A quick update.  Last night after putting Mandy in her pen next to Jack for a period of time, I switched them out.  They both checked each others toys out, chin rubbed them, used each others litter box and ate food in front of each other.

I repeated the process this afternoon.  They both enjoyed napping in the sun next to each other in their pens.  I gave them a little afternoon snack.  I left them in their own pens thru dinner time when they become a little more active.

I switched them again in each others pens and that seemed to go fine.  After playing and scruffing each others blankets, using each others litter box and sharing some parsley strung between their pens, they finally laid down near each other.

If time permits tomorrow, I will try placing them in a neutral room Mandy has never been in before.  I do not want to rush the process.  I keep increasing time next to each other and so far they seem to be doing ok.

Any suggestions?

Since this process seems to be going ok, I think I will go a few days more of putting her next to him for longer periods of time.  So they really get used to each other.  I’m thinking of putting them in my large entryway which is adjacent to the living room where they are in pens next to each other.  There is a big carpet with wood floors around it that they are not as found of walking/hopping on but nothing to get out of our sight and hide under and get into trouble.  I could sit in this room and jump up and separate them if I need to.  I have also read a water bottle can break up a fight if one occurs or put oven mits on so you can break them up without getting bit myself.  

But so far none of this process seems to upsetting Mandy’s GI system.  I think she is more interested in having him come and groom her as her former mate did and lay next to her.  I think he would like to hump her and now lets go and explore and play.  He was neutered a few weeks ago at the shelter so I’m sure he is coming down from the hormones.  But Bailey was 7-8 and he still liked a good chase and hump every now and then.  Mandy would allow it as long as he agreed to groom her which he did.  They were truly a match made in heaven.  I would be happy if I just provided her with some companionship in her later years even if not true love again.  

Well I put Mandy and Jack together in a neutral area.  Jack was thrilled to be out of his pen to explore but he did check out Mandy as well.  Mandy laid down and wanted Jack to groom her, just as I expected.  There was zero aggression by either bun.  They both went in and used Mandy’s litter box at the same time.  I kept them together about 45 minutes and it all went very well.  I placed them next to eachother in their separate pens.  So far so good.  The only thing is – Jack is a bit destructive.  He chews every thing he can get a hold of.  Not sure how it will go when I allow him to be in my family room where Mandy lives.  

The process has been going very well.  For about a week, I have placed Jack in with Mandy in my kitchen area.  She has been trying to teach him how to groom her head and ears by example.  I have been increasing their date time.  Tonight Jack decided to pursue Mandy and get to know her a little better.  She allowed him and they laid next to eachother.  So they are officially bonded. 

I purchased two new exercise pens to give them a large safe play area; they should arrive next week.  I keep Jack in a large pen during the day.   She naps next to his pen for long periods of time.  He is a bit too disruptive to give him free access to my family room and kitchen like Mandy has and I think 24/7 would be too much for Mandy given the large age difference.  So far this seems to suit them both.  I think Mandy is happier to have a male back in her life.  And Jack has loving bunny parents now in a furever home.  

What I have been doing is sectioning off my kitchen area from the adjoining family room and placing Mandy and Jack together with close supervision.  I also have been placing them together for longer periods of time.  Tonight they were together for about 4 hours.  At bedtime, I return Jack to his very large pen and take down the other pen so that Mandy has access to the family room and kitchen again.  Jack’s pen is within the family room.  While together, they seem to be spending a lot of time laying next to eachother and grooming eachother.  It took a few days of Mandy showing Jack how to groom the head and ears and finally, last night, Jack returned the favor.

It isn’t that ultimately I would want to let them coexist full time, it is just that either Mandy would have to be placed in the pen with Jack. He is way too destructive to give him full access to my family room and kitchen.  Despite tons of chew toys, any chance he gets, he starts chewing on the baseboards, my patio door.  If he went in the family room he would go for my couch, fireplace, french doors.

I just purchased two more exercise pens that arrived today, to be used in the kitchen so that he can’t get at my patio door.  I could eventually put the four pens together and make one large pen for Mandy & Jack to live together in.  I just hate to close Mandy in after eight years of freedom.  She suffers from GI slowdowns and I would hate to restrict her movement in any way.  In time, if Jack gets a little less destructive, I could try letting him have freedom with her.  For now he has increasing play time with Mandy in a controlled environment and has a big double pen loaded with toys to spend his day in and Mandy laying on the other side of the pen next to him.