How long did your bunnies take to bond?

[LolasMummy]

Hi. Lola, 8 months old went to meet a husbun today. We had chosen 3 buns to test Lola with in a neutral space, but the first Mr. Dustin and Lola seemed to get on very well. Dustin humped Lola a LOT but there was no rebuttal by Lola. The hour car ride home was fantastic.
We thought bonding would be quite simple…. NOT!!
The rescue owner, informed us of her way of bonding rabbits is to put them together and keep them together at all times- unless blood is drawn.
We put Lola and Dustin in a large playpen in a room of the house Lola isn’t allowed.
They have been severely thumping, humping and circling since they got home, only relaxing once and laying next to each other on one occasion.
Dustin humps and licks Lola, Lola takes the licks but then wants to hump Dustin, who of course isn’t keen. So they circle away until I spray them with water!!!!

I just want to know how long your buns took to bond? And if all is going right with what I am doing/is normal??
Thanks!!!

[flemish giant]

It took me about 2 weeks. Its better to keep their cages side by side and do dates in mutual territory everyday. Start with 5-10 min sessions and work your way up and try to end on a good note which could be them just ignoring each other.. Once you feel comfortable with them together keep them together for a day or two and sleep by them. When they can be together for 2-3 days they’re pretty much bonded. Try to stop any fight but dont seperate till they’re on a good note unless its a really bad fight or they’re constantly going at it.

[MoveDiagonally]

I’ve read about the kind of bonding your rescue suggested. I don’t think it’s wrong or bad it’s just different than what a lot of people are here are exposed to. From what I’ve read the way you are bonding them now usually takes at least a week of constant supervision to complete a bond.

What Flemish Giant is talking about with smaller sessions is how I bonded my original pair and you can find the process detailed out here:
https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/tabid/53/CategoryID/9/PID/940/Default.aspx

I think their behavior so far is very normal for two rabbits in early bonding. Have they shown any improvement today? If they are doing better and you’re able to supervise them 24/7 (sleeping next to pen, ect…) than I think continuing with the method your rescue suggested is a good idea. If it’s not working or you’re not able to be with them 24/7 than I might try the shorter session methods.

[Stickerbunny]

Mine took about a week, maybe a week and a half.. the traditional method of bonding that is used here wasn’t working for them though. They couldn’t be enclosed in a small neutral area, because Powder would just hump poor Stickers for 30+ minutes straight and she began to cry and whine, making the most awful noise ever. So, I actually ended up letting them run around Powder’s territory (he wasn’t being aggressive) freely, which is most the house, so she’d have room to run away from him. They were the most tiring pair to watch – he’d chase her trying to hump, she’d run away. For hours on end they’d do this, then when they were exhausted, they’d flop out somewhat close to each other and Powder would get up a minute later and go back to trying to hump, making poor Stickers have to run more. Eventually, he gave up the chase and they ended up flopping out in front of the A/C vent one day and that was that. I started with 30m or so, then quickly it became all day sessions where they just went back to their own rooms for bed time.

[mia]

I think there are lots of different methods. Just do what you feel is right and what you’re comfortable with.

On dating day, it was easily narrowed down to 2 candidates and the one I eventually brought home were together with my already bonded two for at least 6 hrs. One of my pair immediately hit it off with the new one after a short hump and I would have felt comfortable leaving them together from the start. They actually rode home together. The other one of my pair was very suspicious, jealous, and attacked the new one. There were phases of ignoring and attacking. Throughout the process, the two never got to hump (a few attempts and no one was even successful). It took me exactly two weeks. However, note that it was not a gradual two weeks, more like a breakthrough one day when I placed all three in a litter box as I pet them and they ate their hay. I had tried stress and water spray with absolutely not progress.

[LBJ10]

It took mine about the time it took Leopold to be all humped out… so a couple days? It was a very easy bond. They took to each other almost immediately, no fighting at all.

You can bond them the way the rescue suggested, but yeah you would have to watch them the entire time. That’s why most people start with the smaller sessions. If all goes well, then they start making the transition to living together.

It sounds like your two are still trying to decide who is dominant. If they are both strong-willed, it might take awhile. As long as they aren’t fighting, it is best to let them work things out for themselves. This includes the humpfests.

[Cisco and Buddy]

Remember every rabbit is different. I just started introducing my buns today. My mum told me to introduce them through the cages and they didn’t show any aggression. But you have to be sure they are okay to meet face to face. And always watch them no matter how comfortable they may seem.

[Cisco and Buddy]

Remember every rabbit is different. I just started introducing my buns today. My mum told me to introduce them through the cages and they didn’t show any aggression. But you have to be sure they are okay to meet face to face. And always watch them no matter how comfortable they may seem.

[LolasMummy]

Thanks everyone. Second day was better, not so much humping and thumping. Lola got the edge on Dustin, humping him more than him on her. Lots of reciprocal licking. Only circled each other twice all day (12 hour period). We have been separating the buns at night, leaving Dustin in a see through cage and Lola on the outside, I realise we aren’t meant to do this and it may take longer but I will stress all night and won’t get a blink of sleep otherwise!
Today, (3rd day) morning, Dustin has been trying to hump Lola again, but this time she is running away mostly, not circling him so much trying to get him too.
They are both still licking each other which makes me think they may not have sorted dominance still? Does only one bunny usually lick and the other takes or do both normally groom? I can see a battle of the wills, they both lower they heads wanting licks and no one will take the hint haha.
Thanks!

[LBJ10]

Even with a dominant bun determined, they will reciprocate grooming. Usually the dominant bunny with demand to be groomed. The other bunny will groom them. Then if the dominant bunny wants to, they will groom back.

[LolasMummy]

It is the end of day 4 and still haven’t decided who’s dominant, both want the other to lick them with heads bowed! They both want to hump the other, so circling ensues. Lola humps Gus, but then licks him first. All confused they are.
I wonder how long this is going to take with two stubborn buns?
There has been absolutely no real aggression, not one fight at all in the 4 days they’ve known each other.

[Stickerbunny]

My two have an odd grooming arrangement. Stickers will demand grooms from Powder, he gives them, she won’t return the favor. But, he is the humper, will still get her if she gets stuck in the litter box and can’t get away and he has no problem yanking food out of her mouth… so he seems dominant. Bunnies can work out their differences when they are both stubborn. Both of mine act dominant in various ways and they are so funny to watch now they are bonded due to it – he will yank food out of her mouth, she will chase him down for it and steal it back. He will run her off his spot, she will binky onto his stomach if he is in her way. But, it works for them. Give your two time to work things out, it might end up looking odd compared to a normal pair if they don’t arrange a normal submissive/dominant thing but they will figure it out.

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