Re-bonding buns

[Ffionwillsx]

Hi all,

I am looking to try starting the re-bonding between my beautiful bunnies Oscar and Lola shortly.

Background:

Had Oscar at 8weeks old last January. He is a house bunny, is very comical and active and was neutered in May. (10months)
I adopted Lola August 1st due to wanting Oscar to have the happiest life possible. Lola is a hermaphrodite bunny, she is neutered and has lived with makes and females during her time at rescue. (9 months).

I decided to do marathon bonding following advice from local rescues and specialists in the Uk and as I had the time off work. After the initial shorter sessions I realised that longer spells together helped them settle better. Oscar was a bit lungey and would assert his dominance over Lola. She was easily the submissive. About 10days in we had a mishap where I gave them too much space too quickly – there was a little scuffle that came from playing (Lola whizzing about happy and Oscar being uncertain I think of what her intentions were) we went back a few steps and started slowly to extend space. (My intention is to have them free roam)
After 3.5 weeks of living together happily with no issues I came home and there’d been a fall out. It resulted in a vets visit – both bunnies were fine and wounds superficial.

They have now been separated for just shy of 6 weeks. I have just started prebonding the last three days after a bun escaped at the beginning of week 4 and both buns were found laying close to a baby gate (around a foot apart each side).
My prebonding has been changing litter boxes and all toys/waterdishes/blankets every two days. I have also the last two nights been feeding them either side of a gate when they have their pellets to encourage positive association. Both have eaten pellets close to the pen have sniffed eachother through and lay down side by side. My gut instinct is that they want to spend the time close to eachother.

However, I am beginning to feel apprehensive about attempting the bond. If this doesn’t work out I will have to take Lola back to the rescue which would break my heart. I don’t feel that Oscar is too human orientated as has been suggested to me in the past because despite us having a string bond, when he and Lola were seemingly bonded he spent the majority of his free time with her even when I was home.

I would like advice on how to proceed, I am thinking of taking a slower approach initially starting on the weekend following a car ride. My issue is lack of neutral space. I have neutralised carpets, skirtingboards and floors however (especially with keeping them in seperate rooms i don’t have a space that they can ‘forget’.

I know that ideally having a hermaphrodite could be an issue however I have read people bonding non family related same sex buns and I do have an obvious hierarchy system (dominant and submissive).

My advice from local specialists here in the UK (my original rescue and a specialist further afield as well as local RSpCA specialists was to give hem around 3/4 weeks apart but with constant access to see and smell eachother then after the 4 weeks to start bonding again.

I have tried to incorporate this advice with advice from this forum. I have kept them apart for 4weeks fully (with the use of a door in seperate rooms – the best I can do in a small apartment) and have now started to pre bond (under supervision to ensure no bickering through the fence etc).

I don’t want to believe that they an unbondable as they have obviously made it through before.

I am prepared to try and build an enclosure with two or three levels for them and not have them be free roam once they are more or less bonded.

Do you have advice on how I should proceed – should I start with the car-rides and then ten/15minute sessions? Then move up my time together slowly?
Do you think Oscar and Lola have a chance to be bonded?

I’m really nervous as there’s so much riding on them bonding.

Thank you in advance.

Ffion x

[Mikey]

Awesome that youve been taking the correct steps so far! Personally, I would continue with prebonding for a full month or two before starting bonding sessions. When you start bonding sessions, make sure its in a small neutral space. Many users use their bath tubs as its not a place rabbits usually venture into For bonding sessions, youll start with a lot of quick sessions (5 minute sessions every hour on day 1) and slowly increase the time per session (10 minute sessions every hour on day two, 20 minute sessions every hour or two on day 3, 30 minute sessions every two hours on day 4, ect). If you notice they always get aggressive with one another after a specific time, do a few sessions at a shorter time for the next few days (example, around the 45 minute mark they always try to scuffle, have 30 minute sessions for the next two or three days).

Once they can go a solid 4+ hours in neutral territory without any aggression, you can start bonding them in their shared territory (free roam space, for example. no cage yet). Again, youll start with a ton of short sessions very often and slowly increase time. This time, after they can be together for 8+ hours without aggression, you should consider doing a 48 hour marathon. During the marathoning, theyll be in their final cage you plan for them to share, and youll be sleeping outside of it. Youll need to have eyes on them at all times just in case theres aggression or escalation. If they can go the 48 hours without aggression, you can likely consider them bonded

I want to note a few things: I do think they can bond again based on what youve written. Theres no reason to lock them in a cage forever once they are bonded; plus, they still need time outside of the cage to exercise to ensure their health. Patience is key. Dont be afraid to go back a step if something isnt working right.

[Author]

Messages