Surprise! Bonding.

[anilec]

So, I’m at my parents house for the summer and my birthday is on Monday. My mom just came home with this little girl from the animal shelter for me. She’s currently just a foster as mother didn’t want to adopt if she doesn’t get along with my Lola so right now we’re calling her Cotton Ball and she’s only 3 months old. The same age as Lola!

Look at her!! She’s guessed to be an angora/lionhead mix but I’ve never seen a rabbit like her she’s so fluffy!!

When she first met Lola they sniffed each other than ignored and hopped around the area, then they sniffed and cuddled for a while, then they sniffed and got into a fight which I separated. Lola kept wanted to sniff Cotton and I think she wanted cotton to groom her but the new lil bun was feeling a little nervous and hopped away so they ended with ignoring each other. 

Currently they are in pens a foot away from each other and they don’t care at all that they can see and smell the other. I’m thinking tomorrow on their date to try the banana on the forehead? If they fight again when should I separate? Right away or only when I see fur flying? This is my first time bonding bunnies so any advice will be very appreciated!

[Boston's Mama]

I’m assuming at 3 months old they are not desexed yet? If not then they cannot bond unfortunately. Even if they do get on without desexing it’s not a true bond – it’s a baby bond. They are both also entering maturity at their age and a fight could wreck your chances of bonding once desexed – or worse lead to serious injury or even worse….

You really need to house them next to each other ( with a gap so they can’t hurt each other and once they are desexed- wait 6weeks – then you can prebond them ( swap items from each other’s cages , swap teddies and then lead to swapping cages ) . Only once all those steps i that order are taken should bonding be attempted.

[anilec]

Posted By Oakley and Boston’s Mama on 7/28/2017 8:04 PM

I’m assuming at 3 months old they are not desexed yet? If not then they cannot bond unfortunately. Even if they do get on without desexing it’s not a true bond – it’s a baby bond. They are both also entering maturity at their age and a fight could wreck your chances of bonding once desexed – or worse lead to serious injury or even worse….

You really need to house them next to each other ( with a gap so they can’t hurt each other and once they are desexed- wait 6weeks – then you can prebond them ( swap items from each other’s cages , swap teddies and then lead to swapping cages ) . Only once all those steps i that order are taken should bonding be attempted.

Oh no! That sucks, I’ve gotten myself really attached to the little cotton shes such a little cuddle butt. Our shelter only allows fostering for 1-2 weeks so I can’t just keep her for 3 months until she can be spayed. I’m wondering if I should keep interacting them together for the time I have her to see if they can get along (until they’re old enough to be spayed), Or if I should just take her back tomorrow… Ugh I’ll really have to think about it, obviously I just want to do the best for the buns but little Cotton is just the sweetest and I love her already

[Deleted User]

Why would you take her back? Bonding is (for the most part) successful for a lot of people. You wouldn’t be ok with having two separate buns?
My husband and I have two males, both were inseparable until their hormones kicked in, and now that they’re 2 weeks post-neuter, they constantly go to each other’s cages while the other is out and will both bow and groom. If they get along now, and you keep them near each other and nothing really changes, odds are, you’ll probably be fine bonding them together.

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By anilec on 7/28/2017 11:38 PM

Posted By Oakley and Boston’s Mama on 7/28/2017 8:04 PM

I’m assuming at 3 months old they are not desexed yet? If not then they cannot bond unfortunately. Even if they do get on without desexing it’s not a true bond – it’s a baby bond. They are both also entering maturity at their age and a fight could wreck your chances of bonding once desexed – or worse lead to serious injury or even worse….

You really need to house them next to each other ( with a gap so they can’t hurt each other and once they are desexed- wait 6weeks – then you can prebond them ( swap items from each other’s cages , swap teddies and then lead to swapping cages ) . Only once all those steps i that order are taken should bonding be attempted.

Oh no! That sucks, I’ve gotten myself really attached to the little cotton shes such a little cuddle butt. Our shelter only allows fostering for 1-2 weeks so I can’t just keep her for 3 months until she can be spayed. I’m wondering if I should keep interacting them together for the time I have her to see if they can get along (until they’re old enough to be spayed), Or if I should just take her back tomorrow… Ugh I’ll really have to think about it, obviously I just want to do the best for the buns but little Cotton is just the sweetest and I love her already

I’m confused – firstly why the shelter only allows fostering for 2 weeks when surely they would know that baby bun will need spaying before you can try bonding. Which obviously takes longer than a fortnight. Secondly, whenever you get a new bun you have to be prepared for bonding not to work. You also need the facilities and resources to keep buns separate until bonding. 

You can’t keep them interacting, they need complete seperation. 

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