It is all about territory and food. Every animal stakes out its territory, claiming it for themselves and fighting off any invaders into it. They’re just following instinct. We do the same thing except we have the higher reasoning skills to know that when someone steps into our cube, they’ll be leaving it later. Most animals enter a cube because they’re looking for a new place to live or to eat.

They ‘fall in love’ when they learn that this rabbit is A) not going away and 2) is not a threat to them or their food supply. Some rabbits are naturally disposed to wanting a partner – especially ones that were low on the totem pole growing up. That is why rabbits rescued from a large group often are easier to bond with single rabbits because they have no issue with someone else being in charge.

Unbonding happens for a variety of reasons. One is a change in scent which can happen after the hormones kick in or they are altered and they kick off. Although they look the same, they don’t smell the same and for most animals, you have to have both to be OK with them. Also, a prolonged separation could have the rabbit think that they are ‘on their own’ again and fall into the mindset once more of having to protect one’s territory.

These are some good questions. You are right about the territoliasm being the maiin culprit for their usual initial hostility. So that’s why we use neutral space for the sessions to get the turf claims out of the way. If this isn’t enough, the additionall stressors employed by rabbit bonders serve as distraction from one another as well as unite the buns in their state of upset. I don’t know which species just spontaneously bond; many species, including people, need time to warm up to another. Especially herd animals have a set hierarchy that dictates social structures. Even ranchers need to pay attention to those hierarchies when adding to herds of cows for example.

Unbonding can happen if a rabbit is sick and rejected for having a different scent, or having been away, or when their habitat changed or the rabbits get confused or stressed in other ways.

As a new rabbit owner, I’d recommend you wait at least one year before deciding if a second rabbit is right for you. There is no hurry. Properly cared for, rabbits can be expected to live 10 years or longer. One year without a partner will be beneficial to your rabbit, and it will allow you time to bond with him one-on-one.

It helps me to think about how rabbits are in the wild. European rabbits live in large groups, so they have innate social skills and a desire to live with other rabbits. However, they don’t let just any rabbit enter their warren. A group will defend its territory against other rabbits in order to protect food supplies, breeding rights, and space.

Domestic rabbits aren’t much different. They like social interaction, and they have some innate social skills, but they are territorial at heart. A new rabbit entering their territory is something to get defensive about. The point of the bonding process is to act as head rabbit and get them to realize that they’re part of the same warren now, and need to get along.

Since we separate rabbits as babies, in order to avoid a population explosion, many lose some of these social skills that wild rabbits have. A house rabbit may not remember what it was like to live with its brothers and sisters, so they need to re-learn how to interact with another rabbit. A lot of nipping/chasing/humping and scuffles happen as they try to sort out how to communicate with one another. Some rabbits cause more difficulties by starting fights, often out of fear, because they’re not comfortable being around another rabbit at first. I notice my two get better at communicating with each other the longer they’re together.

Here’s a hypothetical question. I have my two couples in the same room out of necessity. The girls are very nasty towards each other when one is out and dares go near the other condo.

Would it be possible for me as Chief Rabbit to do a bit of the side-by-side with them to see if they might get used to being close to each other? Not friends, not bonded, just forced to be together for a few minutes without agressive behavior being allowed?

Or would it cause more problems? Darn girls.

Posted By kralspace on 06/09/2010 09:14 AM

Would it be possible for me as Chief Rabbit to do a bit of the side-by-side with them to see if they might get used to being close to each other? Not friends, not bonded, just forced to be together for a few minutes without agressive behavior being allowed?

You mean as in sitting together on your lap for example? That would be a first step. I would do it somewhere other than your rabbit room though.

I bet you would see them act differently if they weren’t in each other’s zones (that room).

I think I’ll try it tonight. They were just as aggressive when one condo was in the living room and one in the back room so at least the poo/peeing mess is now confined to one room.

None of them likes to go in the bathroom, we may have a tub session tonight and see what happens. I’m afraid that one day the two of them will get together and rip each other to shreds.

Posted By kralspace on 06/09/2010 09:23 AM
  I’m afraid that one day the two of them will get together and rip each other to shreds.

That’s an important ‘why’ of bonding you mention, the risk of injury when two unbonded rabbits living in the same household meet accidentally.

The condos are pretty sturdy, but Pringles (over 9 lbs) will throw herself against the grids with all her strength to get at Lola (6+ lbs). From her condo, Lola prefers to stick her nose through and nananananana, which infuriates Pringles who tries to get into Lola’s condo to get her. Things could only go up from where they are now.

What a bunch of nuts! At least, it’s never boring, right?

These responses pretty much map out exactly what happened to our two girls. We adopted them as siblings at about 5 months. Within a couple of weeks they became sexually mature and their scents changed; they had one massive fight (luckily without injury) and we had to separate. Next came a good 6 months of bonding and the “head bunny thing” is absolutely sopt on. We actually gave our bunnies pep talks at the start of every session!

“Now bunnies, we know you don’t like each other, but if you remember how to get along like good little bunnies we’ll give you full access to the living room all day, every day. Imagine that; you can run around and play together whenever you want! Won’t that be great?”

After quite a while their nose twitching confirmed that they understood and began to get along better. Now they’re bonded!

Well, as a result of this conversation I’m bonding ALL my stinkers! In a thread in the bonding forum I’m journaling how I’ve put each possible combinaton together for 45 minutes at a time in a 1 grid box.

Would you believe NOTHING has happened? No fighting, not even a nip. I’ve had the two girls together several times and don’t even have to pet them, the first times they smooshed together in a corner with Lola trying to hide under Pringles, the last 2 times they just relax next to each other. Stunned and baffled are two ways I would describe myself.

I can’t believe these two girls have bluffed me for four years. I look forward to them running free range in the bunny room with no condos to clean, how cool is that?

I have noticed in pairing them up that Lola and Daisy both try to hide under Pringles and Toby, so I guess they will be my alpha couple?

Just one more question: Who are these strange rabbits and what have you done with my warrior princesses????????????????????

kralspace, I hope your rabbits aren’t bluffing right now… I am holding my breath (not literally, or I would be dead) for that they continue the peace once you release them from inside the bonding grids.

I am sending you major quartet-bonding vibes!