So We had a house rabbit, Rufio, he is a half lion head half dwarf. We kept him in the conservatory/house until it got too hot (we’re in the UK so it won’t last long!) I built him an outside pen that gives him as much room as the conservatory. He’s happy as Larry.
Then because of advice by SO MANY people we got a second rabbit. A female mini lop, Tink. Got a chicken coop and set it up near Rufio’s pen. They were close enough to see each other and we moved them together little by little until they shared a fence. First thing they did was sit either side together (good sign we thought) then they started mounting up droppings either side (confused sign we thought, internet said marking territory though.)
We left them together but seperated for about 2 weeks then introduced them on neutral ground for a little bit each day. She was very wary of him and he was very eager which we were surprised at, she seemed much more assertive and he’d always been quite wussy. Not to mention we’d read the female normally takes charge.
We did this probably 5 or 6 times and they would sniff and he would groom then he would go near her and lie down. All the time he was doing this she just sat stock still. After a few times they seemed to be getting on better so we decided to move her into his pen to see what would happen, thinking we’d take her out after 5 minutes and gradually increase the time. He wouldn’t stop chasing her and she got really scared, cowering in his hutch. We managed to get her out but now when we have them in the house together she’s even more wary of him.
I understand it was very clearly a territory thing, she was in his and he wasn’t going to stand for it.
The behaviour we have now is when he goes to her she runs away, he may chase initially but then stops. If she allows him to groom her he starts at the face quite gently but quickly moves down to the side and then very aggressively on her behind at which point she’ll run again.
The plan at the moment is to wait until the sun has gone and move them both into the conservatory together (which has been cleaned several times and we’re confident won’t smell of him anymore) with the hope that they’ll have chance to learn to live together in there, under observation of course…
This plan kinda sucks but its all we’ve got. Hence why I’m here, if anyone has any advice that’d be awesome!!