Thank you!

I’m very happy but also still a bit in doubt. I’m hoping that this will be the final step in the process. It went very fast, but I also want to put my trust in the expert, that she knows when it’s safe to put them together again.

There were no chasing or aggression behaviours at all while bonding, and only some light mounting. They’ve been in the same pen at home now for 8 hours, so I think it’s safe to go to bed. (With the doors open so we can hear if something goes wrong.)

There was some light mounting from Owen earlier this night, but he stops as soon as Molly walks away. There’s not much excitement or hooting behind it. He doesn’t really pursue her. The bonder didn’t see much mounting either. Owen grooms Molly, surprisingly. It used to be the other way round while they were still separated.

Molly is a lot calmer than before, this is perhaps the biggest change. She starts to purr when I pet her, doesn’t shy away from hands, and is now fast asleep in an open space. She’s twitching in a dream, so relaxed that she’s almost keeling over. 😍

When something scares them they go to their hiding box and sit there together. It’s very cute to see them 🥰 The best thing about a bigger brother is that you can hide behind him better!

Thank you all so much! ^_^ I can do little else but look at them all day and take millions of pics. It’s amazing!

Here they are enjoying some fresh spinach:

@Bam: One! Wow… Our bonder said it too: there are way too few people to fall back on if you’re a rabbit owner. It’s improving, but the support network is still very sparse. It doesn’t help that even vets will give wrong bonding advice…

Yes, bonding is super intense: you’ll always doubt if you’re doing it right. I’m still reading all the websites I can find, even after the bonder told us that they’ll be fine. I’m constantly thinking: is this normal?

Apparently it’s normal to still see some mounting in the first weeks, and rabbits are considered bonded if they don’t chase or fight in each other’s company. There’s a phase in which they’ll have to sort things out before they get all lovey-dovey, and mounting is a part of that phase.

They definitively have those cute moments but Owen mounts Molly a couple of times a day. I’ve decided to keep my hands off: they’ll have to work it out together. The bonder also said that they’re still boisterous teenagers who are still developing their personality, so they may be a little less balanced than older rabbits.

The bonder also told us that she never bonds her own buns by herself, because she’s too emotionally attached. It definitely helps to have a neutral party.

I really hope that your bonder has space to bond her and can find Snöa a beautiful husbun!

@DanaNM: yes, they’re adorable together 🥰 Never mind TV, I’m having a great view from the sofa here!

It really was the new space that made them a couple. Things just weren’t neutral enough in my house. We wiped everything down with vinegar to clear the smells. Then we set up a different pen and rearranged things.

There are new toys, a new litter box, and a new hay rack that neither has ever seen. They use the same litter box without a problem and they even go together.

I’d like to confirm btw that there’s nobody who’s more picky than a bunny… They weren’t eating their pellets, but did eat their veg and snacks. When I put some pellets on the floor they ate them too. I just put it down to “bunnies being in a new environment”.

I cleaned their water bowl 15 minutes ago, and when it was gone they were both in their food bowls within seconds. Turns out that they wanted a bit more space around the bowls, and were prepared to starve over it 🙄

Thank you! I think that’s one of the reasons why she decided to help us. At first she said no because she runs the sick bay for several shelters, but she wanted a bit more info about the situation.

When I mentioned that we’d already done a lot of pre-bonding and hutch swapping, she called the shelters to ask if there were any surgeries planned soon. Then she told us to bring the bunnies in as soon as possible, and only 4 days later we could take them home!

I want to thank you so much for advising us through the whole journey Dana 😘 This wouldn’t have been possible without you sharing your knowledge! Even vets couldn’t help us… I hope that I can pay it forward and help other people with the bit I learned through Owen and Molly’s bonding journey.

Sharing some more love 🥰

Who ever thought it possible…?

We’re seeing more and more cuddles and less mounting. Molly is becoming more confident too, and nudges Owen aside when he’s hogging one of the food bowls. Owen has a tendency to claim food, but Molly is starting to speak her mind about it.

They’re spending most of their time flopped together, even though it’s a bit too warm for bunny comfort. Luckily we’ll get rain tonight, so we’re getting a quick temperature drop.

Looking at how physical they are made me realise: Breintje wasn’t overly clingy towards me, he was just doing normal bunny things and really saw me as his bunwife…🥺🥰