hi! need help on rebonding

[flops]

Hello! so first off i am a new bunny owner of two adorable bunnies and have done many researching and watching video explainations however nothing can ever defeat irl scenarios. My two bunnies (one is mocha, mini lop and one is mochi, lionhead mix hotot ) both boys were introduced when they were babies, theyve gotten well with each other for the pass 2 months however all of a sudden theyve started fighting in the middleof nowhere. I came back from work and rest in the living room and all of a sudden i heard banging as i rushed to my room, they both were nipping and biting and were just lunging at each other. So now i have separated one by placing one in my room and one in the living room. and making sure they switch turns each day so they dont see each other but do recognise the smell so they wont fight, doesn’t seem to work. ive looked up on stress bonding but im a bit afraid as they are still babies and i dont want to scare them. My family and i suspected two things as it is one, either is hormonal and territorial and dominance type of thing or my dumb bum self bought 2 collars (safely put on and only used for the babies photo taking ) but only gave one of them to wear (didn’t on the other as their neck is still too small) and because i left it on maybe  they didn’t recognize the smell on the other and fought. So with my so call bad explaination oof may anyone give me advice on what to do? Neutering is also already on my list but they are still young to get it and i do not have the time yet to take care of post neutering. And surprisingly, they both are more happy sepereated? I have ever seen them zoom, binky and flop as they were together but damn it is like an explosion when they are separated..

 

[Wick & Fable]

Please keep them separated from each other and do not attempt any bonding between them at this time. Two intact, hormonal males are the most dangerous combination to put together. What you’re seeing is very natural of “baby bonds”, also known as the false bond. They got along well as young rabbits because of their lack of hormones; however, since they are now hitting puberty, they cannot be considered candidates for bonding until both are at least 1mo post-neuters, when their hormones are not around to disrupt the establishment of a stable social hierarchy.

It is actually not surprisoing they are happier separated at this point since they both likely feel less anxious/aggressive without an “invader” in their space. Young rabbits do not acknowledge siblings nor the concept of “childhood friends” or anything– being hormonal males, they generally see any other rabbit as an immediate invader (especially another male). The sudden loss of a baby bond can be jarring, but again, it is natural. The baby bond is gone, but you can look forward to what is a much more stable and secure bond once you try bonding them once they are at least 1mo post-neuter. You can review the Bonding information on our website for some helpful information about the process: https://binkybunny.com/infocategory/bonding/

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[flops]

hi well i i didn’t know that plus ive seen many bunny owner bonding males successfully and saying its one of the safest pairs to bond,, but if i separate them without any small contacts until they are neutered, that means i have to re bond them from the start again? Moreover if i do neuter them but they still dont bond together as in like fail bond,, should i continue separating them?

 

[Wick & Fable]

Technically, you are not “rebonding” them because a baby bond is not considered a “real” bond. You are correct that there are many rabbit owners with male-male pairs, and these are stable and secure bonds as they are between two neutered males (not young and hormonal ones). Those you see who are young/intact are likely to dissolve, similar to what you’ve experienced.

Yes– after they are neutered and you wait a month to allow the hormones to dissipate, you need to go through the actual rabbit bonding process. If they are not compatible, then yes, they need to remain separate indefinitely. Judgments on whether or not they are compatible can’t be discerned right now, so just focus on keeping them separated and getting them neutered. Whether or not they bond will only be negatively impacted if you allow interactions between them and therefore accumulate a history of negative, unpleasant interactions (what has happened so far won’t do anything permanent to their chances of bonding later. Just don’t let them interact again until actual bonding).

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[DanaNM]

Agree with everything Wick&Fable has said. Keep them separated until they are neutered and hormones have settled (about 3 weeks post-neuter), then you can work on bonding them in a neutral space.

Also wanted to mention that collars are very dangerous for rabbits in general so please don’t put a collar back on either of them.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Plumped Cuddly Bunnies]

The problem is they are not neutered. In my experience with young male un-neutered bunnies is that once they reach a certain age they become aggressive once there hormones kick in. It will calm down after a while. You may have a issue trying to find a vet to neuter your bunny if you live in the UK.

I find its much easier to bond does than bucks.  The way I bond my girls is I switch there litter trays around and let them out to play together while keping an eye on them making sure they don’t start fighting and if any chasing, biting or fighting starts I intervene before it happens and I begin the bonding process. You really have to work with them which can take time. It doesn’t always take a long time tho, each situation is different. When the bunnies are in there enclosures make sure they are close but not touching.

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