An important decision must be made...

I tried, and failed, to bond Daisy and Freya. They had the worst fight I've ever seen rabbits have, although I know my experience is fairly limited.

So my question now is, where do I go from here? Getting them companions is out of thre question as I already have 7 rabbits and a dog.

Freya has now been alone for 2 years, after failed bondings with Kuja, Cid, Vivi and now Daisy. I think she wants company, she certainly loves attention, just I don't have the right partner for her.

Daisy has been poorly looked after for 3 years of her life now, and she too deserves some company.

So my options basically are: Keep them alone, or rehome them... Which I am not keen on doing, but I have to think about my bunnies. I was stupid and ignorant when I got Freya, I assumed she'd happily go with Cid and it was as easy as that, and ofcourse it wasn't because Cid is definately a loner bunny.

My other problem is, the local rescue has stopped running, because I was going to ask them to have a go at bonding. But this also means I have no idea where to contact to find homes. I would hang onto them here until I could find a home I guess but if I do rehome... It certainly has to be with company otherwise.. Its totally against the point. The other local rescues I think don't take rabbit pairing as seriously as the Northumberland one does...

What do you guys think? What do you think would be best for my buns? This is a terrible situation, especially after all Daisy has been through and poor Freya being alone for so long due to my own stupidity...

Hope someone has some advice to offer - I feel lost

Oh honey what a terrible quandry.
As you have tried to bond freya with so many perhaps she really doesnt want a friend? Perhaps you could try and bond daisy into a group with your others and keep freya as a lone bun?
Some buns just dont want to be bonded and perhaps freya is one of those?

oh hello, I'm also in the Newcastle area

Just because bunnies fight doesn't always mean a bond won't work. Harvey and Zero used to absolutely tear into each other but they are now happily bonded in my group.

Whereabouts are you? I've done a lot of bonding with my lot so I wouldn't mind helping you out or coaching you through it.

That is a really kind suggestion Nicola. I think having someone else to help would give you the confidence to try again.

Gloria and Wolfie were very aggressive at the beginning. I had to keep them apart although in the same run. In the end, they managed to get together, had a massive scrap (there was fur everywhere) and sorted out their differences. Whilst I would NEVER suggest this as a way of going ahead, it shows that some bonds can work eventually even if they look very dodgy at the beginning.

Well I suppose Ill try again over the Summer holidays, then if that fails Ill try Daisy with Vivi/Bea or Kuja/Lani.

Then if all that fails and fails again then Ill ask this question again.

I suppose I shouldn't give up so easily and after all Daisy has been through another home isn't what I want for her, or for Freya, I love them, very much.

It's not like you haven't tried, and with the best will in the world, it just hasn't worked, I really feel for you. I think Nicola's offer is worth taking up It is true that some buns are just unbondable, whether or not Freya is one is possible, as you say, she loves attention, and some buns just bond with their owners, she has been through a lot, and maybe this just isn't the right time?

Wonder if this will help her or not, but could she be a part house, part outdoor bunny? If she had access to your lounge every day for a while, she may well love the company and indoor intercation with you, and it'll be a stress free time away from the others... It may be worth a trial?

I'm sure you'll see it good though, we know how much they mean to you.

no problem, all it might need is the confidence of knowing there is someone around. Let me know if you need any help hun

They are all indoors, but with me working and the OH working she basically gets her excersise time and many passing nose-rubs. I had them eating together today and they're fine when eating, so I figure my plan of attack willbe to try my best with them on weekends where I have the whole day available for bonding, and then on weekdays just give them the usual excersise time together, because on weekdays really with the dog and the 7 rabbits I don't have time to spare on bonding, especially not when I have teachery stuff to do, if that makes sense... Weekdays is bare minimum really.

Nicola wherabouts in Newcastle are you? Im in Ashington.

I have bonded bunnies before but to be honest Im still a noob at it, and it takes me ages.

When I was jobless, though, time was not an issue.

I am in Wallsend hun, starting a job in Morpeth soon as well so will be able to pop over on an evening after work maybe

Sorry I didnt mean to ignore that response :-) For the time being Im just gonna feed them together and spend an hour or two with them at the weekends and during this half term then properly bond them in my 6 weeks summer so if I need some extra help then Ill PM you or such.

Thanks for your offer

Hope it all goes okay hunni x x x xx

Nose rubs to all x

Hmm I moved them in yesterday since it'd been going so well and it didn't work. I think Freya was too hot and grumpy, whenever she went to lie down Daisy would come and harass her...

Bah. Silly buns, if only they knew what was best for them if they can just get over the hormones/crazy instincts...

I know to well how you are feeling and how frustrating it is as I'm having the same problems at the moment after a bonded pair became a broken bond when the female had to go to the vets for an operation. We had to keep them apart while the female healed and have been trying to rebond them since with little success, at times I could burst into tears as I feel we are to blame but what could we do. They are in pens next to each other and they can see and smell each other all the time and when you put them together they are fine for about 20-30 minutes and then the male just turns on her and she screams and it's just awful. You have to split them up due to the screaming as it's horrendous and upset's all the other bunnies

I too know what you are going through and it is very distressing. I cannot add anything more to the great advice above, but I hope it sorts itself out love.

Hugs

Jo xx

Better today been together since 10:30 but there have just been afew tantrums so I guess tonight is not the night either.

Sounds like it is getting there though hunni.

Its a long time for them to be together. fingers crossed x x x x

So far so good, please let us know how they get on.

Hugs

Jo xx

We are all keeping our fingers and paws crossed here for them xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They're still together - but one sits at one side of the cage and one the other. They don't move, don't interact... Doesn't seem good... It worries me

These things take time honey, dont give up, they are just getting used to each other. x x

Freya actually groomed Daisy this morning, this is like, amazing. Freya never grooms anyone or anything and just demands grooming all the time... Daisy didn't even ask for it, Freya just hopped over and groomed her. Seriously shocked.

They had abit of a spat while I was asleep on the couch next to them but they woke me up and theyre fine still..

Now Im worried about Monday though coz I go back to work... Do I leave them and hope for the best, or split them 'till Im back?

Wow it sounds like its going really really well. This is brilliant!

I dont know about tomorrow. Maybe see how they go for the rest of today.

If you do separate them tomorrow then it would be a good idea to make sure they are next to each other and can see and smell each other!

Quite often when you are bonding, the rabbits might ignore each other. That can be a really good sign as long as they are in a small area because it means they don't see each other as a threat. There is no need to interact if you aren't scared. If the area is too big, they can mentally divide it and each protect their chosen territory. That's why you need a small space so they have to deal with their feelings about each other.

I would try to keep them together as much as possible until Monday and if you still aren't happy to leave them, do as Katie says and keep them side by side so they can still smell and see each other.

The grooming does sound very positive and it would be a shame if your moving them slowed that down.

Good luck, but it sounds promising.

Freya grooming Daisy is an excellent sign you should find things should get better now and they will settle down happily with each other

The cage they are in is 1m20, but I mixed thier sawdust around and swapped the base sides so both bunnies smells are everywhere and it seems to have worked, they have flopped together and groomed some more, but they do still go to seperate corners alot. Ill be sleeping on the couch with them again tonight and see what happens. Thier old cages are still down here and thier 'sleeping areas' are side-by-side. As I was bonding them I was swappig them cages and slowly moving the cages closer together.

Thanks everyone for the advice