Hi all, sorry that this is just another boring bonding question but I really am not sure what to do for the best for my rabbits and I just feel like I need to speak to someone rather than reading page after page of conflicting information online!
So I started off with one rabbit (Radish) a young male Netherland dwarf, he was a house rabbit and on his own for a year. I then adopted a 3 year old female Himalayan cross (Parsnip) from our local rescue centre and did a massive amount of research then after 2 weeks of cage swapping and mixing in neutral territory they bonded no problems. This was 5 years ago and they lived happily in their very large outdoor enclosure spending the days in their run. This summer I decided that I finally had enough money to build my dream rabbit enclosure with runaround tunnels, digging pens and multiple runs. It was a massive project and my bunnies absolutely loved their new home but it really was very extravagant for two rabbits and I’d always loved the idea of having a group of rabbits. I started looking for another bonded pair but ended up feeling sorry for a lovely sweet unneutered young Rex. My intention was to bond him with the group once he was neutered and then add another female at a later date (I realise now that getting another bonded pair would probably have been the better idea!). The new bunny (Mushroom) was neutered and a couple of weeks later his run was placed against one of the main runs and we started the bonding process.l through the bars. All was going very well when Parsnip passed away suddenly. The vets have no idea what was wrong as she showed no signs of illness and the boys have been checked over and are fine. She was around 8 years old so not a young rabbit but I was of course devastated. So I’ve now been left with two male rabbits that need to bond, a situation I would never have chosen knowing how much easier it is with a mixed pair! I first introduced the boys when Mushroom had been neutered 3 weeks, they were initially ok but then Mushroom tried to mount Radish and he did not take kindly to this! So they fought and after 3 days of trying I felt I was doing more harm than good and decided to wait until his hormones had settled. It has now been a further 4 weeks and the past week I’ve noticed that every time I go out to the boys they’re generally sat in the same corner next to each other. Radish has even moved his toilet corner to be next to Mushroom’s. I was sure they were going to get on fine. I had been reading how bonding in the bathtub can be a good idea so I decided to try that this time. I put a blanket on the bottom and a tunnel for them to hide in (more like a log roll than a tunnel) and some cabbage at either end. I put the boys in and at first they just ignored each other. Radish went over to Mushroom and sniffed his head then walked away and I really thought they’d be fine, then they sat looking at each other for a moment and suddenly both lunged at each other out of nowhere. I separated them and then they ignored each other again. Then Radish went to sniff mushroom’s head again and then I’m not sure who instigated it but they just started scrapping again. Previously it was chasing and mounting so I’m obviously glad this has stopped but now it’s just a sudden lunge and they roll around together. I then separated them again and they didn’t go near each other but then suddenly both lunged again at the same time and someone let out a big squeak when they fought so I split them up and put them back in their runs straight away, which i think was maybe wrong and I should have ended it on a good note! I don’t feel like the bathtub was a good idea as it was too small for them to get away from each other. I also think I did the wrong thing by having vegetables in there. I just don’t know where to go from here. I would love these two to mix and I’ll be devastated if they don’t but I don’t really know if I’m stressing them out and making it worse. I’d love for someone to give me some tips on how to go about this? I haven’t been swapping their hutches around because i don’t think it would be fair for Radish to be in a 6ft by 4ft run with a hutch in when he’s used to such a large area with tunnels whereas Mushroom has lived his short life in a tiny hutch so is perfectly happy with the temporary accommodation he has now. But I may be able to change the tunnel system around and make something work if this will help them? I just want to do what’s right for my sweet boys! Thanks in advance!