Bonding advise needed!

Hello all, we've had Miffy here 2 weeks now and things aren't seeming to look any more encouraging than day one as far as bonding her with Buttons goes!

We have had them in cages next to each other ever since she came here, and they both have runs attached, we swapped them over into each others cages last week so they get used to each others smell, and we keep swapping their litter trays over or putting stray poos in the others litter tray and they haven't seemed to mind any of this!

However, they won't sit next to each other still and they both tend to lay on their shelves at the opposite ends of the cages! It's all very antisocial! This can't be a good sign can it?


When buttons sticks his nose through the bars in the run, or puts his head down asking her for grooming she just yanks a massive clump of fur out if the top of his head!! He obviously wants to actually be friends with her now, but it's now her that is being aggressive!

Anyone know what I should do next? We were considering taking the shelves away completely so they can't just sit at opposite ends, but is this maybe just risking angry bunnies? The other option we thought of is moving the shelves so they are next to each other and see what happens!

Please help! I'm starting to feel like this bond may never happen which would mean having to take Miffy back to the RSPCA, because I don't have room to keep two bunnies separately forever! But we are already so in love with Miffy we wouldn't want to take her back!

It is still early days Lizzie. Moving the shelves may be a good idea to see if they will sit together. It normally takes quite a while to build a blind bond - where your bun did not go dating. I would expect it to take a good 4-6 weeks in most circumstances before you are moving into face to face bonding.

Thanks Cheryl, I know it's early days, you know what it's like though, you have these doubting moments!! I've just moved their entire cages around and put the shelfs next to each other! I think it was a good idea! This is what happened as soon as I put them back in!



Fingers crossed they seem more interested this week!

That was my first thought too. I don't think it is 'I don't want to be near you' so much as 'I want to be up here, which just happens to be at the opposite side from you'.

The body language I have seen on the videos (although brief) seemed pretty good. It might well be that Miffy won't yank fur when they are properly face-to-face without bars in between, and on new neutral territory rather than him poking his fur into 'her' side.

I think it's way too early to worry about having to send her back and I doubt very much that you would need to, from what I have seen so far

I agree with Sparky - they probably both just liked being on the shelves, and these were just opposite. They look really chilled in the above picture!

I know when Willow & Mojo were side-by-side it was actually a lot more "intense" when they touched through the bars than when I had them together in an open space. Willow would be a bit nippy/grunty when Mojo spoke to her through the bars, I think it was just excitement.

Keep at it and please don't assume the worst. I'm sure it will go well given time

Good luck!

another agreement with sparky here