Just wanted to give you all some encouragement if you’re going through the same thing with your bunnies not bonding! It’s been a long process and loads of waiting but they FINALLY are bonded and live together after 6 months!
These two used to fight like CRAZY. Sandy (1yrs, spayed, dwarf) was the one who hated Gary (1 yrs, neutered) from the start which was frustrating because I bought her to be Gary’s partner because his past owner told me he has always been bonded to another bunny.
When I first got Sandy, I took it slow and had her adjust to her new living situation alone and independently away from Gary for an entire month while Gary healed from his neutering. Then I had them hangout in the same room with a gate dividing them for about an hour everyday for a week. After that, I had them meet and Gary was VERY excited while Sandy was not. There was no aggression but Sandy always seemed annoyed. She would start thumping when she had enough and I’d always end up bringing her back up stairs and then she’d be happy again.
The cycle repeated and nothing ever seemed to get better. In fact it started getting worse because they eventually started fighting. That’s when I started rewinding the process by keeping them separated but in the same room for an hour each day so they could get used to each other. Then one night I went to go check on them and Gary had somehow got out of his enclosure and into Sandy’s and there was blood splattered EVERYWHERE. And A LOT of it.. It was actually traumatic. I was balling my eyes out. Luckily there was no injuries somehow & I took them to the vet to get checked out (costed me $300) and I genuinely almost gave up bonding them at this point. I basically did, I didn’t have them see each other for a couple months at this point and they just lived independently during this time.
After their couple month break, I re introduced them in a tiny enclosed area with treats and snacks and I sat inside it with them the entire time. Sandy would hide beside me the first few times and would try to climb up on top of me to get away but the fighting finally stopped. That’s when I opened the enclosure and let them meet in the open and although Sandy would run away from him still, she finally started EATING her snacks in the same room as him which was unheard of before. She finally felt relaxed enough to eat. After a about a week of play dates like that, and no fighting, aggression or annoyance, I finally felt comfortable to leave them together (with LOTS of checking in on them) and they’ve been amazing every since😭 it’s been a month and Sandy grooms and licks him, they eat together, and lay together!!!!
I am so happy lol😭 I feel like I’ve been waiting for this moment forever. Just wanted to share my story because I absolutely thought they would NEVER get along after their big fight and I fully thought Sandy loved her independence but I was luckily wrong!
by Accomplished_Leg6676