I have just recently started to try bond my two buns. They are both 7 months old and neutered, male and female. I have had Dusty for 4 months and we have Ella 2 weeks now. She has fully settled in by staying in a separate room from Dusty with her own cage. We just moved them into the same room 3 days ago. This room has always been Dusty’s living space. Ella has her cage and a pen around it with another pen around that to make sure dusty cannot get too close. Dusty then has his cage and access to the rest of the living space (they are currently in my living/dining room).

Ella doesn’t seem to be too fussed by him. Sometimes she runs up to the side of the pen and scratches at it when he is sniffing around that area but most times she doesn’t appear that bothered by him and will just lie down or flop by the side of the pen. In fact many times she will lie down right in front of him. Dusty on the other hand can’t sit still and can’t focus on anything else but her. He is obsessed! If she moves then he moves, following her everywhere. He desperately wants to get in at her and I’m struggling to tell if he’s just excited or if there is aggression there.he won’t lie near her or relax he just runs around the pen constantly trying to get to her.

Sometimes when I notice he is getting too excited (usually after they eat their veg side by side) he tries to dig at the pen to get in he will grunt at me if I try to stop him by gently nudging him away. He can grunt at me sometimes when he really wants something like to get into my bedroom or dig the sofa and I gently nudge him out of the way so it’s not a behaviour I haven’t seen before it just seems to be his stubborn personality.

I have given him a towel she has been lying on. He rubbed his chin all over it and dug it up but no mounting or over aggressive behaviour that I can tell anyway.

My concerns lie around Dusty and if sharing the same living space despite the pens is too much stress on him? Is his behaviour normal? Is a good or bad sign? Will he calm down over the next couple of days/weeks? Is there anything I am doing wrong or something I can do to make this process easier for both of them?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.