Bond keeps breaking every few weeks

[Lunalyies]

Hi all,

I’m looking for some advice as I have a pair of house rabbits who as of last night have broke their bond for the third time.

Our female Coco we have had for three years and earlier this year we lost her partner so we decided to get a new male for her.

After a really bad match with the first rabbit we adopted for her, the fosterer took Coco in and bonded her to a boy called Basil after a rocky start they got on really well and they came home.

I followed the advice and kept them in the hutch closed rather then let them free roam and within five hours they had a fight. We started the bonding process again putting them in a small area and gradually increased it over two weeks. This time in the bond our Coco came out dominant, though she never humped and likes to groom him alot she was also very nippy and would chase.

After three or four weeks of them being fully bonded and having free roam of the kitchen and lounge a fight broke out and we started bonding again. This time it took a little over a week and again Coco was dominant.

In the last week however I noticed them both bowing their heads down to each other and either neither responsed and basil would hop away or Coco would stop bowing and groom his eyes.

Then last night I walked in the kitchen and found they had another fight.

Once they were in the carrier they were perfectly happy together and we were able to adjust the hutch back to the same size space as the carrier and they have been fine overnight apart from a few warning thumps from basil.

Advice wise I’m looking to see how I can prevent these fights as when they are bonded they are really good together and I don’t want to give up on them but at the same time I don’t want to risk them seriously hurting each other.

[Wick & Fable]

When you think back to your re-bonding attempts, what has been your criteria for “OK, they are good to go again?”. Also can you speak to the home environment, in terms of whether a rabbit has ownership of any particular area more than another. This may also include particular objects/furniture too.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Lunalyies]

Thank you for your reply.

My criteria for “are they good to go again” is putting them in the carrier and walking around a bit. After I’ve done this they calm down and will lie down next to each other.

As for the home environment I do think this maybe the problem she is freeroam to the entire downstairs and has lived in the hutch with the doors open the entire 3 years I’ve had her. I sprayed and scrubbed with white vinegar but she has her scent round the entire house really.

I think this is why the bond broke the first time as she was submissive when in a completely netural area and flipped once she realised she was home

 

 

 

[Wick & Fable]

Ah– if I’m interpreting this correctly, it seems like you are allowing them to free-roam together again too soon. I recommend reviewing our bonding overview and going through the steps with your rabbits: https://binkybunny.com/infocategory/bonding/ … bonding typically takes weeks to months; rather than days.

A secure, stable bond will not have these mixed signals you are seeing, and to properly assess that there are no “mixed signals”, the bonding process includes staying in each “stage” for elongated periods of time before moving on. For example, there is the infamous “first overnight in neutral”, where the owner sleeps on the floor near the pen and the rabbits stay together in neutral– the goal is, if they can be with each other in neutral for an entire day or two without negative interactions, they are then ready to begin bonding procedures in semi-neutral territory. Signs like laying together, snuggling, etc. are always positive, but those will happen in non-bonded rabbits too. So what we’re monitoring during a bonding/re-bonding process is consistency over time.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Lunalyies]

Oh! I never considered they werent actually bonded but that makes complete sense now!

We have decided to buy a new hutch then so we have a more netural space for them to bond in, as we are limited in space in our house and know they can be together can we skip to a semi neutual space (the new hutch) or show we definatey restart with a completely netural space?

[Wick & Fable]

Typically neutral bonding time is done in bathrooms, since it’s hard to find a completely neutral space. This is why you often seen pictures of rabbits in bathtubs or bathrooms with an xpen crammed inside, haha. Starting completely neutral is highly recommended, because you want them to establish a stable relationship without territorial dynamics at play first. Also, I would not recommend a hutch either as your neutral starting place, as you want to be able to intervene as soon as possible and prevent any tunnel/hiding action where one can get cornered. The most successful set-ups are typically starting with very short dates on the bathroom floor/in a tub with nothing but hay (litterboxes can be a territorial dispute area, so many people just deal with the poop and pee for the sake of bonding), then elongating those dates in the bathroom until it successfully goes without a hitch for at least a day. Once that has been set, you repeat the process in semi-neutral.

See here for a more elaborated walk through: https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Bonding_rabbits_together#Bonding_basics

Note that every bond is different and people have different parameters, but the progression of neutral to semi-neutral is consistent across all variations.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[DanaNM]

I agree with Wick that they probably haven’t been completely bonded after each re-attempt.

I think starting in neutral is a good idea, but then you want to be sure to really “cement” them in neutral before moving them to less neutral. I usually will keep my pairs in neutral for 2-4 days AFTER they appear to be totally bonded, then move them to the next step.

Also, given how many issues there have been, it also might help to go back to pre-bonding for a bit, and give the new bunny access to more of the house, so you could house them side by side in the area that will be where there final pen is, then swap sides every day or two for a few weeks.  I think it will help your original bun to sort of lo0se track of what is “her” territory, and ensure that both bunnies are really settled into the house. This should also help with any issues when you move them to their final homes.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Lunalyies]

Thank you for both of your responses. We are taking your advice on board and start at prebonding.

[DanaNM]

Sounds good, keep us posted!

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

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