Need advice bonding two females

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 4sd replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 1 month ago by Laylabunny.

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- 01/12/2011 at 9:15 AM
  Laylabunny
  Participant
  3 posts
  I have two female netherland dwarves I am trying to bond. My first bunny is Brynn and she is 1 year old. My second bunny is Layla,10 months. They are both altered. When I first introduced them there was indifference from Brynn. Layla loved Brynn straight away and grooms her. Until recently I kept them in seperate territories. My fiancee and I just moved into a new place and since it was neutral i started bonding them 3 times a day everyday for periods of 15 mins – 1 hour depending on how its going. they have hay and toys, But all layla does is binky and sniff Brynn… Brynn just started to mount Layla and chases her. Sometimes she binkies while chasing her but she also nips her and after a chase sometimes bites. Layla is very fast and all Brynn can get is fur and doesn’t seem bothered. she just lays next to brynn while Brynn looks tense and uncomfortable..but I’m worried with the nipping. I’m just really trying to figure out Brynns behavior and what she wants… Does anyone have any ideas?
  
  P.S. They keep smushing their faces side by side each other. What does this mean? Any help would be great.
- 01/12/2011 at 1:00 PM
  Deleted User
  Participant
  22064 posts
  Hi, and welcome.
  
  They smush faces in a grooming request. Layla is still an inexperienced bunny so it is quite standard she is acting a little unconcerned. If the nips only rip out soome fur, let it continue. They need more exposure to each other to find the terms of their bond. You can help things along by petting them both when they smush faces, and discourage nips by clapping your hands or by interfering between them. Females tend to be very feisty and chasing during a bonding is acceptable as long as it does not lead to the buns turning on each other.
- 01/13/2011 at 8:44 AM
  Laylabunny
  Participant
  3 posts
  Thanks! I wasn’t sure. I just moved Layla and Brynn into the livingroom and left both cages open. They both explored each others cages but weren’t too concerned about being territorial. I think this is a good sign! We had a 2 hour bunny date with no bites and only one mount.
- 01/13/2011 at 9:11 AM
  MarkBun
  Participant
  2842 posts
  If you can, when they do the smoosh faces, actually pet them both at once with one hand. This will help transfer the scent from one to another as well as showing them that you love them both AND that when they’re together = lovely pets. Stop this practice, however, if one becomes over protective of YOU and attacks the other whenever you are petting them.
- 01/13/2011 at 11:38 AM
  Laylabunny
  Participant
  3 posts
  I always pet them both but none of them are protective of me, they just sit there all bunched up until Layla flops next to Brynn. Brynn usually pushes closer but eventually gets frustrated from lack of grooming and bites/mounts
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