Unsure if bunnies are bonded???

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This topic has 3sd replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 9 months ago by DanaNM.

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- 02/04/2018 at 3:25 PM
  Emily
  Participant
  2 posts
  My two rabbits have been living side to side since May 2017, and now that they’re both fixed, I am trying to bond them. One is Yogi (F Netherlands dwarf) and the other is Piggy (M something lol). I’ve been trying for about two weeks now, and no fights have erupted at all. It seemed as if it was love at first sight, except for Yogi keeps mounting Piggy. He tolerated this for a couple seconds and then pushes her off. I want to say that they’re ready to be put together, but I don’t want them to fight! They have sat close to each other, and there has been some mild grooming. Any advice?
- 02/04/2018 at 7:04 PM
  DanaNM
  Moderator
  9054 posts
  The rule of thumb is there should be no aggressive interactions (nipping, chasing, lunging, etc.) and lots of positives, (cuddling, grooming each other, sharing food without problems). Mounting happens in some pairs, and is fine as long as the other bunny doesn’t seem to upset and it doesn’t lead to a fight.
  
  It sounds like they are close to being bonded, but it’s important to “cement” the behavior. You want to see snuggling and grooming regularly.
  
  Have they spent the night together in neutral space? How long have their bonding sessions been?
  
  . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
- 02/04/2018 at 8:21 PM
  Emily
  Participant
  2 posts
  They have not yet spent the night together, but their longest session has been almost 6 hours. There hasn’t been any fighting, but Piggy has mounted Yogi’s face. I don’t want her to bite his genitals off, so I haven’t let them spend the night together yet. Besides mounting, their behavior has not been aggressive. (no chasing, biting, etc.)
- 02/04/2018 at 10:46 PM
  DanaNM
  Moderator
  9054 posts
  Has the 6 hours been in neutral space or semi-neutral?
  
  I think the next step would be to have them spend the night together in neutral space (or wherever they are currently spending 6 hours), with you sleeping very near them, in case something happens. Alternatively you could go for a very long session, like 8-12 hours during the day.
  
  Do they have a good amount of positive behaviors too? Like cuddling and grooming each other? For me a good test is when they can be sniffing around the other bunny’s bum, and the other bunny is OK with it. Bonded pairs will basically climb all over each other and not be fussed about it. If either bunny still seems tense or flinches when the other comes close, then they aren’t bonded yet.
  
  . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
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