True bonding

[sarah bowden]

Hi all. Hope everyone is enjoying the start to the holiday season.

I am wondering, if any one that has a bonded pair can help me out. My boy Gus has recently bonded (?) to sweet Helen. Everything is going fine except, everything I have read says that a bonded pair is never very far from one another. Gus and Helen are getting along fine they eat together, I have seen them groom each other…..but in the past week I have given them more freedom. The door to their pen is open so they can roam the house ( which Gus did before I got Helen) But now they seem to spend a lot of time apart. Gus often hangs out in one room while Helen is in the other. They still go on little expeditions together, but it seems that they are apart more than they are together.

Does this mean that they like each other but are not "in love" or is a deeper bond still forming?

[Beka27]

oooh!  good question… i have no answer for you but i’m definitely interested to see what others say…  maybe it’s just the newfound freedon that has them boldly going where no rabbit has gone before… so they’re venturing out on their own… maybe after awhile they’ll get back together once they know what’s out there…?

[Gravehearted]

my bonded pair does spend a lot of time together, but it’s not uncommon to see them engaging in different activities no where near each other. I think, like people, bunnies have different depths of a relationship and different needs in one. It may be that over time they’ll become more snuggly and interactive, but it may be that they both enjoy their alone time, especially since they’re both used to being solo.

[BinkyBunny]

Rucy and Jack are extremely bonded. They really really love each other, but Rucy sometimes needs her “space” from the overly snuggly big lug Jack. So I find her spending time during the day for about an hour exploring without him while he snoozes, and then later in the evening, she hops up and hangs out on this ledge where she knows Jack doesn’t like to go. She’ll hang out there too for another hour. But the rest of the time they like being near each other. When they are in the pen together, they will hang out with each other often, but Rucy also has her “me time” ledge there too.

I do know that when I FIRST let them explore the house, Rucy would explore and Jack wouldn’t leave their area (this happened for a month) So could it be that either Gus or Helen is more timid? Less likely to feel safe in all areas right now? So they just sit where they feel most comfortable, which happens to be in separate areas?

[jellyrose]

our 2 often spend a few hours a day in different spots. Edward is happier to venture out into the living room than Josephine, she’s still a bit timid. But they love to snuggle up together aswell…..

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I wouldnt’ assume it means they aren’t THAT in love…I would agree wtih Gravehearted that it just depends on the bunnies…
I think a plus side to having bonded bunies that aren’t joined at the hip would be that you can spend time with each individually and seperate them if you need to without stressing them out!

[sarah bowden]

Well I am stumped….
Today when I came home from work I walked into the living room to find hair every where (mostly Gus’s) It was obvious that they had been in a fight. I found them all cuddled up in one of their boxes. I made them both come out so I could check them out to be sure they were’nt hurt then after a hopping around for a bit they went right back to snuggling.
What in the …..
is it normal for bonded pairs to fight or do you think that this was their last struggle for dominance?

[skunklionshow]

Jessi & Leo REALLY LOVE each other!  However, Jess is much more adventurous than Leo.  She loves running in the hall way and up and down the stairs.  I once put Leo on the steps and he just laid there like a lump.  She was hip hopping all around him and he neither went up or down.

Luckily Jess & Leo don’t fight.  Jess is fixed, Leo is not…so he does go on humping sprees.  We’ve made "safe houses" for Jessi, small spaces that only one bunny fits into.  He mainly just chases her during humping sprees.  That is really the only time I’ve seen the "fur fly", even then it wasn’t big chunks.  My cat Phoebe gets very excited during these humping sprees.  I don’t know if its all the movement, the rattling of the cage, or Jessi’s grunts, but Phoebe has been seen trying to paw at the buns through the cage bars.  Once when the buns were humping around the living room, Phoebe actually pounced Leo.  Luckily we were present, so no bunnies were harmed.

[Frostyleo8]

My two cuddle and groom, but do spend time apart too.   When I cuddle with Hudwyn (my boy) Gwynny goes and sits in a corner, as if she’s jealous.  I’d cuddle with her too, but she doesn’t let me!  They’ve never fought though, so, I’m stumped by that one!

[Deleted User]

are buns always supposed to be in pairs…I just adopted my first bun 1 month ago..he is1 1/2 yrs old neutered mini Satin and was in a house with other buns that were not nuetered and they picked on him and fought with him pretty bad so he had to be given up…So I took him….Can he be happy by himself or does he need another bunny? If he does…should it be one that is the same size and gender or what?

[sarah bowden]

You know janymae…
I think it really depends on the bun. Since yours has grown up with others he may really like having a friend around but since he was getting picked on he may also love being an only bun. It sounds like you have only had him for a short time, I’d say you give him some time to adjust to his new home and you, then maybe you could think about it some more and if there is a rabbit rescue/humane society in your area you could take him on some bunny dates and see how he reacts to other rabbits.
I’m no bunny expert of course so you may get some better advice from some one else..
but good luck and keep us informed!

[BinkyBunny]

Well, most bunnies do like another bunny buddy, but they need to be both usually spayed/neutered otherwise they will have dominance and territorial issues like what he experienced. But also, I have met bunnies that would rather be solo, and as long as you provide all the love and care he needs he’ll be fine. However, if you want to try and enrich his and your life with another bunny, it does not matter about size, and though usually opposite sexes are easiest, same sexes can work, but usually it takes a lot more work. But either way you do have to go through a bonding process. Check out the bonding page of this site under BUNNY INFO to get some idea of what it all entails.

I also recommend that if you do decide to get a buddy for him, that you let him choose instead of bringing a bunny home. If you have a local rabbit rescue, it would be great to bring him there and let him bunny date with rabbit experts nearby to help you…him find the right match.

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