Aggressive female with loving male

[Sarah]

Hello, I have a 3 year old holland lop female that is spayed and an 11 month old male. I got the male neutered almost 3 months ago. When I put them in the bathroom together they are just fine. They can spend 5 hours in there and be fine. But I just tried putting them into a big cage in a different room for a bonding session and a fight broke out between them almost right away. Then I put them in the bathroom and they were just fine again. Also another big thing is she is a nipper. Ever since I adopted her at one years old she nips my ankles or hand when I move in the wrong way. lol. I think that is why she has not groomed my male yet. My male only grooms her. He also still tries to hump her and he sprays sometimes. I feel like I have hit this dead end of either or not I should give up on bonding because there personalities are so different. Or should I make a neutral cage for them and try to set them up in it?

Sorry for all the questions, I still have many more! haha

[babybunsmum]

They may consider the bathroom neutral territory – so they get along there – but not the other room so they get nippy. I just tried a short bonding session with my 2 in the living room where they both have free roam time. Previous sessions were in the kitchen (neutral) and they were getting along fairly well there. But tonight they were nippy in the living room. I am sitting down on the floor with them to referee for now and not giving up. Maybe you could try sitting with them in the cage if possible or create a fenced smaller area that you could also sit in? It may be easier to break up spats before they escalate too much?? I’m also wondering if it may take another few weeks for his hormones to simmer down?? Not much help – sorry! I’ve only been trying to bond bunnies for a couple of weeks so I have less experience than you. Good luck!!

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