can’t we all just get along? or at least my 2 bunnies?

[breezybunny]

I have 2 rabbits… Donnie whom we adopted 1st and Marie who we adopted a week later. At first she was chasing and biting which we put a stop to but now she is just coming near him to smell him and groom him but he thumps and freaks out and run around their cage like a lunatic! How can we get him to see her mean days are past her and that she just wants to be friends?

In the shelter they got along great and there was even a little grooming going on thats why we chose her so we know theres hope but it looks so bleak becasue we keep having to seperate them…….

They are Spayed and Neutered but we think it may have to do with her hormones becasue she was spayed just before we brought her home (hence her aggressive behavior) but that has worn off now and she just wan’t attention from him! She loves us but we think its companionship from him that she longs for and well he has been slightly withdrawn from day 1. Would it be wrong of us to consider taking him back to the shelter and getting a bun thats not afraid of her. we would like to keep them both but push come to shove she is the more outgoing one and doesn’t seem bothered by my kids (the reason we picked them both! at the shelter they had time with my kids and neither seemed to mind the shrieks of delight from my daughter or the light ear tug my son gave)

[Elena Niznik]

Hi breezygirl, congrats on saving donnie and marie haha love what you called them.

Its normal for rabbits to get on really well in shelters then when you take them out of that environment into a new one things can change. Since both have recently been nuetered there are probably a bunch of hormones wizzing round and things are a bit unsettled.

Marie may have been aggressive to start with but her new friendly advances may still be annoying donnie because rabbits are masters at holding gruges.

I would suggest trying to bond them from scratch as if they have never met before. Are they currently living in the same cage?
I would start by having small 5 -10minute sessions definately no longer in a small area, prefferably somewhere both have never been to. See how they get on then. Immediately stop any chasing and have a glove ready to pull them apart if they scrap.

I would continue with this until they are making progress you can then lengthen their sessions.
Try and be patient it takes some bunnies ages to get over their gruges.

As for taking Donnie back to the shelter I would say that if him and Marie really are making no progress and he is continually frieghtened then it may be an idea to take him back as hard as it might be. But you have to do whats right for the bunny and what will make him the happiest.

try and stick at it though. There are great bonding tips in the bunny info sections. Also alot of the other members have gone through similar situations and they will be able to give first hand advice.

I really hope it works out for you all.

[Gravehearted]

welcome to binkybunny Breezygirl!

Kudos to you on adopting! How long have Donnie & Marie been with you now? Bonding takes some time, for sure.

tallullu shared a lot of good advice. It can take several months post-spay / neuter for the hormones to calm down. Bunnies that are working on bonding generally are trying to figure out who’s in charge. It sounds like Marie has asserted herself and her aggressiveness has scared off Donnie. If she was continuing to beat up on him, you might seperate them – but it sounds like she wants to be friends now.

As far as calming him – it may be a good idea to try things like cross petting – which means you pet one bunny and then the other with the same hand to help cross scent. You may also try holding them both at the same time in your arms, and petting them as well. Have you tried any out of the house bonding? car rides can really help bunnies, since they turn to each other for support when they’re spooked.

binkybunny has some great short bonding tips that might help you as well: https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/BondingInfo/tabid/63/Default.aspx

[BinkyBunny]

Most bunnies must go through a bonding period.   You’ve gotten great advice.   Give us an update!

[Author]

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