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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

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Forum BONDING Sniffing through cage a good sign?

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    • Fusspuff
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        We love Monty  and he’s the best rabbit anyone could ask for but a friend of a friend had a 12 week old rabbit they wanted to rehome. She had had him for 4 weeks and sort realised after 4 weeks how much work a rabbit is. When I went to go an have a look OMG! It was disgusting he was kept in a tiny cage which hadn’t been cleaned properly for weeks and OMG and had never really been cuddled. So I took him with out really thinking . I sort of figured if I can’t get them together I’ll find him a new home. Now that we have him that is not an option we LOVE him he’s more of a lap rabbit and loves cuddles on the couch and Monty is more of the fun kind that likes to play with the kids etc.

        Anyway to get to the point. Their cages are in the same room and have been since day dot. After about a week I let Monty free in that room to sniff around at first nothing really just more chin rubbing then normal. Then a bit of a sniff of Sparkie and then out of nowhere he had a go. I just grabbed him and pulled him away and took him out into another room. Anyway it happened a few other times during some free time with me watching in that room before I move them out into another room. But I’m literally spending 4-6 hours a day watching rabbits I would LOVE to let them to be out together.

        But yesterday and today. Monty went up to Sparkie’s cage and they sniffed then he went off and explored the rest of the house. He even seems disinterested in Sparkie’s cage. Then when Sparkie goes up to Monty’s cage, Monty just keeps grooming. Is this a good sign that maybe one day after Sparkie has recovered from his op in a few weeks they could maybe be friends???? Maybe even share a cage so I can have the pet pen again for outside. In hind sight I probably should have taken Sparkie’s old cage but it was so gross and stank after only 4 weeks.


      • tanlover14
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          First off, you will not want to introduce either of them until BOTH have been altered. Even one unaltered rabbit in the mix can cause serious injuries to one or both rabbits.

          Second, I would not recommend letting them near each others spaces. Rabbits can be very territorial and when they feel threatened by another rabbit it can make bonding in the future extremely difficult or close to impossible! When they are both altered, you’ll want to introduce them in a completely neutral space that neither has been in before. Until both have been altered, you can do some things to help them become used to the others scent though! Swapping used litter or the litter box itself is a good way. I do that and would give each a handtowel to lay on and play with and then swap it to the others cage/area the next day!


        • tophdade
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            Posted By tanlover14 on 11/23/2014 11:17 PM

            First off, you will not want to introduce either of them until BOTH have been altered. Even one unaltered rabbit in the mix can cause serious injuries to one or both rabbits.

            Second, I would not recommend letting them near each others spaces. Rabbits can be very territorial and when they feel threatened by another rabbit it can make bonding in the future extremely difficult or close to impossible! When they are both altered, you’ll want to introduce them in a completely neutral space that neither has been in before. Until both have been altered, you can do some things to help them become used to the others scent though! Swapping used litter or the litter box itself is a good way. I do that and would give each a handtowel to lay on and play with and then swap it to the others cage/area the next day!

            Agree with tanlover here. I have three bunnies all condo’d in a large bedroom that we re-floored and painted for them. Only two of them really see each other; the two that are going to be bonded when they are altered. They each get separate play time each day, and our youngest bunny (who we suspect will have bonding issues into a trio, abused rescue) is penned off with blankets over the pen when the other two are out and the other two are penned when she is out. At most they smell/hear each other. I think it’s important that your bunnies don’t get to each other’s living spaces if theyre unaltered. But following the handtowel advice that tanlover gave will familiarize them with their separate scents. I do this with my two girls who will be bonded with toys, dishes, litter boxes, everything. They show absolutely no aggression to each other and often lie next to each other or “talk between the bars” of their condos. I think steps like this are absolutely key to ensuring a successful bond after your buns are altered.


          • tazy
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              It sounds like Zapp is the aggressor here. Who was the dominant bunny?


            • tanlover14
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                Sorry, Tazy. I can’t open the link and it doesn’t find it when I copy & paste.

                Be careful of using the term “aggressor” when describing bunnies. I have a bad habit of doing it but the aggressive bunny is typically the one that is more fearful. Recent studies have shown that rabbits are not aggressive animals and that their aggression is stimulated by fear. The “aggressor” is usually showing aggression because he does not trust the other rabbit – not necessarily because he wants to be dominant or does not like the other one.

                The dominant role can actually change quite a bit, it does not necessarily stay the same rabbit. I have a pair, Simba & Lacey, and you can tell from watching them that the role changes from rabbit to rabbit quite a bit. However, in my larger group, my boy Fleury has always been the most dominant in the group. His reactions kind of speak for themselves though – when anyone in the group bickers, he will intervene w/ his ears back and tail up and lunge at both until they stop. And then he will continue sleeping from his perch on the box in their area. Haha!


              • tanlover14
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                  Shockingly though, he is always one of the first to accept a new rabbit. He is typically the first one to groom the new rabbit, if not he’s the second behind Simba.

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              Forum BONDING Sniffing through cage a good sign?