unbondable buns why so hard?

[bunnytowne]

is it always a trial to bond buns. do most go thru it the hard way? or are most buns ok with it? if not why if they like each others company do they make it so hard to bond and become friends?

[RabbitPam]

(Sorry to be replying so much this morning. Day off today of course.)
I don’t have the answer as you know, so am interested to learn more as well. (Markusdark, I think this one’s for you. )

I have learned, based on everyone’s experiences here, that when I get a new bunny, if I want a bonded pair I will go to a shelter and take home two that are already bonded. That way it should cut down on some of the problems, and I wouldn’t be separating two who are together.

(Yes, famous last words as next year I could be writing for urgent advice on two new unbonded bunnies. We’ll see.)

[Sarita]

It’s not always a trial – depends on the rabbits I think. Rabbits are very complex little creatures and frankly, it’s hard for us to think like a rabbit…who knows what is really going on inside those bunny brains.

Even the sweetest rabbits with humans might be difficult to bond with another rabbit. Sure it can be done, but it takes patience and maybe a little innovation on the human’s part.

My prior two bonds were a breeze – I was even surprised. I think they both took less than a week.

My current one is more difficult. Of course, I haven’t had as much time to devote to this as I would like – a full week of undivided attention with the rabbits and no work would be good, but well, I don’t have that luxury.

[kralspace]

It’s not always hard. My first and second buns bonded after a few days of side by side cages, etc. But then when I brought home a ‘foster’ from the shelter, my first female (Pringles) instantly abandoned her mate in a love/lust at first sight with the foster. She was even taking the toys from her condo and putting them by the foster’s cage.

I guess #1 and #2 got along alright, but 1 recognized her soulmate when #3 came in the house. I hate math.

It took speed dating and several weeks of working with #3 and our new #4 to really bond, but they do great now. I kinda got fed up in the 4th week of their prissy squabbling and let my dog in the house a few times while they were out in the living room and they snuggled together really fast and have stayed that way.

Good luck, and next time I too will adopt a bonded pair!
Kathy

[MarkBun]

I have been told that you can bond any two buns if you have the time and concentration to do it. However, you need to weigh if the time spent doing it will cause the bun more unhappiness than necessary. It seems to me that you spend a great deal of time with your bun. If that is the case, you shouldn’t have to worry about bonding him too much as he will bond to you. I got a friend for my bun because I have very limited time to spend with her these days (as in I’m lucky if I get an hour a day) so I felt a friend would help.

The bonding process can be a very long one with lots o’ messes and injuries along the way. It is always better to take your bun to meet potential new buns first to see how they react. From what I have read lately though, it would seem that cotton prefers it to be just you and him.

[skwerlybuns]

I am having the same bonding problems, we know it will take time but it is kinda frustrating when these three siblings were so loving to eachother before the hormones kicked in and now two months after the spay/neuter they are not taking to the bonding as fast as we would like   Also we haven’t been doing it every night which would help I’m sure.  We will just keep at it and have patience because we love our bunnies and really want them to be together again. 

[Beka27]

i think Markus said a short time everyday is the best. like 15 minutes early in the day and 15 minutes at night. it’s worth making the time sacrifce if it’s something you really want to work. altho if they’re still youg, that might affect it more too. bonding is easiest with adults i’ve heard.

[kimberleyanddarren]

*hides face* i kinda dont wanna read this thread because im still in dream land that everything shall be fine and my new bun will get on so.. lol
i think any two buns are bondable, its just if u have the time and effort to put in, i cant see why it should be a problem though!

[osprey]

Multiple short sessions is definitely good if you have the time.  I had a little trouble getting it right when I was bonding my existing pair (DJ and Curly Sue) with a third (Deanna), and what really helped was that I had a week off from work between Christmas and New Year’s and I was able to work with them multiple times a day.  I think at some level you have to outlast them and convince them that the invader is not going to leave, and they might as well deal with it.  Some bunnies (Hareiette and Pepper, I’m looking at you!) just really do not like other rabbits, and prefer to be alone.  I worked with one such Diva named Ginger, and the way we dealt with her was to bond her with a pair of bonded high energy brothers.  The trio dynamic was different, and she bonded with them, even though every other single bun resulted in fights.  Every case is different.

 

[wendyzski]

Yeah -  according to the animal communicator, Pepper doesn’t want another bunny (but she might like another people).

She beat up every bunnyboy and the one bunnygirl we introduced her to.  I commented at the time that she really didn’t know how to be a bunny.  She didn’t have the right body language, so when a handsome buck came up and nuzzled her she just sat there. This got him confused, so he’d try being a little more pushy and she’d turn and attack him.

Lately, she’s actually started to show actual bunny behaviors – she presented for pets for the first time last week.  I figure that we’ll wait another 6 months or so and see if she has changed her mind yet.

[RabbitPam]

That’s really interesting about Pepper.

I know that animals are born with an amazing amount of instinct in place (I presume to be genetically ready to survive in the wild) but I wonder how much of behavior is learned by teaching or example from other buns? Maybe she’s still learning some bunny behavior from you.

Or she has a recessive snapping turtle gene.

[kimberleyanddarren]

i am amazed that hopscotch and daxter got on right from their introduction, as we speak they are happily hopping around together! i am sorry u are having trouble, but just keep putting the time in and it will be worth it! are u keeping them in two cages next to each other? and have u tried the stunt double thing?

[Author]

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