Unbonded rabbits just stare at each other

[empiristic]

Hello, I recently acquired a Neanderthal Dwarf (3 years old Male) as a partner for my mini Holland Lop (4 years old Female), both of them are fixed with my Holland Lops being the more recent back in January 16th, so it’s been well over a month.  They spent a really long car ride coming home back together (LA traffic is a mess) and when I had let them out to chill in the X-Pen I set up for them with no problem, lots of grooming (mostly him grooming her) there was some circling; however, I separated them and it had ended on a good note with a nice and weirdly long grooming session (like a full 10 minutes).  There’s a two inch gap in I made out of wire shelves between the X-Pen out of worry that they’ll fight when I’m not home.  

However, I’ve noticed that when I am not home they just been staring at each other.  They start when I leave the room (I’ve come back once or twice and caught them doing this in the morning) and don’t stop until I’m home and can let them out into their respective spaces.  They’re both in loaf form but just face to face, looking at each other.  I wish I could get a photo but once they notice my presence my mini Holland Lop pays attention just presses her face against the cage in my direction, begging to be let out.  

I’ve been planning on initiating pre-bonding in like around a week or so when my Dwarf gets all settled in and comfy but I don’t know what’s going on.  I bought a nanny cam so I can spy on them while I’m not home to see if they just stare at each other the time that I’m not home but I can’t find any good explanation as to why they just stare at each other.  Did I mess up the bonding process by having them chill for a while I went to go set up his side?

[Sirius&Luna]

So, rabbits sit face to face in a ‘grooming stand off’, where they’re both presenting their faces to be groomed, and waiting for the other bunny to give in first.

Rabbits also stare at each other in a positive way, so if they’re both just loafing in eyesight of each other, that’s fine.

Are you going to swap them between cages for pre-bonding?

[sarahthegemini]

My bonded pair often loaf facing eachother. Sometimes they really smush their faces together. It’s adorable. I suppose it looks like they’re staring but they’re just relaxing in each other’s company

[empiristic]

I am going to start switching cages once he gets settled in so in a week or so.  I planned on marathon bonding them over my spring break but after browsing over the forums for a while I don’t think they would have spent enough time prebonding because my spring break is the week before the end of March.  They’re side by side already but I don’t want to rush it.  

[empiristic]

Awwwe I never really thought of it like they were relaxing in each other’s company.  I haven’t seen them smush their faces together but once I get my nanny cam I can finally spy on them all the time

[empiristic]

I have a picture but they’re side by side rather than face to face (which is odd) ! And also my nanny cam has arrived so my anxiety about them fighting has lessened.  

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