When can I bond these two?

[Brandywine]

So Jess and Hugh are now 18 weeks old. Hugh got neutered 3 weeks ago, Jess got spayed 2 days ago. 

Currently they are separated, Hugh is outside and Jess inside. Neither area is ideal and they are destroying them and making a huge mess… long term they will be on the front deck and lounge, but I can’t put either there at the moment because the x-pen panels I need to use is being used to make their separate areas. Also I want this new area to belong to both of them, so not smell of one or the other. 

Jess has recovered well from her spaying and is very angry that I have fenced her off into the dining area, she grabs the x-pen panels in her teeth and shakes them about with surprising force. She’s made her way out once before.

Hugh managed to chew through some solid wood fencing and escape to the deck and underneath the house. I think he did that because I took Jess to the vet and he couldn’t see her anymore. Anyway it was a MASSIVE drama, with me crawling under the house after a delighted bunny, it was raining, light was fading, and poor Jess just post-spay. 

I am home sick with gastro at the moment but normally work very long hours and 30-hour shifts over the weekends. So basically I want to get these two together ASAP, so they will have company and can live in their ideal new area where the desire for escape will be lower. 

So how much longer do I really need to keep them separated?

[Sindri]

Did you have these two together before your rabbit was spayed? If you have you could try and see what happens if you put them back together otherswise I would wait a few weeks for the hormones to calm down and your bunny to heal up completely. I don’t know what your situation was like before this. I waited 3 weeks before trying to bond my two. I am no bonding expert so hopefully someone with more experience can help more.

[Brandywine]

Yes they were together before, and currently they see each other through the windows all the time.

[Sindri]

If they lived together fine before you could try and see what happens by letting them see each other. When I got my second bunny and was going to spay her my vet said if they were together before they could go back together as long as the other rabbit didn’t seem aggressive or rough with her. Mine hadn’t been together then.
Mainly I think the concern is that the rabbit may smell different to the other rabbit since its been to the vet it could break the previous bond. Again I am not an expert at this but I would go ahead and let them see each other and see how they react to each other now. It will let you know if you have to still keep them separated or start the process of bonding.

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