How long have you been bonding them for?
This really doesn’t sound abnormal, mine took months to grt past this phase, it can just take time for rabbits to sort out all that hierarchy stuff!

Hi there, sorry you are having a rough go of it.

It does sound pretty normal and very possible to bond them, but I don’t recommend going the cage route. In my experience with two dominant buns (which has literally been every time I’ve bonded lol), I’ve had much better luck with larger spaces, and very new, stressful spaces. In a small space, they can feel threatened and things can escalate more quickly (one bun tries to move away, but if there isn’t really anywhere to go, the other bun things they are turning to chase them, and circling ensues).

Plus in a cage it can be hard to intervene easily.

Have you tried any stressing with them? Car rides have always helped me with my dominant stubborn buns.

The other thing that has always helped has been a change of scenery. My most recent pair was really tough, and I finally had the most success when I took them to my friend’s house and used their garage as the bonding space (I have a small apartment so neutral territory is hard to come by).

And of course, patience is key!

You might like to read an article I wrote about my most recent pair of stubborn buns where I go through their progression in more detail (as well as what worked and what didn’t): http://www.bunssb.org/bunnies/bonding-two-stubborn-senior-buns/

If small spaces work, stick with that! Every pair is different!

I would do some more sessions just like the one what worked. When they start seeming more comfortable in that space, you can start them there, then move them together to the bigger space. Some people do have good luck with small spaces though.

It also sounds like the big space wasn’t too bad, but the session might have gone on too long. You can use the petting technique in large spaces as well (any time they come near each other, pet pet pet).

MY PAIR IS EXACTLY THE SAME, except it has been easily more than a couple of months that they have been stuck in this kind of frustrating relationship. I’ll be checking up on this thread in case I can find new ideas with what to do with my two little terrors lol

Btw – for me stress bonding sessions have worked beautifully in the sense of calming my pair down enough so that they can snuggle together without any issues – and of course TONS of petting because they can’t do anything alone without resulting in the dreaded nips to the forehead

How long are your small space sessions? I have heard of folks doing marathons in small spaces… the buns basically live in a litter box together for like 24-48 hours…

Also how bad is the nipping? A little nipping and chasing might be necessary, you just don’t want it to escalate. If they are doing great in small, it’s also recommended to slowly increase the size of the space, not to plop them into a huge area all at once.

I would start doing long sessions in the tub before changing anything. See if you can push up to like 4 hours (start with going for 2, then 3, etc). I know it sucks being cooped up in the bathroom, but in general, if something is working, stick with it!

My first pair I bonded mostly on my bathroom floor (and actually my second as well). I would go for 4 hours in the tub, then when you are ready for longer start in the tub, then move them to the bathroom floor. Then try for really long, like 6-8 hours. When they can go 6-8 hours with no scuffling or intervention from you, try them overnight in the bathroom. When I did this… I used a pen to block the door, and slept on a camping mat in the hallway next to them. Sounds extreme but it worked!

Getting a professional opinion is never a bad idea. Sometimes just having a neutral party to help makes a world of difference.

That’s great that you have that option! My rescue was a huge help to me, but they still made me do the work. Lucky you!