Bonding help please!

[LelaAndPumpkin]

Hello! I am a new bunny owner and have some questions on bonding. I adopted Pumpkin (8mo spayed female) from a shelter about a month ago. I will be starting my PhD program in August and wanted to get her a friend for when I’m away at school. Given that everyone needs to stay at home right now, I thought it would be the perfect time to get another bunny for Pumpkin to bond with. I adopted Lela (1yr spayed female) two weeks ago. I have placed them in adjacent pens about three inches apart. I have also swapped toys, bedding, litter boxes, and stuffed animals to hopefully avoid them from being too territorial. When is a good time to first introduce them? I was planning on doing it in the bathtub, as it is a neutral space. I don’t want to introduce them too soon and have them fight. Any help and advice is much appreciated! Thanks!

[LBJ10]

Hi LelaAndPumpkin,

I apologize because the forum is currently undergoing an update and it isn’t quite ready yet. It’s likely no one is here to answer your question. Bonding is a complicated process and there is never a straightforward answer. What works for one pair may not work for another. That being said, you are off to a good start. Right now, you are getting them used to each other by allowing them to see and smell, but not interact. This is often referred to as “pre-bonding”. Every bunny is different, some people say this can take a couple of weeks, others say a month. But once they are settled in and comfortable (and hormonal behaviors have subsided), you can go to the next step. This typically involves a face to face introduction in a neutral area. The bathtub is popular because it is small, foreign, and a slick surface. Sometimes fights are unavoidable. They are not the end of the world as long as you intervene right away.

Here is a good article on bonding methods. I think you will find it useful: https://www.ohiohouserabbitrescue.org/bondingbunnies/

[Author]

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