When you say that they start to fight what do you mean exactly? What kind of fighting?

Where are they during these bonding sessions? Have you tried experimenting with different spaces (a much smaller space, or a much larger space?) With the grooming stand-offs, I had good luck with snugging them up side by side (facing the same direction, cheek to cheek) and petting them both at the same time with one hand. I did not pet gently, but rather vigorously, asserting my dominance and making them stay close to each other.

Grooming can be tricky b/c some buns groom, some don’t, some want it ALL THE TIME, some don’t care… It is very one-sided in some relationships, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing as long as they don’t fight. My pair eventually came to an understanding: Meadow would present for grooming (head down), Max would resist. Meadow would say, “Fine!” and groom Max for a moment, then present again. Then Max would groom Meadow. And this was after they were bonded for years…

Have you tried doing a marathon session yet with them together all day? This would, of course, require your attention all day.

Don’t give up! I think this can work, you have a lot going for you with these two.

If she grew up in the shelter, she has been learning a lot about being a house bunny, while she has tried to bond. And on top of that she is a strong willed bunny! Strong willed bunnies are great, but they take time!

I am in an oftentimes frustrating bonding situation with four bunnies, and I have found using multiple stressors to be very, very, very helpful to break the bunnies down and get them to rely on each other and build trust and a friendship. These techniques have gotten me past plateaus and on to the next level of bonding.

I too have bunnies that will groom and groom and groom, but also nip and chase and grunt! Very confusing, VERY FRUSTRATING! But these are the things that are keeping us moving forward. Tanlover14, a Binky Bunny bonding expert, stresses to never let them get into a pattern or stay stuck in the same behaviors, to always change things up to push them out of their patterns.

I have found doing multiple 20 – 30 minute stress situations back to back very helpful, as long as the bunnies seem to be able to tolerate it. If they seem exhausted, that’s ok, and actually a good thing.

Stressors I have tried;

1. Putting them in a cool dryer (you never turn it on) and rotate the drum if any nipping starts, this gets them off balance and forces them to smoosh together. I pulled up a chair and set a timer for 20 minutes and did two of these over two days, and it completely changed the behavior of my two males that had been fighting.

2. LONG car rides for an hour to hour and a half

3. Taking them in a small cage to a party at a friend’s house (this was hugely successful!). They just sat in the cage in the middle of the living room floor. I have now done this twice.

4. Having them in a small cage or carrier and introducing them to very interested, but safe dogs that they do not know, allowing the dogs to sniff and circle the cage/carrier

5. Putting them in a small box or cage on top of the washer and dryer while they are in use

6. Putting them in a box with tall sides just big enough for them to lie comfortably in, next to each other, with a bunch of hay on the bottom and putting a sheet over it, and the minute the nipping and scuffling starts, dragging the box around, or using a loud noise (rattle, vacuum cleaner, blender) to distract them

7. A marathon session, where they are in a small box or cage with very little extra room for at least 24 to 48 hours with constant supervision, intervening when there are skirmishes, but also letting them work their relationship out.

Good luck!

I have just finished bonding my 2 last week. It was a long 8 month off and on again process. When I was doing marathon sessions if they got kind of fussy with each other I would take them out and stress bond and put them back together. I wouldn’t totally separate them. Try doing something like that. I had a bonding box and a stroller I would put them in it and simply walk them around for a short bit it helped every time. I don’t know what your set up looks like where you are keeping them during your bonding sessions but I also made sure to have things in there like toys and magazines which they like to rip up that way they had things to do together. It helped.

You may not be ready for a session lasting 20 hours. If they fought badly like that I would stress them then do shorter sessions until they are getting along again. I started my marathon sessions at 4 hours then 8 hours sessions. I noticed that at the 8 hour time frame mine would get fussy they wanted to go back to their rooms. I did several 8 hours and then finally realized that they were ready to be with each other full time.

I wish you luck the big thing is to be patient and to keep at it. I think you will have some success with a small stress bonding then put them together in their bonding area and do a shorter session. I look forward to hearing how things go.

I hope it helps. My girl is feisty in the mornings as well. She is the most active then. She likes to butt nip too. That was my last issue I had to stress them over. She was wanting to be groomed a lot and she would start nipping Usagi and he would turn around and groom her. At first it worked then it got on his nerves and they went in circles I guess nipping each other. I took them out and stressed them for a couple of minutes and they have been doing great ever since.
I hope your sessions go better and they bond well and soon!