Aww, I am so sorry it’s been a plop of a time with them! Did you think of doing smaller bonding sessions and possibly getting yourself out of the neutral territory or hiding yourself behind a barrier. My girl was a total brat with our boy until I finally just removed myself from the situation and BAM — some dominance battles and after another session they were doing pretty good!

I wouldn’t give up yet! Whether they like each other or not there’s going to be a MILLION poops. I swear, my floor looked like a barn yard for like a month after bonding ended.

I would definitely smaller, more simple situations with them. Or possibly stress to help them get a little closer.

Especially since you have your boyfriend to help you out, I think stress testing would be a good idea. Go for a car ride perhaps? One person can drive while the other one plays bunny referee to break up fights.

Also, I’m not sure how your living area is arranged but once the girly bun has a clean bill of health, maybe you could set them up in pens/condos next to each other in a neutral territory, so they can spend some time getting used to each other.

I really hope it works out…they both are so adorable!

It doesn’t sounds too bad to me so far. Don’t give up yet

Don’t give in so quick. I think this is normal behavior for both rabbits – keep trying.

Do either of them go into a bathroom? That and the kitchen are what I use for neutral territory. No bunny likes stepping on the evil lava floor

No, bonding sessions It does have to be neutral for them though.

You can do it FF don’t give up! =]

Sounds good so far Switching pens definitely helped with my girls, and with my boys even though i did have to stop the boys sessions due to other issues not related tot hem at all… So good idea on that

Keep at it!!! Not all bondings are fairy tales. It took a long time for Bindi and Stormy to not want to kill each other. Patience and persistence!

Glad things are going better! =]

Hahahaha, all that marking! I know how it is! Try three buns doing it everywhere. Oy vey! I’m glad to hear everything with them is going slowly but better!

So sweet! =] I think it’s a good sign that they can eat near each other.

^ Agreed. Once I could put them together with no fights, I put a bowl of veggies in there to see what they’d do and shockingly, they all ate together out of the same dish no problems! I was such a proud bunny momma!

Let us know if there have been any updates lately! I love hearing about others bonding experiences.

Good luck Frankie! I hope it goes well. Bunjamin looks happy. =] It seems like things are going relatively smooth. And I agree with TL keep updating! =] It gives me hope that when we get our second bun we can do the whole bonding thing. =p

Bonding is very stressful and can bring lots of tears but just remember to stick with it! It is also a roller coaster! One day you can think it went great and the next they could fight! it doesn’t mean they wont bond though! Also don’t move forward to soon! It is best to start out in small neutral areas and stress them like a car ride or a laundry basket on a running dryer. If they do fine with that move to a bathtub or if you don’t have one, a small bathroom. If you give them to much space to quickly it makes things worse! I moved from having a bathtub to a pen and they must not have been ready because they ended up fighting (that was 1 fight out of maybe 2 they had the whole bonding process. Another thing to remember a lot of the time (at least with my buns) I would have to take a step back before I took a step forward. Another good thing to do when your are in a bigger area then a basket or a kennel is to do a few minutes of “stressing” before the session and then if they get really wild during the bonding session put them back in the basket and stress them again. I hope this helps! I had a VERY emotional bonding experience and I am sure everyone on binkybunny thought I was crazy for crying so much but after 8 months they finally bonded (I took a month or two off in there though so I was only bonding for 7-6 months of it. It probably would have gone faster if I would have been consistent and did 1-2 bonding sessions a day. It is good you have your bf to help you though! It is hard being the only one bonding!

Looks like things are slowly progressing! Bunjamin doing binkies….*bun naps*

What a cutie Chinning his litter box! I wanted to get a second bunny but Ruby tried to kill me for coming home smelling like another bunny! Definitely keep the updates coming, I want to know what I’m in for when I brave bonding!

Confusing scenario but are you sure it wasn’t just rubbing off onto his face? I mean…everything else sounds insanely perfect and very bond worthy. Him grooming her is a very, very good sign though for sure. Sometimes my buns will yank at hair on the others though not hard but almost like they are trying to get a knot of hair off when grooming .. or maybe he was just trying to be playful? My buns will nip and yank at us when they are feeling playful and do the same things to each other.

I can’t give any clear answers but I definitely don’t think this is a bad sign.

When Mocha (the male and dominant) would hump Lulu He would sort of latch on to her hair and pull it out too. I think it is ok as long as its not pulling skin off with it! I was always really bad at letting my bunnies hump each other without doing anything about it but I tried the best I could. Do you think you or your bf could take a video during a bonding session so we could see what they are like? Bonding has always fascinated me and I love looking at how other bunnies react. Also some pictures too maybe?

It is AWESOME that he is already grooming her! It seems like he is the dominate one (?) If so Mocha didn’t groom Lulu until about a week before they were bonded!

I completely agree with Mocha! If you can get a video, I’d also LOVE to see it!

My buns also didn’t groom each other (well the boys latch on instantly and were grooming during the first session but I think that’s mainly because Tanger is a VERY submissive bunny) but the boy and girl didn’t start grooming until they were almost completely bonded!

Well, I squealed for you when you said there was grooming involved! It’s such a good thing for them to groom NEXT to each other but to groom EACH OTHER! bAHHHHH. Major SQUEAL! I’m so excited for you — I LOVE hearing about bonding buns so keep the info coming!

As obsessed with buns as my boyfriend and I are now I’m sure FAR in the future we will be bonding more and need all the advice and experiences we can get in the meantime!

This is super helpful because I got a month before I have to rebond thump and oreo. very worried about it but it does seem like things are going in good directions for you. =D

I haven’t read this thread in a few days…glad to come back to good news!

When Peppy and Milo were bonding, Peppy (the dominant one, of course..) would also latch onto Milo’s fur while humping him, and try to pull some out. We didn’t try to discourage the humping too much unless it got excessive, but if Peppy started pulling Milo’s fur while humping we would try to slide a hand under her head to prevent her from grabbing him.

Ahh I miss having a pair! Sweets and Bunjamin are adorable .

FrankieFlash: That sounded like a GREAT session! I know the bow wars may seem like a downer but that is just a dominant thing and it will get over. Where were you when you did the session? How long was it? I would continue to do it in that same spot until you can have a session for about an hour or so and you don’t have to be as hands on. Just take a book or your laptop and sit in with them. Increase your time every session! If you move to fast and give them to much freedom it could cause a lots of chasing or fighting.

With bonding you want to slowly increase the space you let them have together. Like with my bunnies I did the NIC cube (only for one session though), the Bathtub, then an xpen, then a hallway, then the living room. Just slowly increasing the space you give them. I honestly don’t think that they would fight in the xpen you have them in now to be honest. My bunnies only fought once or MAYBE twice during the whole bonding process and it started out with chasing. You bunnies seem to be relaxed from what you described above.

It really did sound like a good session, FF! You should be happy — your buns are doing much better than so many other accounts I’ve read! Just remember that bonding can take months of work! So you’re definitely on the right track for bonded bunnies!

As for giving them more room… I wouldn’t give them more room until you feel confident that you can leave them alone in the space you are giving them now without worrying about them fighting. That is the goal. As they achieve that, then THAT is when you expand the area they have. Gradual by gradual is what you have to do.

Don’t get down though… it’s so frustrating but in the end it is COMPLETELY worth it and from the sounds of it your little babies are on the right track! And quite quickly. Just remember — ALWAYS end on a good note. If they fight, break it up and do something so it ends positive like giving treats and such! Bonding bunnies is almost ALWAYS going to have some scuffles. So I wouldn’t worry. Everyone, including us, fights with friends. It’s just a fact of life. And it’s a fact of life for bunnies that they MUST work out who the top bun is. So DON’T FRET! Positive thoughts! And try not to be so stressed or worried with your buns when they are in bonding sessions! (I know it’s difficult!) But they can sense your anxiety and that may put them on edge! Even if one session goes badly, make it end on a positive note, and take it as it goes! The sessions sound very good but your confidence doesn’t! Work on that confidence girly! Give them both some credit! They could def be taking to each other much worse!

I’m excited for you, FF! In my opinion, you’re off to a very good start. I’m excited for your little guys to become bonded!

I just called Sweets a guy… Don’t tell her! Little Babies to Bond! ****

I know the feeling. I seriously had to fight out the feeling not to just throw them all in together. They probably would’ve mangled each other with all the bunny bratitude radiating between the three of them!

Lots of deep breaths! And the more you keep us updated on your bonding — the more we can help and tell you if you are over-stressing or thinking it too much! We get bunny bonding stories and you get LOTS of bunny bonding vibes!

Oh so cuteeeee! I’m so glad it’s going well! I’m cheering you guys on! =D

You’re right!!!! I”M SQUEALING INSIDEEEEEEE!!!! I can’t wait to see pictures of these little cuties alllllllll squished together in a litter box or cuddled up… OMGGGGGG. I’m so excited for you guys!!!

Aaaawwwwww!!!! TOO CUTE! I’m so happy for you

Oh my goodness FF that is so cuteeeeee! =]]]]]]

Eeek!!! So adorable!!

Awhhhh! That is too exciting! You have made so much progress in such a short amount of time! =]

I’M SO EXCITED FOR YOU, FF! They are working out soooooo well!!! SO ADORABLE!

Yayy!! So happy for you . They are sooo cute!

I think you should do binkies and flops instead

Post Post Post!! haha

Computers have a move editing software pre-installed on the system hidden somewhere, if you have a pc it’ll be windows movie maker and if you have a Mac it will be iMovie. Unless someone has removed it haha

I can’t wait to see!

SO CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!! =DDDDDDDDDDDDDD

AHHHH — LOOK AT THOSE TWO LITTLE BONDED BUNNIES!!!! I TOLD YOU IT COULD BE DONE WITH THEM! And of course — WOW. Like my little bratscals, yours took so quickly also! <3 SO happy for you guys!

Heehee, love the pic on the beanbag! What cuties!

FF, I’m only just looking in on this again now. This is fantastic! They look like they’re doing so well.
MFEO. <— haha! Anyone remember that from Sleepless in Seattle?

You’ll get plenty opportunities now to get more beanbag pics by the looks. : D
Jersey & Rumball used to snuggle in the bean bag like that. <3