Incompatible pair? Struggling with bonding!

[Katarindi]

Hello everybunny!

Let me introduce our backstory. My husbun and I have two bunnies: Gaia is a 1 year old female (fixed), and Tyson is about 5 months old male (not fixed – yet).
Gaia is quite stubborn and hates to be picked up, she doesnt like when we touch/clean her kingdom etc. but she knows to be really needy and cuddly – only with me though. As I got this new education thing started, we both are basically away for about 10h a day and we hate the fact that Gaia is lonely, so we decided to get her a male to bond with.
We got Tyson 2 months ago. He is quite shy with us (not yet bonded with two of us complitely), but I can see he has really perky personality. Binkies around a lot and loves to explore. He isn’t territorial at all.

They’re both at their pens next to eachother (10cm away). We’ve put quite some research in it and did the prebonding – been swapping some of their stuff (houses, litter trays, bowls) and they didn’t react anyhow. Gaia’s behavior didn’t change at all having Tyson in the pen next to her. Ocasionally she’d push her nosey closer so she can smell/see what he’s been up to, but she didn’t seem angry or jealous. We were sure she’d like him.

After some time we started having dates. We did it 4 times so far, every 5-6 days for as long as they endure (20 mins most!). We’d bring them to the neutral area. Gaia doesn’t seem interested in attacking him, she would just do her stuff around if he would let her… HOWEVER, Tyson can’t give her peace. He is jumping on her trying to show dominance which she NEVER allows. Then he would chase her / try to jump on her, in circles, as long as she can run…and until she would get annoyed and start fighting or hiding behind one of us. We also had multiple warning bites from Gaia to Tyson (never an actual bite, just a lot of fur). I’m not sure if it’s because of Tysons hormones, or why is he so wild when she gets close? He reaaaally gets too excited about her, and Gaia doesn’t seem to like it. She is a chill, calm bunny. She never tried to jump on him to show her dominance.

Now, they are free roaming around the apartment on shifts everyday – when one is out, other one is closed in pen. Tyson is SUPER excited about Gaia. He excitedly follows her (inside the pen tho, through gitter) all the time she’s out… On the oher hand, Gaia seems to be really jealous when he is out and she is closed. She aggresivelly follows him (from inside) and even growls sometimes if he gets near her.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
Weirdest thing is, Gaia spends a lot of time around his pen when she’s out. Usually with her paws on his gitter or pushing her head inside for him to groom/lick her, so he does. Sometimes she just lays hext to his pen and falls asleep there close to him. She really seem to want his attention and I really think she’d want to bond with him – only if he would be a bit calmer.

So the question is… What to do next? We are kinda “afraid” to have bonding sessions anymore cause they always end up in a fight. Should we just wait to get Tyson fixed (in a month) and then try to have a fresh start?
Or do you think they are actually incompatible? We don’t have a problem keeping them separate, but we really DO think Gaia would be happier bonded, as she could get really lonely when we (especially me) are away.

We would be grateful for any, even the smallest advice! <3

[pinknfwuffy]

I don’t know much about bonding but if Tyson is 5 months old and not fixed, he’s definitely going through hormonal urges and it will be nearly impossible to bond them completely until he’s neutered and has had a few months to let those hormones settle.

You’re doing all the right things concerning prebonding and their bunny dates but it’s their natural instincts that are causing the issues. He is acting purely on instinct to be dominant and mate. I think you should keep them separate until he can be fixed, plus an additional month or two so his hormones will settle. Then you can start again. They sound like two really great buns and I think there is potential here, just a few things to take care of first. Good luck!

[Sirius&Luna]

I agree, he’s not necessarily trying to be dominant (although that is one cause of humping during bonding), he just has an overwhelming natural urge to mate. It really is essential that males are neutered before you can start bonding. They will not stop trying to hump the other bunny otherwise.

I would keep prebonding, but stop any face to face meetings until a month after Tyson is neutered.

[Nutmeg]

Hi Katarindi – I also have a young 3 month old male bunny – and OMG he is already going through the hormone changes.
You need to keep them 100% separated until a good 1 month after he is neutered.
If you read one of the other recent bonding posts one of them bit the other ones mouth through the bars when they stuck their nose in there.
100% bonding will never happen until he is neutered (the both need to be done, but your girl already is).

My girl hasn’t been spayed yet, so I separated them right away for other reasons, but I found out about them both needing to be fixed before you can successfully bond them too through this forum.
And I hear you on not being able to have them both out all the time – but its a small price to pay for right now for much success later on.

*** But what I am doing right now is starting the Pre-Bonding early…. so swapping their litter boxes every few days and then swapping their full cages every few days after that, so that they stay used to each others scents in their area.
Good luck!
(And Good luck to me too hahaha)

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