Babies will mate, even if they are related. Babies also cannot bond. Bunnies who are not spayed/neutered cannot bond. Youre risking a lot by trying to bond two unfixed rabbits to a fixed one. They not only will unavoidably breed, but when hormones come in (as early as 3 months), youre risking a blood bath from hormonally driven fighting

Being from the same litter doesn’t mean they are bonded. You cannot bond babies – to each other or to an older rabbit. Not only that, you’re risking pregnancy to your youngest girl. You need to keep all separate, get all involved neutered and spayed and then after a month or so start bonding.

You came here for advice but youre not willing to listen.

All rabbits are different yes , but one thin remains the same – a “bond” is not a bond when all parties are not neutered. It’s a toleration – which can be tested at any moment.
Babies are babies – hormones have not hit yet – puberty hasn’t hit yet – that changes the “bond”

Some may be lucky and have two litter does not ever fight – despite not being spayed – or maybe even two males – but the percentage of that would be very very low and the risk of a bloodbath fight extremely high and it isn’t something worth risking … why risk it when you can make that risk reduce by 90%?? Obviously some won’t bind after desex – as that is personality dependant as well as compatibility – but you have a much greater chance they will if desex, and you reduce the intensity of the potential fight too if hormones are removed from the equation.

Also you risk babies as already said – the saying isn’t “breed like rabbits” for nothing!
She will be preg before you know it and babies born before you realise – then before you even notice the babies after birth she is pregnant again ( he will mate her as soon as she gives birth) then 4 weeks later you have 4 week old babies , newborn babies – a overbred mum – not enough milk – and that is if she even makes it through having a litter at such a young age as most will die that young

As I said – the risks you are taking aren’t worth taking, why not just seperate – neuter and spay – then bond the babies after 6weeks of hormones settling – then bond them to ruby provided everyone takes to each other?

They are more complex and hormonal and territorial / slower to trust each other than I think you are giving them credit for

Posted By Bunnybuzz on 5/23/2017 2:21 PM

First of all Ruby used have a little friend 9 week old holland lop rabbit. They bonded right away and were friends for life. These little baby rabbits are also best friends. They are always together and are cuddling. So maybe so babies cannot be bonded but some can. Also Ruby had a sister Dorris and we got them when they were 1 years old. They were also best friends and when Dorris past away she was never the same. So it really depends on the bunnies. Some can and some can’t. 

All rabbits are different.

No – my two are litter mates and was snuggly up until I separated them. There was no issues with them whatsoever but I separated them because a) anything could happen and b) I wasn’t prepared to risk my doe getting knocked up. Doesn’t  mean they were bonded. They missed each other terribly and we’re very confused about the sudden split but you know what happened? After they were spayed and neutered and fully healed, they bonded within two weeks. Very easily. In fact it was pretty much love at first sight/reintroduction.

You’re literally playing with your rabbit’s lives here. Please at least think about what pregnancy could do to such a young doe. Chances are she’ll die giving birth. If you seriously think seperating them is so much worse than pregnancy, death, hormonal fighting etc then I think you need to check your priorities. 

Agreeing with everyone above. Babies often look like they’re bonded as they’re less picky, so besides being able to breed they aren’t actually bonded. When puberty hits it’s going to be a nightmare. You need to seperate them.

Axel and Sky are familiar with each other. They are brother and sister. I compare it to relationships with my birds. I have these really cool Turaco – large fruit eating birds from Africa. They bond into pairs, but the offspring remain with their parents naturally – and help raise the next clutch. You would ask – what if dad mates daughter? Dad only mates his bonded pal. He knows who is his bonded pal, and who is his familial pal. So the family unit stays together until the offspring from the previous clutch – are swooped off their feet by other Turaco, looking to bond. And the process repeats itself. So the offspring are familiar with eachother in a familial sense – not in a bonded sense. Familial relationships are possible at any age because they are not hormone driven. Bonds are only possible in sexually mature and hormonally tolerant creatures. With my Turaco – that would mean a breeding pair can bond, while siblings don’t bond until they are out of the family unit and ready to start their own lives – even if they are female/female. In rabbits – youngsters have a terribly cute relationship that can look like a bond, but is really a familial relationship. Once the hormones kick in – and they are strong – the familial relationship is at risk because you will have no idea when they will fight. It’s like playing Russian roulette. Maybe you’ll be lucky and live. Maybe you won’t.

Yes – bunnies are different. But hormones are hormones. There is one common thing with hormones and rabbits – mating, and kung-fu.

I agree with the above posters. I also had a similar experience as Sarah. I had a mom and son together. So same litter. Snuggly. “Bonded”. The correct term would be “familial”. At 3 months, I separated him from her, waited till he was 7 months old – 1 month past his neuter, and it took 2 weeks to bond them back together. No problems. Easy bond. Deceptively easy. And I avoided a potential blood bath. Better to be safe than sorry. I’v also seen littermates fight. I’v had 36 bunnies under the age of 5 months. Sure – some of them are able to get along. For shorter or longer periods. Most of them – showed me just how fierce bunny kungfu can get. Including one of the moms (Guinevere) and a son of hers who she hadn’t seen for a week. I separated them because he was 2 months old and she was getting tired of him trying to suckle. She stayed closest to where she could see him. I thought she missed him. She always hung out closest to where she could possibly see/reach him. So I put him back thinking she missed him. Immediately she went into an all-out Bruce-Lee death-star ninja attack. For a fat bunny like Guinevere – I have never seen one move so quickly.

I think it would be a good idea to keep your 2 little buns together until 2 months – then start to watch them. By 3 months – they need to be separated so you can avoid inbreeding, and a pregnancy in a bunny that is too young to be physically ready to cope. Also – to protect them from the evil demon hormones. Then after all 3 have had 1 month to recover from their surgeries, and for hormones to fizzle out, I believe Axel and Sky will be easy to rebond. That will also give you time to do prebonding. It sounds like Ruby isn’t playing nicely. Her interaction will hurt the bond. By keeping everyone separated but close – they will have the time they need to get to know eachother through a distance (at least 6 inches). You can swap food/water bowels/blankets/toys etc during this time too. Another good addition to prebonding. Assuming Axel/Sky are fixed at 6 months, then you could start bunny dates at 7 months.

To keep your bunnies safe – that’s my best advice 🙂

I agree that they are friends. They grew up together after all. We disagree on what a true bond is, and I’m going to agree to disagree, because there are more important things than that – like the fact that Ruby is currently mean to them.
Is Ruby spayed? This will impact how successful the final bond will be.
What happened to her Holland lop playmate? You said they were best friends for life. Is he/she still in the picture? Did she die (I’m just assuming she was a she.) How old was she when she left the picture (don’t know if she died or not).
Whether you consider spaying or not – this is not the time for bunny dates. You asked about Ruby – so here’s what I think about Ruby. (I think everyone here has said what they think about Axel and Sky). Ruby is demonstrating hostile behavior – typical of unbonded rabbits. She is after all not yet bonded to Axel and Sky – which was your original question. Before you can start introducing them, you need to do prebonding. This means housing them separately. Keep Ruby away from Axel and Sky. She can see them, but not touch them. At least 6 inches between their enclosures. This way they can get to know each other from a safe distance. Swap out litter boxes, food bowls, blankets, etc. Do this for a few months. Inch their enclosures closer and closer together. You’ll probably start to notice territorial poops from Ruby closest to where she can see them, ears at 45 degrees, tail at 45 degrees. Once they sit opposite the fence from eachother either ignoring or side by side, with no territorial poops, you’ll know that they are more comfortable with each other. Then – you can consider bunny dates. But just putting them together will only result in fights.

If she is spayed – you still need to separate them and do prebonding. If you keep trying to bond them without giving them some prebonding time, the fighting will start to cause grudges. Axel and Sky will be afraid of her and never trust her. She will hate them, and never want to be nice to them.

If Ruby is not spayed – She has fully developed territorial adult hormones – she will wreck bunny kung-fu havoc on those little bunnies. Hormones in bunnies are little invisible devils. They are unpredictable. Unspayed bunnies can be super nice and sweet – and one day – with no warning – the opposite. It is way easier to develop “friendships” in young unspayed bunnies like Axel and Sky, than in adult unspayed bunnies. The little ones don’t have adult hormones, adult experiences, adult boldness, they are sweet innocent little pals. Ruby however – has adult hormones (assuming she is intact), and whether she is intact or not – adult experiences, adult boldness.
I still think your next steps should be separate the little ones from Ruby, then from eachother at 3 months (like you said), have everyone spayed/neutered, do prebonding in the mean time, wait a month after the surgeries, then start bunny dates. Prebonding is extra super super important.

Posted By Bunnybuzz on 5/25/2017 10:46 AM

Hi everybody,

Yes, I know they will breed I am going to separate them when its time, at around 3 months. So maybe most of you think babies can’t bond. Not saying you’re wrong I am just disagreeing. These to are not just ” familiar” they are friends.

I know about rabbits and I will separate them because I know they will breed. Right now though is not the time.
Thank you guys for the advice.

Right so according to you – babies can bond. So what are you going to do when you seperate them (due to preventing pregnancy) seeing as ‘bonded bunnies’ shouldn’t be split up. Going by your logic here…

Angway, being friends as babies is not the same as being bonded. Why are you not accepting that? You’ve asked for our advice but then are refusing to take any on board. It’s also worrying that your older bun Ruby is aggressive towards the babies and yet you’re not taking it seriously enough to seperate them.

Posted By Bunnybuzz on 5/25/2017 2:29 PM

Hello again,

First of all: Ruby and the little buns are separated. They are not bonded so I would never put them together.

Vanessa, thank you for the advice. Ruby is spayed. August (her old friend) did sadly pass away. She misses him very much. I will try this I really appreciate the help

Next they are friends, I will get the fixed at the same time and they won’t be separated for long.

I appreciate every ones help. As for the “babies can’t bond” thing i’m not saying you’re wrong and i’m not trying to be mean or anything, I just disagree.

Thanks again

Okay, glad Ruby is separated from the babies.

But you’re still not listening – it isn’t a matter of opinion. Babies cannot physically bond because once the hormones kick in, they instinctively act upon those hormones. Not only that,  the scents of both bunnies will change once hormones come into play so they might not even recognise each other. Once they are neutered and spayed, again once the hormones drain they will smell different. You can’t just put them back together because once their scent dissipates, they won’t recognise each other and will act accordingly. 

Posted By Bunnybuzz on 5/25/2017 3:10 PM

I am going to go through the bonding process again after they are fixed but what i’m trying to say is for now they are bonded.

Thanks again everybody

It’s clear you’re going to do what you want regardless of advice given so I’ll just say good luck. 

Good to hear 🙂 Be sure to do the prebdonging. It makes it sooooooo much easier. My first two pairs took 2 weeks to bond, after 12-18 months of prebonding. At the time – I didn’t know anything about bonding. It just so happened that I was doing everything required of prebonding. It was pure luck on my part. Their bonding went soooooo rediculousely smooth. My third pair was different. They hadn’t had that much prebonding. It took me 10 months to bond them, and just as Guinevere was quite hostile and agressive to Lancelot. I was surprised – because of how easy the first 2 pairs were. After I had read more about bonding, I understood that they way I had kept their living areas – was actually prebonding. They lived close but not too close, I happened to be swapping food/water/cages, only because I removed them to clean. It wasn’t intentional because I didn’t know any better. But boy was I lucky… So… this is a good time for you to do prebonding. Once you have separated the litle ones, you will end up with 3 single bunnies for a period. So that’s 3 times the cages, dishes, litter boxes, etc. I actually started off with 3 singles. Their enclosures were always close to eachother.

Posted By Bunnybuzz on 5/25/2017 7:59 PM

I’m listening to you guys. I am going to separate them and then bond them again after they are fixed

Thanks

Do plenty of pre-bonding and you might get an easy bond like I did!