Bunny Bonding Advice Needed

As some of you know, we have two female bunny babies who are nearly 8 weeks old. Wow are they growing fast at the moment!!

One of the big reasons we got Pippin neutered yesterday was so in the future we can bond him with the little girls and have a trio. I have been researching rabbit bonding a lot recently and I feel confident (kind of) that it will all work out. I know how to do it and it will be a very gradual process. I just have one question that I'm finding it difficult to find full answers to anywhere else and it's frustrating me a little because I really don't want to make any mistakes.

Is it completely necessary to wait until the babies have been spayed before any introductions? I know that may sound like a silly question (sorry ). I have read that although Pippin cannot get the babies pregnant (I know it will take a while before his castration is at full effect) once the girls reach adolescence they will become agressive and could attack him. Obviously though because the girls are together and will fight at that time anyway, as soon as they reach that stage I will take them both to get spayed (we're already saving money for that expense!)

As girls seem to get spayed at an older age than males, it's going to be 4 months or so before the babies will be ready. It goes without saying that we will keep them seperate for that long if need be as I just want them all to be happy. But if it is possible to introduce them earlier then I would love that as Pippin is so curious about them already. Even if it's not possible for them to live together yet maybe it could be possible to let them have supervised play together when Pippin's ready? I would love to know what all you Happy Hoppers think xx

As yet the girls will be infertile and by the time their fertility kicks in Pippin should be "empty".... Supervised play should be fine IMO. However you may find that until he is feeling a bit less like a man, he may be too rough with them.

Thank you Do you think they could all move in together too when Pippin is 'empty' but before the babies are spayed? I mean as long as the bonding process goes well obviously.

I dont know anything about bonding hun - but i wanted to wish you lots of luck.

It will be wonderful when they are all together and living in pippins bunny mansion! What a lucky boy!

Thanks Katie I cannot wait until they are all living together. I hope it works out ok for them.

I think they will be OK if the bonding is supervised providing they are spayed as soon as possible and that Pippin goes to the vets with them to minimise the time they spend apart as that could ruin the bond and make a re-bond harder.

Some rabbits are very gentle with infants as they detect that they are not adults and need protecting and nurturing, so Pippin may take on the role of 'father' to some extent.

I have always waited 4 weeks post neuter but many other people wait 6 weeks to be 100% positive.

Thanks Sooz that's very helpful. We will get the little girls spayed as soon as they are ready.

Hollie and Rosie were 5 months old when they were bonded with Herbie and were not spayed at that point It was in October though when bunny hormones are probably less rampant!

Fingers crossed that your three fall madly in love

Hello

This is my first time posting anything on one of these things so here goes - however, I am sure that I have put this in the wrong bit. Please forgive me if I haven't!

I also have an query about bonding rabbits. I have a house rabbit called Billy. He is a seven month old gorgeous little boy. I have recently adopted a little lionhead girl that I have named Betsy. She is beautiful and is only 3 months old. I am gearing myself up to bond them this weekend. I was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to bond rabbits where one rabbit has lived in on his own (well with me if you get what I am saying) for a couple of months and he now feels that my home is his home! - and has to come to terms with a new arrival. He is very interested in her but on the one occasion I let them meet (I have only had Betsy for a couple of days) he did run at her. I think he has tried to nip her on a couple of occassions also.

I would be so grateful for any advice because I very much want to bond them without causing any unnecessary stress.

Leanne

Hi Leanne,

Welcome to HH

Im no good at bonding advice but there are lots of people on this site who are.

As a suggestion - pop this as a new post into "Tall Tales and Rabbit Chinwag" - it just means more people will see this as a new post and will know they need to respond to it.

The first thing I would consider when thinking about putting an iccle boy and iccle girl toghter is to make sure that he is neutered!

As for the rest - someone more qualified than me should be able to help.

Good luck,

And again welcome to HH. We love having new members and look forward to getting to know you and your bunsters better,

Katie