Worth continuing bonding?

[ReaJT]

Hi everyone! This is a great community and after reading about I was hoping for some advice from someone more experience with rabbits.

 

I have two rabbits, the first one I got on the 27th of January, and he was neutered the 11th of Feb. The second I got on the 6th of March and he was neutered on the 31st of March. They are both young rabbits from a pet shop.

 

At first I had done some bonding with them in a neural space, and the first rabbit, Louis, seemed very nippy with Alfie. He would bite at him and pull fur out. I had however gotten to the point they would occasionally lie down together. Louis seems quite a nervous rabbit, for example he hides whenever you go in his cage and will run away from you when you try and catch him, whereas Alfie is the total opposite, he runs up to you and is really happy to see you.

 

I assumed Louis was just nervous, and I didnt want the nipping to escalate, so I kept them seperate until a few days ago, 2-3 weeks after the second one was neutered. They are in cages right next to each other tho. So I decided on Friday Alfie had all healed up from his neutering and id get back to bonding… Basically they are trying to kill each other – or so it seems! Alfie has decided to nip back and Louis isnt backing down so at least three times it has resulted in them being locked onto each other and fur flying everywhere. I always manage to seperate them (or try to) but the last time I could actually pick one of them up and they werent letting go of each other. I am so worried they are going to sustain real physical or psychological harm. Spraying them with water diffuses a fight before it starts for the most part but I just need to take my eye of them for a second and they are fighting again.

 

Basically I am wondering if I should persevere, stop for a while, move the cages to seperate rooms then try again after a while, or call it a day. I dont mind at all putting alot of time and effort in but I am really worried one or both of them is going to get hurt, or im doing something wrong which is gonna make them fall out for good 🙁

 

Ive tried introducing them in two different neutral locations with plenty of food, hay and toys. I havent tried any stressing techniques like the car. Id hate for this to not work, because I think Louis would probably be happy enough by himself but I think Alfie would like company, so id have to consider trying to rehome him somewhere he could have a friend and keep Louis by himself if I cant get them bonded.

 

Any advice at all would be really appreciated as this is the first time ive done this, and I dont want to cause them any more stress and upset than is necessary.

 

Thanks vey much everyone 🙂

 

Rea

[Beka27]

I would probably wait another 2-3 weeks. Separate them into different rooms in the meantime. Let them kind of “forget” about each other. It can take a full 4-6 weeks for the hormones to decrease.

When you start again, begin with a stressing technique, and from there move them directly into a small neutral area (like a bath tub, or small bathroom) with no food, no litter boxes, no toys… Nothing they can fight over or get territorial about. Keep the first sessions short, about 15-20 minutes.

A water bottle is a good tool, but as you said, it has to be used before the fight begins. Once they escalate, it is much harder to stop them.

[ReaJT]

Thank you very much for your response. I currently have the cages side by side but I suppose this will just continue the simmering resentment! I’ll put the cages in seperate rooms and let them calm down and forget about the fighting then try again in a few weeks. Thank you very much for your help, it’s really appreciated and I’ll keep you all updated! Fingers crossed! 🙂

[ReaJT]

Hi guys! Wee update – my buns still aren’t bonded 🙁 I have tried keeping them totally separate for weeks then introducing them again – they fight. I have tried keeping the cages side by side, and they pretty much ignore each other, but as soon as one is outside his cage they fight through the bars. I have them back to living in separate rooms at the moment.

Whenever they are out it almost always inevitably ends in a proper scuffle with fur flying and resulting scabs 🙁

I am wondering if they will mellow with age and I should keep them and keep trying every month or so, or if it’s time to call it a day and rehome one? I’d hate to have to do this but I feel Louis (the quiet one) would be ok with just me and I feel like Alfie isn’t getting the attention he needs at the moment. I have him out as much as possible and regularly hold and pet him but I feel like he needs either more human or rabbit attention so perhaps it would be better to rehome him with someone who can give him more one on one time or bond him with another bun? 🙁

Any advice would be really appreciated. This board is great and this is all still new for me. I just want them both to be happy 🙂 Thank you!

[ReaJT]

Oh and I have tried stressing them by having them in a box next to a washing machine or in a room with a Hoover running. They look terrified by the noise until they get within a certain proximity of each other then they seem to forget the noise because they are too busy fighting (or trying too).

[MoveDiagonally]

What about movement stress bonding? With my most aggressive rabbits I would put them in a laundry basket and shake/jostle it (sometimes I would shake up each one individually so they wouldn’t fight right away when I put them together). Whenever they would show aggression I would immediately shake/jostle them again.

You can use a metal mesh strainer to quickly separate them or to put between them at first to keep them from lunging/hurting each other.

[BunnyBrigade]

My lovebirds, Skipper and Ian, were like that when we first tried to bond them. The car bonding technique really helped them get over their aggressiveness and turn to each other for solace during the car rides. Have you, also, been litter/scent swapping? I noticed that really helps doing that too.

[vtsats]

Scale back on what you would consider a ‘successful’ session. My buns are in the same situation – they essentially try to kill each other when given the chance, so my bonding sessions are now usually shorter than 10 minutes and always end with their favourite treat. Take ANY non-aggressive behaviour as a win and end on that note. Even if your sessions are 1 minute long, take it! And just keep going! I’ve been bonding once a day for over a month and they’re still showing aggression, however I’m hoping that constant interaction will wear them down and allow them to realize both buns are here to stay.

Feeling your pain though, BIG TIME. It’s come to the point now that I’m extremely happy (and jealous ) of people who have ‘love at first sight’ bonds.

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