Bonding advice needed

[Emmilyy]

Hi all!
Today I adopted a 4-5 year old female dwarf rabbit (who has been spayed) as a hopeful companion for my male hotot rabbit (who is 8 months old and neutered).
The female I brought home is extremely overweight, was fed ONLY pellets and kept in a tiny cage unfortunately. When I offered her hay she gathered it all up in her mouth and held onto it as if she didn’t know what to do with it… Anyways that’s a problem for another post!

I know I may have rushed things – as soon as I brought her home I introduced her to my boy. Everything seemed to go wonderfully!! She seems so calm and submissive to my boy. I put them on my bed together and there was A LOT mounting being done by the male but absolutely no nipping or chasing. The new female just sits there and lets him. He has been grooming her, and she puts her head up to him as if she’s asking to be groomed. She doesn’t move much, just sits in place (I’m guessing is a mix of her being scared in a new home and from being so overweight). But my male has been stretching out and laying right cuddled up next to her!!

Because (and only because) things seem to be going so well I let her into pen (supervised). He doesn’t seem
To mind at all. still a lot of mounting but no signs of aggression. Lots of grooming, they’re currently laying next to each other.

I of course will put her into her own cage tonight and only let them Be together when I’m around to supervise for now… But my question is, how long should I wait until they can be together permanently? I know from my research that bonding can be a log process but they seem so calm and happy together and it’s only been about 45 minutes.

[FloppyBunny]

I would wait until the mounting has reduced a lot. She may tolerate the mounting now, but she might get annoyed after a while. It does sound like a very good first meeting though. You’ll probably be able to leave them alone soon.

[Kittensmew]

I agree with FloppyBunny. Although she’s tolerating the mounting now, she might get sick of him continuously doing it. I would also give it a few more days. If you have only had them bonding for two days, they might end up fighting over whatever, and it may be when you’re not around to stop it. Usually people wait until they can be together and not fight for 24 to 48 hours (just depends on your view) to call their bunnies officially bonded. It’s hard to tell you a specific set of time that it’ll take. Some bunnies click right away and only take a week or so, while others can take a few months. It just depends on your bunnies. Whether or not they both want to be dominant, if they can share things peacefully, and other things like that. It sounds like it shouldn’t take too long, but unexpected things can always happen to set their bond back some. I would just continue with sessions every day. Go up by 30 minutes to an hour, or whatever amount makes you feel comfortable. The mounting will eventually stop once who the boss is is established. I hope that things go well with your bonding!

[Emmilyy]

Thanks for the replies!! I have told myself to wait At least two weeks (having sessions every day) if all continues to go well. If there’s set backs of course I’ll wait as long as it takes!

I know everything I have read says to use a neutral territory but my male REALLY doesn’t mind her in his cage! He seems so excited to see her and runs over to groom her. There was no mounting last night either.

My fiance let them spend time together when I wasn’t home and he put them both in her cage (which is small) instead of my males cage (he misunderstood my directions). While in her cage there was a bit of chasing, although im not sure who instigated it.

Obviously I will let them both in her cage again. My question now is should I continue bonding sessions in his cage as he doesn’t seem to mind at all, or should I go back to neutral territory?

[jerseygirl]

Not all bonds have to be an arduous process. You might be lucky!

To be honest, I would go ahead with what you’re doing. I’ve overseen some bonds that went this way. Usually the female going into the males zone and the male not caring that much. If you see set backs, then you could go to neutral territory meetings.
When you have some time aside where you can supervise for a longer period of time (the weekend?) I’d leave them together for 24 hrs if possible.
Be certain to watch that she is eating, grooming, toileting and showing normal curiosity in her new home. His mounting may be some dominance (though likely its more excitement ) and you don’t want her getting overly intimidated. But it sounds as if she is pretty cruisey. How does she act when he snuggles up to her?

In regards to her lack of moving around, is she accustomed to the flooring you have?

[Emmilyy]

Well today when I put her in the cage there has been a bit of chasing but no aggression really that I can see. My male seems more curious than anything, when he does “catch” her he just grooms her face!!

I figured out her problem with moving around I got a really good look at her last night, and her nails were HORRIBLE. so incredibly long and one had even broken off it was so long. No wonder she wasn’t moving the poor thing was in so much pain i imagine.

Anyways, I clipped all of her nails and she is moving around normally now

[Vienna Blue in France]

Now that’s good news !! Well done you !! She’ll proably start chasing after the lad now !!

[Emmilyy]

There is definitely more activity going on!! I feel guilty as I’ve been really busy at work this past week and haven’t had much time to work on bonding them. But I work nights this weekend and am off early tomorrow so will have lots of time to supervise them together!

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