Bonding Bunnies

Bonding Bunnies:

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Many are surprised to discover that one cannot simply place 2 rabbits together and expect them to get along. Rabbits must be carefully introduced and monitored and, perhaps, if they are willing, they will decide to get along and bond.

Spayed female with a neutered male. Rabbits should be fixed before bonding.

Much has been written about bonding, and there is much to learn before one attempts a bond, but even so, the results are never guaranteed. Ultimately it is up to the individual rabbits as to whether or not they will bond.

The true bond: Spayed or neutered rabbits bond best. Male/female pairs are considered easiest. Male/male are considered more difficult. BOTH rabbits should be fixed to increase the chance of a long-lasting bond. It's not a matter of just preventing pregnancy. It's a matter of having those hormones kept in check. The rare bonds that do occur with intact rabbits often end up broken for seemingly no apparent reason -- sometimes even after a few years of apparent bonded bliss. Even with altered rabbits, it's best to do your research before attempting to bond 2 rabbits.

DON'T START WITH TWO BABIES

The FALSE bond: Baby rabbits don't truly bond to each other or to an older rabbit-- at least not in the long term. Often owners will start out with two sibling babies and assume that because they are so cuddly together, they will surely remain best buddies forever. And, indeed, they appear to get along just wonderfully... initially. However, a funny thing happens to rabbits between 4 and 7 months of age. Those pesky hormones kick in and soon one or both of those sweet, docile babies can have a Jekyll & Hyde turn around. Before long, the rabbits are fighting. If a fight is severe enough (or there is no one present to stop such a fight), they will have little chance of ever bonding again. If you already have two babies, separate them until both are fixed.

DON'T INTRODUCE A BABY TO AN ADULT

The same can happen when one brings home a baby to bond with an adult rabbit. They may seem to get along great in the early days until either gradually or all of a sudden, the fighting begins. The hormones of the growing baby can alter the behavior of either rabbit causing either rabbit or both rabbits to be the aggressor. Wait until the baby has been fixed before bonding.

Simply put, to bond two rabbits, they should both be fixed.

If you have a rabbit that has recently been fixed, allow time after surgery for healing. Females should wait a month after surgery before bonding. Males should wait about 6 weeks, possibly 8 weeks, to allow those hormones to fully dissipate. Hormones can interfere with bonding and set back or prevent a bond. For the best chance of success, don't start the bonding process too soon after surgery.

Two different approaches to bonding rabbits:
Over the years, I have personally dealt with some difficult bonds. A few rabbits were very particular about who they would accept. Several rabbit rescues with whom I have dealt here in the US have recommended the gradual approach (redirects to another site) to bonding buns.

In doing further research regarding a particularly difficult female of mine, I stumbled across what I refer to as the "immersion approach" (redirects to another site) to bunny bonding. This method I found on a UK site. They refer to it as the "fast track method."

I have used both methods successfully. With some rabbits, the "gradual approach" could actually be the best (quickest) way for those particular rabbits to get along. Which method you choose depends on what you feel most comfortable with and confident in. A combination of these two is also possible. Begin with the gradual approach and then switch to the immersion approach. After all the research, much of bunny bonding boils down to following your gut instinct. You know your rabbit and need to trust your feelings of what seems to be working.

Note: I used to refer to these methods as the "slow" and "fast" approaches. The titles didn't seem to quite fit. I now refer to them as "gradual" and "immersion."

(1) The "gradual method" means short sessions over a longer period of time.

(2)  The "immersion method" means the rabbits are placed together in a specifically designed space and monitored closely and continually. They are not removed from that area until bonded (or it is determined that they won't bond.)

Gradual Method of Bonding

Below are some photos of the gradual method in progress. For details on how this bonding approach works, click on the following site:
The House Rabbit Network (clicking here will take you to another website)

Here is the starting set-up. The original cage is in the corner. (Don't worry about it's size. The cage door is left open all day long every day.) In this scenario, the female's bonded mate had died. A neutered male from a rescue will be placed in the black x-pen which has been set-up as a temporary cage.

The rabbits, since they are not bonded, have to take turns with their exercise time. The male is now in the original cage. The female is getting her turn to run around.

The same bathroom is again used for neutral territory. This time, they are given a little more space. Initially ignoring each other is a good sign.

The pen is placed deliberately near the existing cage. The theory is that they will get familiarized with each other's scent and presence in a non-threatening and safe manner. The female is in her cage. The new male is in the pen.

Neutral territory is key when introducing 2 buns face-to-face. Here, the neutral territory is a large vinyl tub (porcelein may be too slick, requiring a mat be put down). Close monitoring is mandatory.

The white rabbit was the female's original bondmate.

Immersion Method of Bonding

To see the immersion approach method in action and to get an idea of what to expect when bonds are going well, not going well, or ones that just won't work, take a peek at Cottontails Rescue site. The enclosures they used for this method are outdoors, but will still show how this method is done by providing multiple video examples.

The videos on this page (below) show how this same method can be used in an indoor setting just as easily.

Please note: My videos below are actually for attempting a trio of buns (all spayed & neutered). A three-way bond is very difficult, but I tried it in my stubbornness anyway. For 4 weeks they only had minor scuffles, but after that, the 2 brothers became irreconcilable. The female did maintain a bond with one of the boys and those 2 remain bonded. I have included the videos only for the purpose of showing an indoor set-up for this type of bonding method. I do not recommend attempting a trio unless you have extensive experience with bonding rabbits.

You may have noticed that the white and gray female below is the same rabbit as in the above photos. She was a particularly choosey girl. The bond attempt with the gray lop above did not work out. Below, she ultimately accepted one of the brothers.

An indoor set-up for the immersion approach to bonding. Note the various boxes and hiding areas that provide different "areas." This is neutral territory for all buns.

Grooming is typically a very good sign showing progress in the bonding.

No guarantees:

Even with the best planning and the most careful introductions, there is no guarantee that any two rabbits will actually get along and bond. One can do "everything right" but still end up with two stubborn bunnies that refuse to get along. Bonding is ultimately up to the rabbits. The best we can do is provide the environment to help encourage them to bond.

So don't be discouraged if you happen to experience this difficulty. Some people get lucky where they do little more than put their two rabbits together. Sometimes it can go this smoothly. But if it does not, that doesn't necessarily mean that you did anything wrong. Some rabbits just bond easily while others do not. Often it is just a matter of finding the "right" match.