BONDING
Bunnies
are happiest in pairs!! The easiest way to have a pair of
bunnies is to adopt a pair from Rabbit Rescue! However, if
you already have one bunny and are looking for a friend,
Rabbit Rescue can help you find just the right match!
Who is the
Best Match?
To start
with, both bunnies must be altered... not just to avoid
accidental and unwanted litters, but because unaltered
rabbits are usually too territorial to bond. (For more
information on the benefits of altering your rabbit, please
visit our spay/neuter page!). You will be more
successful if you wait a full two months after altering has
taken place, to ensure that hormones have fully dropped.
Size, breed,
colour, does not matter for bonding. What is much more
important, is personality. The best match is a
dominant and submissive. Two dominant bunnies will be
difficult to bond. Depending on where you get your new
bunny from, you may want to quarantine the new bunny for
several weeks before having him/her in the same room as your
current rabbit.
How to begin
You can begin
by placing the two rabbit cages side by side but not
close enough for them to be able to touch. By
doing this, they will begin to get used to each others
scents and presence. If your rabbits are free range,
you can divide their room or space with a double layer of
baby gates or X-pens (allowing a small space in between so
they can not touch). You can allow separate times out
of their cages but be sure they can not bite each other
through the bars. You can also begin to switch litter
boxes. We recommend this for 2-3 weeks.
Switching cages and litter boxes will help decrease
territoriality.
Introductions
When you
think they can be introduced to each other (no aggression
through cages, trying to lay beside each other etc), it must
be done in a neutral territory where they have never been
before (IE bathroom, kitchen, hall etc). Have gloves or oven
mitts, spray bottle with water, towel, blankets ready in
case there is fighting. Injuries occur quickly, so you will
need to act fast and separate them. (if any injuries
occur, call your bunny savvy vet right away).
To start,
bonding sessions should only be 1-2 minutes long; even if
they are getting along, as it is important not to rush
thing. Watch for aggressive signs such as ears back,
tail up and discourage chasing, circling and do NOT let them
fight. You want bonding sessions to be a pleasant
experience, so offer lots of petting, treats, toys etc and
be sure to end things on a positive note.
Mounting is
usually a safe sign of dominance as long as the bunny being
mounted is not frightened or aggressive. Do not allow
backwards mounting or head mounting! This can be dangerous
if the bunny being mounted decides to bite. Rabbits DO hold
grudges so a bad session can slow down the bonding process
and you may have to start from the beginning, or take a few
steps back.
Dates
If bonding is
going well, you can increase the time by a few minuets at
each session. If after many sessions they do not seem any
closer, you may want to try car rides. Place the
bunnies in a laundry basket, box or something they are easy
to get out of incase of fighting. Have someone sit
with them in the back, and have someone else take them on a
short drive. Often they will look to each other for
comfort during scarier times like being in the car. The ride
can be short (5minutes will do) as you do not want to stress
them out too much. When you get home, turn the engine
off and sit with them in the car for a few minutes. If
you wind up having to do multiple car rides, you can
increase the amount of time you sit with them in the car
after the engine has turned off.
Some bonds
can take days (love at first sight...possible but not
common), while others can take months of bonding.
Either way, bonding is certainly worth the effort you will
need to put into it. The key to successful bonding is
patience and taking it VERY slowly.
Three or More
Three way
bonds are not easy..but not always impossible. Again, the
important things are taking is slow, finding the right match
and making sure all bunns are spayed and neutered. Often
three way bonds are easiest if you already have a same sex
pair (then the third rabbit would be opposite sex to the
pair). The same steps apply, and only do one bunny bond at a
time (ie do not have all three out at the same time for
sessions).
Rabbits and Other
Animals
While rabbits
prefer a friend of the same species, it does not mean that
they can not get along with other species as well. It is
VERY important to take things VERY slow and supervise all
time spend together. Some cats and rabbits get along
well. Many cats and rabbits to NOT get along, so if
you are unsure of how they will react to each other, go
slowly and never leave them unsupervised together.
Some rabbits and cats actually bond very tightly - and
others can not tolerate each other at all.
If you are
considering adopting a bunny, we recommend you think about
adopting a bonded pair. Quite often they are less work than
looking after one bunny (they have each other for
entertainment if you are busy, or gone at work all day) and it saves you from having
to go through the bonding process. Rabbit Rescue
always has wonderful bonded pairs up for adoption.
Rabbits usually do fine on their own if you have lots of
time to spend with them. However, they are such social
animals that we believe they are happier with a bunny
friend, and are great company for each other if you are not
home during the day. Please visit our bonded bunnies
that are looking for a home:
http://www.rabbitrescue.ca/adoption/bondedpairs.html
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