So we’ve had our all black rex female named Mamma Dot for 2 years that we got from the rescue because she has a small white dot on her nose. Recently she’s been sort of pathetic and grooming a furry blanket in our family room which is her out of pen area. Since I’ve been constantly stalking the House Rabbit Network rescue web site near me there became a all white lion head male name Warhol that might be a good match. (Of note, I’m related to Any Warhol so my 12 yo artist daughter was all over it.). We went for a speed date. They spent time in a neutral pen together, share a litter box, and ate and groomed in the same space. They seemed relaxed, a little curious, no fights. The volunteer said that was as good as it gets and encouraged us to take Warhol home, so off we went with them both in the same carrier. No fights on way home, some good stress bonding not he 30 min ride. W got placed in an extra large dog crate near the expen with MD bunny condo. They highly recommended switching living spaces every day.

Day 1: OK, got a little cocky and decided to let the out in the family room which was too large of an area and too much furniture to hide under. Let MD out first, she hops up to W crate, sticks her nose in to touch his. CHOMP! She does it again. CHOMP he goes on her nose again. I pull her away. Let him out. Things were going OK, then some grooming demands, and they there was a circle chase, fur flying, that just looked like a spinning yin-yang symbol. No screeches, no yelps, no blood, they got separated and went off exploring. Then again, this time under a chair, little more challenging to break up. Decided 20 min of bonding over, and we switched habitats and were done.

Day 2: Learned our lesson, went into an empty room. 15-20 min. Some mounting behavior and a lot of demands of grooming from MD with nose under W chin. We would separate mounting and pull MD back when the groom demands looked like it might turn into a bunny underbelly thing. There were no 45 degree ears or upright tails on either day. They would hop around. MD seemed more relaxed than W. We did give greens, which MD ignored, but W ate. But he’s more into greens. We did another session the same day, but I was still devouring bonding blogs and there seems to be a thought that some mounting is OK? So I’m wondering if I’m breaking them up too early? So I let them go a little further. Switched pens at end of day.

Day 3: Husband home unexpectedly and I was at my 12 hr shift. Could he try bonding so I wouldn’t have to do with when I came home? Sure? Did he want some advice? Nope, he’s got it. WRONG! Next thing I know I’m getting texts about he let MD out first, W wouldn’t come out of his cage, So husband busy cleaning litter, MD goes in W space, hops in litter box, ,W hops right in, fur starts flying. Husband tries to break it up. He didn’t have the oven mits. Next thing I know I’m getting a text with a picture of his hand injury and he tells me he cant get them out of MD cage now. ARGH!!! They did wind up spending some not fur flying time together and there was no actual injury.

Day 4: Reset. Husband banned from bonding duty. (I’m thinking this might be his plan all along.) Tub bonding it is! Works great. They cant get enough purchase to shove under the other or mount. They spend a good 15 minutes nose to tail right beside each other snuggled up. MD requests grooming several times, does not get it, but then she very nicely grooms W ears! The both showed interest in us, came up on haunches, came over to get pats from us. 25 min, them back and switch habitats.

Welcome any feedback. All new at this.
P.S. husband does love the bunnies. He just gets stressed and honestly tries to keep me from getting animals because he gets too attached and is so sad when they get old and die. We’ve had multiple rescue dogs over the years. Now have two.