Bonding Emergency

[Theo&Maisy]

Here’s a little background on my buns. Theo is 10 months old, and was neutered over 4 months ago. I have had him most of his life and we are best buddies. I am moving away and will be busy for the next year so I thought I would get him a companion. Maisy is 4 months old and she has not been spayed yet. I have them In separate cages but slightly apart so that no nose biting occurs. We have been at this for over two and a half months and any time I try to do a bonding session, Theo immediately becomes aggressive, ear back, lunging, growling, nipping. There have been tufts of fur. As Maisy has become more comfortable she has been trying to assert her dominance by bowing her head down and occasional mounting, which I only allow for a few seconds. Theo is not marking his territory nor is she. I have tried stress bonding, cross petting, forced snuggles, neutral areas, etc. I did a week or so of prebonding and Theo never showed aggression until they were out of their cages. My emergency here is that I’m movint in 20 Days and if I can’t bond them, then I have to relocate Maisy because my nemom place only has room for one cage. I have fallen in love with her as well and don’t want to lose her. Bunny experts please help!!

[Asriel and Bombur]

You can’t bond them while she is unspayed. Both bunnies need to be fixed, then prebonded for 1-2 months while hormones die down, then you can begin sessions. Babies don’t bond, even to adults. She can’t be spayed until she’s at least 6 months and fully developed, so you have 4 months until you can begin any bonding. She’s hormonal, which is also making your boy act out hormonally. And hormonal rabbits only want to mate and fight. Keep them completely separate at all times.

[LBJ10]

I agree. Even though your boy is neutered, the presence of a intact bunny can still trigger a hormonal response within his body and cause him to act out. Trying to bond them now just isn’t going to work, unfortunately. I understand that you are moving. If you want to have a successful bond, then you will need to make some adjustments. I know you don’t have room for another cage, but the inconvenience of having a cage that you’re tripping over would only last a few months. Even if you rehomed Maisy and decided to get a different bunny later on down the line, you’re still going to have to keep them separate initially.

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