New to bunny bonding! some advice please!

[Kristin H.]

Hi there, so I have one spayed female about a year old named pepper. she was my first, I got her at six weeks. I recent brought home a 6 month old boy, deisel,  and had him neutered. at first when pepper was by his cage she was boxing and growling at him. after the neuter, when the hormones had left deisels body, I started bonding sessions. they fought a lot, one of the fights I got bitten. the fights always start with pepper putting her head down, and when then when nothing happens she nips at him and chases him. then for a little while they were getting along, but they always do this thing where one of them lowers their head, then the other lowers their head and they sit like that for a few minutes at a time. then a few days ago they got into a terrible fight and now I feel like I’m back to square one. so, what can I do better? thanks so much!

PS.

I am in a neutral space. ok have tried putting banana or honey on them and no grooming really takes place. 

[Beka27]

The grooming stand-off is pretty normal when trying to bond. I liked the mutual grooming method. I would put both buns in a (smallish) cat litterbox side by side facing the same direction, sit behind them and stroke their foreheads at the same time pretty forcefully. The “grooming” settles them both down and relaxes them in the other’s company. I would do this several times during the bonding session, anytime they were started to get agitated. I would typically use the same hand to pet them both because they were snugged up to each other tight (which is why the small box is important).

[tanlover14]

Beka, that is such a great idea! I don’t know why I never thought of that!!

Don’t give up, Kristin! These is really normal for bonding bunnies – neither has submitted to the other bun. Usually after you get past this stage, it gets MUCH easier. Just hang in there!

[Kristin H.]

that is really a great idea, thank you so much! 

[Moochii]

Wow Kristin…I am having the same problem with my 2 bunnies. they both bow their heads and then fight usually biting at each other side. My husband got nipped and I just got nipped today too. I was wearing oven gloves in one hand and the other one I was using to put banana on their forehead so was unarmed when they broke into a fight. I’ll be trying the car ride tomorrow to see how it goes. It’s a bit hard since my husband is not committed as me. I’m usually doing this by myself and its so hard!!!! I might ask somebody in this forum who lives in Seattle and have some experience with this to help me bond.

[Kristin H.]

I am very sorry to her Moochii, my experience has been pretty unpredictable but wonderful regardless! im just trying to get past that submission stage…

[Bwbedard]

I used a similar strategy as beka to break the grooming standoff. A good stress bonding session in a laundry hamper also works well!

[Emmie]

This was the battle I had with my two. We had an unexpected stress-bonding session with them (The fire alarm in my apartment went off in the middle of the night and we had to stuff them in one carrier and run!) but since then we’ve had no issues with them! Perhaps try some stress bonding with the two?

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