Are my rabbits bonded? No agression or fighting has happened

[olliemaisiemillie]

Hey everyone, new to this site. 

I have two bunnies, Ollie who was my first he’s 9 months and Maisie who we have adopted at 7 months. 

We’ve done the typical slow pace bonding, next to each other in different cages for 2 weeks. Then moved and swapped over toys, litter box droppings, etc. Things went well, they’re not bothered about each others scents. Therefore we moved onto the dating. We completed the dating in the same room where they live as I was advised this would be okay, everything is fine they’re not bothered or territorial at all, within the 3rd date Ermie groomed Ollie and they flopped in the area they where confined too and they cleaned each other and ate treats together without any problems.

Dating has been really really great, however I’m worried as they have never humped or fought each other or been aggressive? Only a few attention nips on the butt from Ollie. Ollie is constantly asking for grooms of Maisie and she happily gives them to him. 

We’re now at the point where they’re happily be together, most they’ve been together is around 2-3 hours now, I know it needs to be 24hrs without fights for them to be considered bonding. They’ve never fought or anything, they’ve both been and slept in each others cages with each other and are happy eating together with no problems. They’re both not bothered by each other being in each others cages. Quiet happy and laid back bunnies.

My main worry like I said before is that they haven’t had this big ‘fight’  like I was expecting? Like I heard the female is usually the dominant one however Ollie seems to be? I know people said the male usually shows signs of dominance at first and then the female will turn around and she will take lead, am I still waiting for this to happen? They’re been dating and together for hours now for the past week and a half? Or is she happily being submissive? Or are they two bunnies who have fallen in love already and don’t really care what each other does? 

Thanks for the help, sorry it’s a long one but I’m so confused with them right now haha!

Hannah x

[jerseygirl]

Aw, that sounds great! : )
Some rabbits will just go together without issue. Ive been lucky enough to oversee some bonds that went that way. I would allot some time where you can supervise them together overnight and then you should be home free. You don’t have to have eyes on the the entire time, just sleep nearby so you can intervene if you hear a scuffle.

[sarahthegemini]

You definitely need to have them together from more than a few hours before you can call them bonded but it sounds very positive so far!

My bunnies never fought although they did have a scuffle on day 5 into our marathon bond – my boy tried to hump my girl and she does not tolerate such behaviour. As they were in their cardboard castle I believe she felt trapped and a little circling ensued. Nothing major so don’t panic of they haven’t fought ‘yet’ – not all buns do!

Sometimes we expect the hierarchy to be very obvious when it can actually be very subtle sometimes. As I said, my girl would not tolerate humping of any kind. Whenever my little Peanut would try it, she would jump round and demand grooms. He would oblige. My girl never humped my boy. Ever. After about a week or two of this, he stopped trying and that seemed to be that. My girl is top bun but she grooms my boy more than he grooms her!

I’m probably not being very helpful but anyway! I would set up a time when you can supervise them for a few days and see what happens. They might need to be together for longer before they feel the need to establish whose dominant and who isn’t.

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