Advice, please?

[Binkles]

How hard do you think it would be to bond Little-Bit to a partner?

I really, REALLY would like to get her a friend if I can. She’s at that point in her life where you can tell she’s happy but she knows there’s something more. I feel like I can kind of feel her getting bored and lonely sometimes.

But as I’ve mentioned before I’m getting ready to move out of the house on my own for the first time next summer. Do you think I would have time to bond Little-Bit to another bunny before then? I’m also worried about Little-Bit’s demeanor: I THINK she’s meant to be a submissive bunny. (This being said after I had Binkles, who was polar opposite and I know would have been dominant.) But she’s been pampered all of her life and treated like a queen. The other thing is that…well…I’m not sure she remembers bunnies because of how ridiculously young she was when she was weened. I’m not sure she knows that she’s a bunny. Do you think that would be an issue?

Does anyone here have experience with bonding a pampered would-be-submissive solitary bun?

[jerseygirl]

Personally I think that’s plenty of time to get her bonded to somebunny. Also, really good timing in hers & your life to get a friend if you will be busier with college (?) and the only human in the household. I would try bunny dating with her…more so to guage how she goes with other rabbits but also to socialise her in general. i.e not necessarily her picking a mate right away – just learning and experiencing.

I do have a little experience bonding a bonding solitary bun (not so submissive). I didn’t think Jersey was really seeking other bunny company to tell the truth. I got the usual bonding scenarios and antics (poop/pee, aggression, nipping etc) but they bonded in exactly 30 days.

btw there’s a little brown baby bunny in Giulys thread – did  you see? Every time I see it I think of you and Binkles – though you might not! tehe. Anyway, it’s a baby and complicated I guess – but super cute to look at!

[RachelB]

Why dont you take Little-Bit on some bunny dates. When I was looking for a buddy for Samson we went on lots of dates. I fell in LOVE with 3 different bunnies but Samson didnt like them at all. We went on lots and lots of dates. And then finally I was reading a post on craigslist from a lady that rescued two bunnies that were dumped in the park. She was looking to rehome them both (they were not bonded to eachother and did not get along). We went on dates with both of them and FINALLY we found Ivy. Samson “picked” Ivy and the bonding was super duper easy.
jnc (another member on the forum) also took her bunny Chubs and Comet. You can read about her experiences and see the start of her bond with the two of them.

Although it can be heartbreaking to see all those cute little bunnies and then say no to them when your bunny doesnt get along with them…. its so rewarding when you do find “the one”!!!

Just make sure everyone is speutered before you go on dates and start the bonding!! Best of luck!!

[Binkles]

The only problem is that Little-Bit is so neurotic and spastic about being taken out of her environment. I think that’s my fault for having sheltered her so much..

How does one go about a bunny date exactly? Is it really a good indicator of how well two bunnies will work out?

[jerseygirl]

If your looking to adopt a shelter bun you could arrange those in foster care to meet at your place – just in a neutral space. The whole thing is unsettling to the rabbits anyhow – so if you did take her to a shelter, foster home or even new neutral place in your own home, it’s going to be outside her experience. Them being a little stressed is not necessarily bad…they can seek comfort from another rabbit so it may actuall aid the situation.
This is a really good bonding article. Under sub-heading “Choosing a Mate” is some tips about the dating scenario and signs to look for
 

http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/bond.shtml

[Binkles]

Oh, thanks Jersey! I’ll make use of that.

[Karla]

Karl had not seen another rabbit  – until I introduced him to Molly, when he was approximately 9 or 10 months old. I was worried that he might not know how to react to another bunny.

But Karl is mellow and submissive, so it was no problem. They bonded very quickly! I wouldn’t consider their first date a success ’cause Karl just wanted to hump and she was scared of him. But he was immediately in love and was glued to her cage. He would just sit and stare, and once I let her out of her cage after a week, they bonded instantly.

I don’t think that it is an issue that your bunny has not been around other bunnies. I think most bunnies from pet stores get on fine with other bunnies and those are often taken from the mom at a very early age.
 

[Jenna, Chubs & Comet]

I would highly highly recommend taking Little Bit dating. If we would have taken in the first bunny we liked, bonding would have been nothing but trouble! All Chubs wanted to do with her was fight! We had to go on several dates before we found Chubs’s husbun but it was very worth it because bonding has been pretty easy for us so far. Plus, if you have a timeline in mind, dating is a good way to shorten the time needed for bonding (based on their interactions with each other). A lot of rescues will assist in the dating process and kind of give you a heads up on what to look for as good and bad signs. I also got a ton of info off of this site, reading the bonding journals

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