Rabbit bonding help

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This topic has 2sd replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 4 months ago by Hugabear.

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- 07/25/2014 at 3:42 AM
  Hugabear
  Participant
  11 posts
  Hey so.
  
  I’ve had my first rabbit for about a year now, decided I should get him a friend, felt guilty about him not having a bunny friend to hang with. So about 2 weeks ago I went and got Rose.
  
  I have her cage next to his so they can always see each other. I left it like that for a few days, then decided to try to introduce them a little which went well, they weren’t aggressive. I built up the time more and more and am quite comfortable now leaving them even unsupervised in the run I have downstairs (I’ll pop in now and again and they’re usually cuddled up sleeping)
  
  I thought I’d. give it a go putting Rose into where she would be permanently with Billy. Billy’s area is a cage at the back with a run around it which he has permanent access to. He was fine with her in the run area but the second she went towards his cage he charged at her. So I got her out there put her back in her cage and Billy came up to her area and they were putting their noses through the cage at each other as they usually do (they’re currently both in their areas asleep next to each other)
  
  I guess just, How do I get Billy to not be so territorial over that area so I can get her in there with him? He is Neutered but she isn’t, shes too young to get done yet.
  
  Thanks.
- 07/25/2014 at 5:33 AM
  Tessie
  Participant
  1231 posts
  Hey, welcome to the forum!
  
  I have a few thoughts for you
  First of all, bunnies can’t ever really be bonded unless both are neutered, because the hormones lead them to act unpredictably and affects their temperament.
  
  You can’t really stop him being territorial, bunnies will always be territorial. The way to avoid this during bonding is to bond in a neutral area, somewhere neither of them have been before. Lots of people try the bathroom, for instance!
  If you don’t have any neutral areas, you can try and create one by cleaning it with vinegar to eliminate the smell.
  
  Overall, I’d say it’s a really great sign that they like each other, and that he’s fairly willing to let her near his territory, I think when you try to bond them it will probably be a match made in heaven!
  However, until she’s neutered you can’t trust them together, so I’d wait until she’s been fixed, and then do some bonding in neutral territory.
- 07/25/2014 at 8:15 AM
  Hugabear
  Participant
  11 posts
  Okay thank you I’ve got an appointment with the vets on Sunday to see about getting Rose neutered. They said its usually 6 months old for females but they will do it sooner depending on the size of the rabbit.
  
  I thought I could maybe try swapping the cages? that by having hers in the run area instead of his then he wouldn’t be so territorial as it is her cage? Or about just getting a different cage totally for that area? then it wouldn’t be his to be territorial over? or would this just anger him?
  
  I’ve also read that just rearranging the placing of things in his area would make him more accepting of her being in there?
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