Bunny Bonding Tips Wanted!

[andreaS15]

Hi Everyone,

I'm starting my research on bonding bunnies.
I'm hoping if you have any Tips or good links for information you can share them with me here.

In case your not familor with my buns;
I want to start bonding Ani the girl bunny we found (she's almost a year old), with my bonded, neutered boy bunnies Baby (2 or 3 yrs) and Jackpot (1.5 years).

THANK YOU!

[ratty_ratkins]

first ALL the bunnies should be spayed/nuetered.
keep them in a pen next to eachother for a week or so. and then introduce them in a nuetral place like outside in a secure pen or in the bath tub.
everyone seems to have a diffrent way of introducing them. it depends on your situation i guess. just google "bunny bonding" and read every single thing that comes up. always remember to try www.rabbit.org for any question you may have.
some bonding takes time, but i have read that most take just two weeks. i am working on month 4 and 1/2 now!

[andreaS15]

Quote: Originally Posted by ratty_ratkins first ALL the bunnies should be spayed/nuetered. keep them in a pen next to eachother for a week or so. and then introduce them in a nuetral place like outside in a secure pen or in the bath tub. everyone seems to have a diffrent way of introducing them. it depends on your situation i guess. just google "bunny bonding" and read every single thing that comes up. always remember to try www.rabbit.org for any question you may have. some bonding takes time, but i have read that most take just two weeks. i am working on month 4 and 1/2 now!

Thanks.

What are the reasons for the animals having to be altered?
I have asked on another forum first if I could start my bonding before Ani is spayed and I have been told yes.
I would like to know your opinion and reasoning?
The more information I have the better I can come to my own decision.

So far I'm just in research mode. Gerbil bonding I can do, but this will be my first with bunnies.
I actually had decided to do it once Ani was spayed, but being i can't get her done untill i find work, and how lonley she is for rabbit attention I decided I best start asking questions now.

Thansk again for your quick responce!

[ratty_ratkins]

i have heard its because they wont breed (of course)
and
there hormones seriously affect bonding. they will be very very very much more likely to fight and render their bonding seriously unless altered.
from what i have heard...

[jewels]

why spay and neuter? it's all about the hormones

[andreaS15]

That was pretty much what I had thought, but then i'm reading about many people who have had sucessful bonding with a un-spayed female, with either another unspayed female or neutered male.

Ani will be spayed, but I'm not sure when. I'm out of work right now so I have no money for extra bills Isn't it always the way? she couldn't have come to me a couple week earlier when I was still working and had the money to spay her :p

Anyways, thank you for all the information.
I'm kind of leaning towards just letting them see one another, and play in the same area's at different times, but no actual contact untill after she is spayed and healed up.
It will be a slow progress, and though I want Ani to be happy and have companionship, I also don't want my boys stressing over a girl either.

To bad they aren't like mice, clean the cage put a new one in and everyone is happy :p

[nads]

Are bunnies really that aggressive towards outsiders? even baby bunnies?? I am also researching the "bonding" as well, because my boy bunny needs a friend. i heard a chinchila is a nice cage mate?

[andreaS15]

Quote: Originally Posted by nads Are bunnies really that aggressive towards outsiders? even baby bunnies?? I am also researching the "bonding" as well, because my boy bunny needs a friend. i heard a chinchila is a nice cage mate?

They can be, younger the better and of course nautered/spayed will have less hormones.

You don't want to house a rabbit with any other companion animal then a rabbit for many reasons, the main one being diet. Guinea pigs/Chinchillas have very different diatary needs then Buns, and two they cannot communicate to one another as the same species would. If a rabbit got ticked off it coudl kill a guinea pig/chinchilla.
So it's best to have same species companions, some pople will allow their guinea pigs to have a supervised play time with bunnies, but they do not live together.
My Bunnies actually like to watch my gerbils/hamsters, and my one bunny tries to play with my dog. So they can be social with other animals, but it's best they are not housed together.