# Bonding



## jaxb05 (Apr 12, 2009)

I had Amos and Pickles together today. Pickle's hid in wee tent thing that I have for them. Amos was happily running about. I took Pickle's out of the tent - not sure if it was the right thing to do or not. It was clearly evident that she was terrified. She did follow him behind the bed. I was worried there would be a fight - so was ready to pull out the bed. Amos ran away after stomping his feet. Pickles just sat shaking. I picked her up and gave her a cuddle - but she was shaking so badly that I could feel her against me. I was afraid she'd have a heart attack. I decided it was time to put her back out to the shed. I gave her a treat for being so good. She just doesn't like the house at all. I felt so sad seeing her shake so badly. Poor wee darling.
Did I do anything wrong or should I have done something else to help them?
Many thanks.
Jax


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## nicky1234 (Feb 15, 2010)

Bonding them for very short periods over a few weeks is the best way to do it so you seem to be doing whats right. Bonding them somewhere neutral that neither calls 'home' helps. If Pickels is very timid and unsure though you could always try putting Amos somewhere that Pickles feels more confident. 

Another good way of bonding rabbits is to put them both in a carrier and take them for a short ride in the car. Sounds strange but its worked many many times when all else fails. They just seem to arrive home loving each other!


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

Bonding is stressful for buns, if you are going to do it then set aside a weekend and a neutral small pen and do not seperate them unless theres a big fight. They need to sort themselves out an the quicker its done the quicker they can enjoy eachother, putting them together in a big area thats not neutral and then seperating them will cause them alot more stress and will take longer to bond them.

Id put them in a carrier in the car and take them for a drive of failing that put them in a carrier next to the washing machine on a spin cycle so they are encouraged to snuggle up together for reassurance.


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

nicky1234 said:


> Bonding them for very short periods over a few weeks is the best way to do it so you seem to be doing whats right. Bonding them somewhere neutral that neither calls 'home' helps. If Pickels is very timid and unsure though you could always try putting Amos somewhere that Pickles feels more confident.


Disagree with you there you undo alot of work seperating the rabbits, ive never taken longer than 12 hours to bond a pair of buns and took 2 weeks to bond my four only because i made the mistake of seperating them for a night due to work and ended up at square one again.


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## jaxb05 (Apr 12, 2009)

Thanks Nicky and crofty. I am using a neutral room - the spare room. Pickle's has never been there.
Unfortunately I don't drive - so I would need to find someone to take me for a drive with the rabbits - I will try the washing machine - sounds like a good idea.
Amos' hutch is in Pickle's shed. When she is in the shed - she is obsessed with him. walking up and down his hutch and trying to bite her way in. Pooping lots outside the hutch. I was advised to put the hutch in with her - I hope that's ok.


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## Baby British (Jan 24, 2010)

Just wanted to wade in and say that it was Crofty's method that worked for me and Zebs had been on his own for 2 years prior to being introduced to Blossom. I did have a slight advantage in that I had just bought a new hutch so it was a neutral territory that both could be placed in at the same time. After that I spent 2 days just supervising them with my trusty water squirter to hand if either or started to get shirty. It probably took about 3 days until they were comfortable with one another but now they are bestest buds!


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## nicky1234 (Feb 15, 2010)

Yes thats usually the best way to start off a meeting, or so i have found anyway. That way they can say hello without anyone getting hurt.


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

jaxb05 said:


> Thanks Nicky and crofty. I am using a neutral room - the spare room. Pickle's has never been there.
> Unfortunately I don't drive - so I would need to find someone to take me for a drive with the rabbits - I will try the washing machine - sounds like a good idea.
> Amos' hutch is in Pickle's shed. When she is in the shed - she is obsessed with him. walking up and down his hutch and trying to bite her way in. Pooping lots outside the hutch. I was advised to put the hutch in with her - I hope that's ok.


Thats territorial behaviour, shes being aggressive biting the hutch and the pooing is marking her territory which is natural behaviour as you have put him in her territory but its good she is getting used to seeing him and him being around. If it were me i would wait for the weather to warm up and then bring them in for a couple of days for bonding so you can supervise and do not seperate them. In the meantime you can neutralise the shed, id disinfect it, renew the toys of neutralise them too, then give it a spray with vinegar to get rid of her scent then give it a good 24 hours to dry. Then you can move them in when they are bonded. Start with a small pen and if there is no problems and they are settled slowly increase it.


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## nicky1234 (Feb 15, 2010)

crofty said:


> Disagree with you there you undo alot of work seperating the rabbits, ive never taken longer than 12 hours to bond a pair of buns and took 2 weeks to bond my four only because i made the mistake of seperating them for a night due to work and ended up at square one again.


I had a bad experience with bonding too bunnies this way, left them together as you said (which Id been told to do) and let them have a sniff and a thump at each other, watched them very carefully and they seemed fine. After 30 mins or so of being together they started fighting quite badly so I separated them. After that they would not tolerate being anywhere near each other, not even in separate cages next to each other. I now bond slowly in small doses and it works fine. Takes a week or so but they get used to each other gradually and any dominance is still sorted without anyone getting hurt.

Everyone has their own way though, just try whatever you feel is best for your two.


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## jaxb05 (Apr 12, 2009)

Thanks everyone. I am not sure how to make the area smaller - maybe go into the loo for a few hours with them.


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

nicky1234 said:


> I had a bad experience with bonding too bunnies this way, left them together as you said (which Id been told to do) and let them have a sniff and a thump at each other, watched them very carefully and they seemed fine. After 30 mins or so of being together they started fighting quite badly so I separated them. After that they would not tolerate being anywhere near each other, not even in separate cages next to each other. I now bond slowly in small doses and it works fine. Takes a week or so but they get used to each other gradually and any dominance is still sorted without anyone getting hurt.
> 
> Everyone has their own way though, just try whatever you feel is best for your two.


You let them fight thats where it went wrong. A fight should NEVER be allowed to start, its important to watch their behaviour and stop any signs of agression with a quick spray of water or loud noise.

Jax how old and shaky is your washing machine? If its quite a shaky one when on the spin cycle try putting them both in the carrier and sitting it on top of the machine. Has the same effect of making them feel wary and go to each other for comfort in the same way the car journey does.


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

nicky1234 said:


> I had a bad experience with bonding too bunnies this way, left them together as you said (which Id been told to do) and let them have a sniff and a thump at each other, watched them very carefully and they seemed fine. After 30 mins or so of being together they started fighting quite badly so I separated them. After that they would not tolerate being anywhere near each other, not even in separate cages next to each other. I now bond slowly in small doses and it works fine. Takes a week or so but they get used to each other gradually and any dominance is still sorted without anyone getting hurt.
> 
> Everyone has their own way though, just try whatever you feel is best for your two.


Well you should never leave them unsupervised, the trick is to distract them once the show aggressive signs brewing up for a fight, you dont just put them in and let them get on with it. Fights can happen whether you bond this way or your way. All the rescues i know bond with this method and find keep seperating the buns just undoes the work you have done. I never seperate my bonded buns not even to go to the vets.


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

jaxb05 said:


> Thanks everyone. I am not sure how to make the area smaller - maybe go into the loo for a few hours with them.


Yes thats a good place to start


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

crofty said:


> Well you should never leave them unsupervised, the *trick is to distract them* once the show aggressive signs brewing up for a fight, you dont just put them in and let them get on with it. Fights can happen whether you bond this way or your way. All the rescues i know bond with this method and find keep seperating the buns just undoes the work you have done. I never seperate my bonded buns not even to go to the vets.


A nice big bowl of their fave veg works well to distract them! I keep saying rabbits are like men, always thinking of their bellies.


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

Kammie said:


> A nice big bowl of their fave veg works well to distract them! I keep saying rabbits are like men, always thinking of their bellies.


Lol im a mean mummy i squirted them with water haha!! I never needed to do that bonding my pairs though they were easy!


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

crofty said:


> Lol im a mean mummy i squirted them with water haha!! I never needed to do that bonding my pairs though they were easy!


I had to squirt Rosie a few time when bonding her with Charlie. I found that giving them a nice big spring green leaf was the best thing I could have done, they had a little game of tug-a-war with it then cuddled up together for the first time once it was gone.


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## nicky1234 (Feb 15, 2010)

As I said in my post they were supervised very closely, they were never left alone. And they didnt fight and hurt each other, as soon as one bunny jumped at the other he was taken out immediately. No one got hurt and there was no signs of aggression before that, just a thump when they were first put together. 

As I said everyone has different methods and this one works for me. Once they are fully bonded I would never separate them as theyre already friends by then, once theyve made that bond you know about it, but putting them together for increasing amounts of time never seems to fail. 

They're like humans, if you were thrown in a room with another person you've never met before you would quickly get fed up of them and want your own space if you're used to being on your own. If you get to know this other person gradually over a few meets before you're made to live with them 24/7 your much more likely to get along.


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

nicky1234 said:


> As I said in my post they were supervised very closely, they were never left alone. And they didnt fight and hurt each other, as soon as one bunny jumped at the other he was taken out immediately. No one got hurt and there was no signs of aggression before that, just a thump when they were first put together.
> 
> As I said everyone has different methods and this one works for me. Once they are fully bonded I would never separate them as theyre already friends by then, once theyve made that bond you know about it, but putting them together for increasing amounts of time never seems to fail.
> 
> They're like humans, if you were thrown in a room with another person you've never met before you would quickly get fed up of them and want your own space if you're used to being on your own. If you get to know this other person gradually over a few meets before you're made to live with them 24/7 your much more likely to get along.


Rabbits are nothing like humans 

This method has worked time and time again for pairs and ive bonded a difficult group of four using this method plus most rescues bond this way thats proof enough for me that its more effective.

But yeh eeryone has different opinions.


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## nicky1234 (Feb 15, 2010)

Didnt work for me though im afraid, and doing is slowly does. Maybe they were just a difficult pair, but after that they were never go near each other and I dont want to take that risk again with any future bunnies.


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

nicky1234 said:


> Didnt work for me though im afraid, and doing is slowly does. Maybe they were just a difficult pair, but after that they were never go near each other and I dont want to take that risk again with any future bunnies.


If buns have a big fight you need to give them a few days to forget about it and start again.


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## nicky1234 (Feb 15, 2010)

Unfortunately they had weeks and still would not even tolerate being in cages next to each other. It was a shame...but both are living happily now with other rabbits.


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## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

I've used both methods, with Rascal and Kodi I left them together all the time, but then they were easy they didnt kick up much of a fuss to be honest.
I had never bonded before and I picked Rascal up from the RSPCA and they didnt mention how the hell to get them to live together, so I just put them in the run! Not neutral, not very big, nowhere to hide, and I left them to it really. They were laying together after a few hours!

With the Nethies and Rascal, I put them in runs next to each other for the 1st day then the 2nd day let them together for about an hour, then away. Then the next day I left them for 2-3 hours, etc etc. I did it this way because Rascal was getting really beat up by Gyspy hitting him on the head, and I cant watch them 24/7, so that was the way it had to be done, and it worked. Gypsy and Rascal are now best friends, Marley just ignores him really, lol!

I am going to try and bond my 5 together, and I will be using the slower method because I just don't have anywhere they can stay for me to watch them 24/7. I cant bring 5 buns into the house, I cant stay with them, they will have to meet when I can watch them. Had a couple of meetings so far and not too bad.

See what works really. I know the most used method is watch them for 2 days but some people just cant do that, they either have no spare room, the buns are outdoors and cant be brought in or just cant get the time to watch them 24/7 I understand why rescues use it, because they can, thats what they do for a job lol.

*Heidi*


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## crofty (May 2, 2008)

nicky1234 said:


> Unfortunately they had weeks and still would not even tolerate being in cages next to each other. It was a shame...but both are living happily now with other rabbits.


Not all bunnies will bond no matter what method you use.


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## Kammie (Apr 4, 2009)

crofty said:


> Not all bunnies will bond no matter what method you use.


I found this out with Rosie and George. No matter what I tried they tried to attack each other on sight so now George is a house rabbit with a partner and Rosie lives outside with a partner to limit stress.


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