bonding 2 unspayed females age 7 months & 2 years

[Molly G VT]

I know, I know i should only be bonding the bunnies if they are both spayed, but they are not, and the current circumstances don’t allow for it right now, so please instead of telling me I should spay them (I will, just not right now), help me with what I should do.

I’ve been reading a lot about bonding, but would love some tips from experienced owners

 

Liela (pronounced like Delilah)  is a 7 months old Mini Lop. I try to be around her as much as I can, but I’ve been looking for a companion to keep her company for when I’m not around. I found a girl who was looking to give away her 2 year old Polish Dwarf, Winnie, because she is moving out of the country. I’m a bit busy right now, but have enough time and patience to bond them.

So I bring home Winnie and she feels right at home, exploring and being friendly and acting like she’s lived her forever. Liela, though half her age but twice her size, is less than pleased. I made the mistake of introducing them in my bedroom, where Liela has lived for 5 months now. They were ok at first, but then Liela grabbed onto Winnie. I broke it up and Liela tried to come after me, so I put her in her cage (a very spacious bunny condo). Winnie seemed less that phased, god bless her little heart.

I started doing more reading and learned what a bad mistake this was. so next time i put them together was in a neutral space, the hallway. but then I made another stupid mistake of keeping Winnies little cage out there. They got along better out there, sniffing but no biting from Liela. But then  Liela into WInnies cage and WInnie climbs in after her. Again, Liela grabs her by the neck. And Winnie, being the good girl she is, lets it all slide off her back and is totally cool and never fights back.

I did the hallway again yesterday with no cage or anything, and they got along fairly well. they sat right next to eachother at one point. Liela would chase and nip at her occasionally, but not grabbing or biting. I felt like it was progress, but not necessarily a break through.

So as it is now I let Winnie have roam of my bedroom most of the day, mostly to let her get her scent everywhere and because Liela has so much room inside her condo. I keep her tinier cage right next to Liela’s condo so they can be close without being together. Sometimes Liela is curious about Winnie and goes to the side of the cage to look at her if she’s close by, but other times she runs at her within her cage and seems agressive, and other times she tries to bite at her through her cage, and other times she doesn’t seem to care at all.

 

So what should I do now? I really do think there is hope for their bonding, so i’m willing for it to take weeks or months. Just keep doing what I’m doing and let them get together in the hallway?

 

I’m also curious about some techniques I’ve read about – bonding them during car rides, or bonding them in the bath tub. any other suggestions?

[jerseygirl]

I’m glad to hear you’re planning on their spays for the future. From what I’ve read – even 2 spayed Does can be a really tricky pair to bond so this could be really challenging to try this. I can only advise you follow bonding techniques as outlined in Bunny Info under Bonding. Start with neutral territory and slowly move onto more shared spaces.

The bath tub bonding is just a neutral space. Many people find it hard to find a neutral area in the home but the tub is usually one of them. Car rides are often suggested as a stressing technique. That is, the rabbits are contained together in a box or travel cage and it is hoped they look to one another for comfort during something they don’t like. There are alternatives to the car. Washing basket atop an operating washing machine. Or even putting both in a crate or basket and walking about with it. You take them out of the comfort zone a bit.

I do know of another member here whose 2 Does cohabit and are yet to be fixed. I don’t know if this was because one was young when brought home and the other under 1 year old. I do not know however if they have continued to get on. So it’s not impossible but I have to wonder if the effort is worth it right now? If they do bond or get close to it, there is a risk all this work will be undone when time for their spay. Rabbit bonds can be broken when one goes to the vet alone. They can come home and the foreign smells they may have picked up is enough to upset their mate.

[Sarita]

Is there any reason why you wouldn’t wait to bond until both are spayed?

[Molly G VT]

yes, Sarita
because I don’t have $800
because you shouldn’t bond for a whole month right after they’re spayed
and because i have 2 unspayed rabbits. in my bedroom. right now.

[Molly G VT]

also, because these are rescues that i took in when it wasn’t necessarily ideal for myself but because i want to help this bunnies out

[Balefulregards]

The only advice I would have is to Go SLOW. As my only bonding experience was with a Male/female And it was my female who was MUCH more territorial ( and remains so to this day, even 2 years post spay) From everything I read, Females can be really hard to bond, so You will want to make sure that temperament wise they are both ready and equally curious about each other, without aggression. Especially as your younger one settles in and thinks “Oh, Actually I am Queen of the kingdom”

Be prepared for Poo wars Galore, though. Coco remains my “marker” bun, with both urine and poo when she is upset. It is she who sets the territory…and this doesn’t seem uncommon for females to set the “tone” for the relationship.

[jerseygirl]

Ouch $800! I don’t want to take this thread off topic, so I’ve replied & bumped up your post on “Spaying in Greater Boston area”. Maybe someone who didn’t see it previously can advise you.

[Sarita]

http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/vets.shtml

There is a list of vets at the bottom that are not in your area but not too far…also contact this rabbit rescue to see if any of their listed vets do it for less than the $400 per rabbit you have been quoted.

[Sarita]

Also consider looking at Care Credit.

[Beka27]

I cannot in good conscience recommend that you proceed with bonding right now. An emergency vet bill for one (or both) badly injured bunnies will be much higher than the price quoted for spays. I respect that you took in Winnie when you did, and you should be able to bond them someday, but at this point Leila is nearing the PEAK of her hormonal surge. All it takes is one quick action and you have an injury.

[TheBunnyGirl]

he he… jerseygirl if that hapend to be me with the two does their getting better!!

molly, seriosly spaying helps. my gump of a buttons ( ) was so mean to poor little lindtly, but since you cant spay… my bunnies got better when there was a huge hail/thunder/lightning/rain/you name it storm, and the house started flooding (recently finished building) and we wher ankle depth in water, so the bunnies where rapped in a towell in a basked. like the car ride, its comfort bonding.

from the bunny girl
&buttons and lindt
ps. the bunnies are fine!

[jerseygirl]

TheBunnyGirl, i was thinking of another member. I forgot you had 2 girls. Though it’s a little different now if you have one of them fixed.

@Molly G VT: is it possible to house them separate for longer? Some people have great habitats that use vertical space and can contain 2 separate habitats. This might be an option long term and you could allow them supervise play togther from time to time. It’s something we all have to consider when attempting bonding – what to do if a bond doesn’t succeed.

[Monkeybun]

You also may want to start saving for spays now regardless. The chances of them having uterine cancer by age 2 is just too high. You will want to get them both spayed if you want them to have long happy lives. So save now!

[Sydnee456]

Hey, umm I have two unspayed female rabbits that I am currently trying to bond. I have looked everywhere on the internet to try find out how to bond if they are unspayed, but have had no luck. I don’t have the money to get them spayed, and quite frankly I don’t intend to get them spayed as it will take me forever to save enough money to put towards it. One of the bunnies, I have had since the start of this year, but her partner has recently passed away. I noticed that she was acting quite depressed without her partner and so decided to invest in getting a new bunny to befriend her. Unfortunately they aren’t getting along just yet, I have sat the new bunny in a cage adjacent to the original bunny and they seemed to get along. They ate next to one another and lay down next to each other, which I read was the sign that you can start introducing them face to face. I put them together today, and the new bunny started being extremely affectionate towards the other, which I had hoped was a sign of bonding. Unfortunately, I think that my assumption was wrong. The two of them began chasing eachother around the barricaded area I had them in and the new bunny was biting and grabbing at the old one. 

I feel I may have made a mistake keeping the new bunnies cage in my room inside the barricaded area that I had layed out for them. If anyone has any tips or information to help me I would really appreciate it.

Please do not suggest that I get them spayed because like I said, I am unable to make enough money as I am only first year of high school. Please please please help me, I have to have them bonded by Sunday, it’s my mum’s deadline otherwise we return the new bunny.

[bpash89]

mods – this is a very old thread. please lock it.

sydnee – female bunnies need to be spayed for health reasons. their risk of cancer is extremely high without being spayed. females are also extremely territorial and their hormones only exacerbate that instinct. 2 unspayed females are an extremely difficult, if not impossible bond. if you are unwilling to get them spayed, we cannot advise you further.
also – bunnies do not operate on human timelines. even an easy bond will require a lot more time and effort than 3 days will allow. they will not be bonded by Sunday and if you attempt to force them to be together before they are truly bonded, you risk serious injury to your bunnies.

[LBJ10]

Hi Sydnee. Bpash offered you some advice so I’m going to lock this thread now. We ask members to avoid dragging up old threads because it causes confusion. If you would like further help with this topic, please start a new thread. Thanks!

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