First Time Bonding

[Sarah_Ginger_Jane]

Hello, after reading some of your posts on here it sounds like my bonding is going quite well but I would just like some advice.

I have my Rex rabbit called Jack (male) who is neutered and is a year old approx, we have recently brought home a baby lionhead called Nelly (female) to attempt to bond with him due to our increase in working hours as we feared Jack may get lonely. I have booked a week off work for this bonding process.

I have their cages side by side where they can see each other for the first day, I have used a spare room which is unknown to both for the bonding. So far the bunnies have had ten minute meetings in this room, the first meeting Jack seemed a little over excited and anxious and seemed to constantly persists after the new baby. After a few more meetings he has calmed down a great deal and will give her space and will play and explore around her so we increased their together time. Jack is still persisting wanting to hump her and she isn’t letting him as she moves away. This has never become aggressive in anyway (as far as I know) however he has now begun to stamp his feet when she isn’t allowing him to mount her. We have been feeding them together in the spare room to encourage them to eat with each other.

Jack has stamped his feet as Nelly has begun to hide behind me when he persists after her, so I suppose my question is, should I be leaving the room and let them just figure it out as I’m 80% confident it wouldn’t get violent ? When is a safe time to leave them alone ?

Please help ! X

[tobyluv]

I don’t think that they should be left alone yet. Rabbits can severely injure each other if they fight, and if the new bunny becomes too intimidated by your male, she may never want to be with him. Bonding can be almost instant, or it can take a while – many weeks or even months. And it’s rare, but some bonds never work and the rabbits can’t be kept together. You may be able to bond them now, since the new one is still a baby, but when she reaches puberty and her hormones come flooding in, you are very likely going to have to separate them until she has been spayed and recuperated. At that point you will have to rebond them. The first step in bonding is always for both rabbits to be spayed or neutered. You can try and bond them now, then probably have to separate them and rebond later after her surgery, or you can wait to bond them until she is older and has had her spay surgery.

[Sarah_Ginger_Jane]

Thank you for your reply, yes we will be getting her spayed as soon as she is old enough.
They will not be sharing a cage until she is older and spayed the plan was to just get them friendly enough to play together for now, should I continue letting them play together with my supervision ?
I have heard most vets will allow the bonded pair to stay together during the stay after spaying if they do bond so there isn’t any need to rebond them ?
Hoping we can get her spayed before the problems start.
Thanks x

[Author]

Messages