and I can't wait to see pictures!!

 

[Fergi]

I would keep one of the buns in a confined areawhere it is unable to reach the other bun. Even if you were to beholding one or the other they could still get into a fight with you inthe middle. In the beginning it is best to just let them sniff oneanother through a fence, cage bar, etc. If that seems to go well withno fighting between the bars then I would feel ok with introducingthem. I would give them a week or so of just getting used to having anew rabbit around and let your new guy have a chance to settle inbefore introducing the possible stress of another bun.

Once you feel comfortable with meeting you should place them both inneutral territory like the bathtub. Then it is just up to you tosupervise and make sure everyone gets along. If there is any fightingyou must seperate them immediatly.

Also take into account that two unaltered males almost never get along.Good luck with the new little one, can't wait to see pics!!

Fergi's mom

p.s. there are a lot of good posts in the archives about bonding bunnies as well as a link on the cheat sheet I believe.

 

[u8myhouse]

I'd make sure they were in a neutral space whenyou introduce them... And that you hold on to the one that you can havethe best grip on.

When Winston was here Onzlo, who's normally really laid back, tried to rip Winston's ear off, even when I was holding him.

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

I second what Fergi said. Even the most docilerabbit will take no notice of their owners hand in the middle of 2rabbits fighting. I have scars from 13 week old bunnies fighting.

If they show agression through the bars even weeks later then the hope of ever bonding them is gone.

 

[dreamgal042]

I picked up Ebony (new bunny) and my first thought was 'OMG, he looks just like tucker!!!' heres some pics:

oo, whats over here?

im soo puuuuuuuuurdy

wooooooooah! freaky deaky!

i seeeeeee youuuuuuuu

thats all i got, then i put him in his cage to get settled

 

[bunnylover78642]

I let mine meet by leting one run around whilekeeping the other in the cage. Also putting the cage right next to eachother and leaving them both in there just to watch their reactions. Theproblem with the first suggestion though is that they completly ignoreeach other.

 

[Cinnabun]

AWWW he's sooo cute! Congrats on your new bunny! lol He's a Doll! lol

 

[ariel]

What a sweetie, Hug him tight for me

 

[babybunnywrigley]

Awww!! He is so adorable :shock:

 

[RebeccaUK]

Hi

I've successfully bonded 2 bunnies recently. i think thekeyword is perseverance - don't give up on trying. I followedthe Miriams Bunny Post mainly but I altered a few things.

My bunnies are mainly outdoor. They sleep in hutches in thegarage at night but the rest of the time they have a big completelyclosed-in run which they're out in every day - it has 2 little huts init and a covered area for shelter. Anyway, the run wasdivided into 2 with chicken wire, we put one bun in one side and one inthe other. Benjamin was already established in the runa ndtherefore saw the entire thing as his territory, when the new bun camealong he was very interetsed - he would grunt through the chicken wireand launch himself at it in attack. The mew bun was veryinterested in him too although she wasn't vicious towards him, shewould poke her nose through the bars to get a sniff of him.After about 8 days of keeping them half and half I put a towel in thebathtub and brought the buns in the house - one at each end of thetub. The 1st time Benjamin went on the attack - he was tryingto hump Twinkle even though they have both been 'done', I left themtogether for about 10 minutes and then seperated them. Thesecond day Benjamin was calmer and didn't attack as much - they stayedin the tub for about 30 minutes. The next day they sat in thetub and ignored each other and stayed there 70 minutes. After5 days of that I let them roam the dining room and they were tolerantof one another - no humping and no fighting. I kept doingthat every day for the next 5 days but was always careful to watch themclosely. After that 5 days I first saw them sitting togetherand grooming each other. After another 5 days I removed thechicken wire down the centre of the run and they were fully bonded.

They are now the most in love couple you could imagine and follow each other everywhere.

I think the key is to introduce very slowly, if the fighting beginsjust persevere and stay on that step of the bond a little longer - keepmaking them see and smell each other.

Some rabbit's don't bond - no matter how much you try, ultimately it'syour bunnies choice whether they want tobe friends but I'venever known a bunny choose to be lonely and on his own rather thanhaving a companion.

 

[Rowan]

He's a lovely boy. I'd agree with everyone else to let them get used to each other through the cages for a few weeks first.

Is there any way of getting them neutered as two unaltered bucks arethe hardest possible combination to bond. I've heard of two successfulcases but both times it was boys who'd always been together.

I've also read that the chances of eventual bonding of bucks is muchgreater if they've never had the chance to fight in the early stages -another reason to go very slow.

My boys have grown to tolerate each other through the bars and I'mstill hoping that when they're older and calmer that they'll be able tobond into one big bunny herd, but at the moment there's no way it'dhappen.

Best of luck and keep us posted as to how it goes. Stephanie has twobucks and a doe bonded together and I know she found it hard but shewas successful in the end. They were neutered though.

Kate