Rough start need some advice!

[lisakya]

I just adopted a second bun a few days ago to try bonding with my girl, who I’ve had for a year.  We did bunny speed dating and everything went well at the shelter, there was even some grooming.  But now that we’re home my girl has been a terror!  I figured she would be territorial being a female and being such a queen bee, but my confidence in her bonding is declining. 

So, for the first session at home I started with some stress bonding (putting them in a hamper and dragging them around a bit) and then put them in the tub.  The tub session was very boring at first (which I took as a good thing) but then there was some nipping and humping but nothing too bad, my girl even groomed his ears a bit.  After the session the two were laying by each other but in separate cages all night, and I was feeling really confident in their pairing.  Because that session went so well I felt like maybe beginning with the stress bonding wasn’t really necessary.  Boy was I wrong!  I put the two in the tub and called it off in about 5 minutes because they wouldn’t stop.  I’ve tried doing research ever since to check to make sure they actually were fighting rather than just establishing dominance, but I haven’t gotten much info.  I truly think they were fighting, and now my confidence in them is totally gone 

But so my question, finally:  Because I ended the second session on a bad note because everyone was so worked up, would it be beneficial to do a stress session before the end of the day, or just give them time to relax and start with stress tomorrow?  

Anyone have some tips on what worked with their extremely territorial girl?

Thanks!

[dude.the.rabbit]

I only have experience with my two that I bonded together. At first, they were both ok with each other. Then Sandy decided she was going to be the boss. They never really fought with each other but there were some very tense moments with her boxing him in the face. If your male bun wants to be dominant, and the female wants to dominate, I think it might take many many tries to get them to work it out. One bun will be dominate, that’s what I’ve heard anyway. Don’t give up, time will probably bring them much closer together. I only put mine together for about 10 minutes a day. It took several weeks for them to stay together full time. Good luck to you! I hope it works out

[LBJ10]

Can you describe the fighting? Was there growling? Was fur being pulled out? Vicious biting and swiping with the front paws?

There is nothing wrong with having a “time out”. In fact, it can sometimes help the situation when you put a little distance between them and allow them to cool off.

[lisakya]

Hey, thanks for the responses!

There was no growling. It escalated so quickly I couldn’t tell you if there was swiping! It was circling that became basically just latching on to each other and rolling around I would say. Some but not much fur was lost.

I’m currently giving them a break from bonding sessions, but keeping their cages close together. I’ve seen some things that I think a really positive signs! However, when one is getting their exercise time and hops by the other’s cage the caged one will try to attack through the bars. So I’m hoping this doesn’t create resentment. When they are both locked in the cage I haven’t seen this kind of aggression. In fact they will often lie pretty close to each other, and my girl finally ate some salad with the boy eating his only a few inches away!

I think I’ll start back up with bonding in a couple days once I see those occasional aggressive spouts decrease. I think I’ll start with just some short stress situations. I just feel like they both want to be dominant so I’m nervous about how that will all be decided.

Also, I know about the whole poop war thing. But is it typical for one bun to eat the others poops out of their cage… I swear my boy ate every single poop my girl left behind in the litterbox…

[LBJ10]

Yeah, latched onto each other and rolling around is a bit aggressive. You can allow a little bit of aggressiveness while they are sorting things out, but you don’t want them full-on fighting and potentially hurting each other. I don’t think a time out is a bad idea. Maybe some stress bonding in a completely neutral environment will go better once they have cooled off.

Poop eating isn’t what I would call “normal”, but it does happen sometimes.

[Clarajb]

Putting them side by side sounds good. They may need time to get used to each other’s scent. Also since your girl came right from the shelter she probably has the scent of other animals too- that’s advice that I got when I brought Pepper home from the shelter and Ralphie went crazy, even though they too were grooming on their shelter date.
Double barricading the cage may help – I looped an Xpen around the cage when Ralphie was out and Pepper wasn’t for a few weeks because he would try to get at her.
As for the all out fighting, there are definitely people on here with a bit more experience than me, but I have read threads where two dominant buns did eventually sort it out! Great job on your part so far and congrats on the new addition!

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