Bonding with Triangle Rabbits
Triangle Rabbits offers a “Foster to Adopt” option for families interested in finding a friend for their rabbit. Foster to Adopt families follow our bonding guidelines below.
Triangle Rabbits Bonding Procedure
Side-by-side living
Set up two exercise pens next to each other so they are close to each other, but not close enough to bite noses through the bars. An untreated wood 2 x 4, or other spacer such as PVC, placed between the pens will keep the bunnies from pushing the pens together and biting.
Each rabbit will have their own pen.
A good pen arrangement is to have the litter boxes on opposite sides of the pens and their food and water bowls next to each other. Rabbits often bond while eating so this will give them an additional chance to have a bonding experience.
Many times the resident rabbit will be free run and the temptation will be to try to find a way to allow them to continue to be free run during the bonding process. This will prolong the bonding process and may even prevent it, as the rabbits need to be in close proximity in order to get to know each other. The more hours in the day they spend close to one another the sooner they will either start bonding or you will know they are not interested.
Plan for exercise time for each rabbit.
A divider with a double fence can be placed in front of the penned in rabbit while the other one has exercise time, then the fence can be moved while the other one has their run time.
If they are in a family space, make sure a double fence is around the penned in rabbit so the free rabbit cannot stick their nose into the pen.
After allowing one week for the new rabbit to settle in and let both rabbits get used to seeing each other, have the rabbits switch pens every night. The only exception to this would be if one of the rabbits has just had their spay/neuter done prior to coming for bonding. Then you would not want to start switching them up for two weeks.
Rarely a rabbit will become upset or stressed with switching pens. If you notice that this is very stressful for one of the rabbits you can switch their belongings instead (litter boxes, toys, etc.).
The rabbits should continue side by side living in their daily, switched pens for two weeks before any face to face interaction occurs. This is a very important step, as trying to bond them too soon can cause an unnecessary fight, and any fighting is only going to delay bonding or may prevent it altogether.
During the side by side living period, observe the rabbits for signs of interest in one another.
Do they hop over to each other? Groom at the same time? Do they seem relaxed? These are all signs of interest.
Eventually you should see them start to lay next to each other on their sides of the pen. This is a good sign that they like each other and you are ready to start the face to face bonding process.
It's important to listen to them and watch their body language at this stage. If the rabbits seem disinterested (never pay each other any attention) or continuously aggressive then it may be better to try a different friend.
Face to face bonding
The dating period, where the rabbits will be interacting face to face for the first time can take anywhere from weeks to months. Be patient! It will take less time the more dates you allow them to have during this time period, every day is ideal as rabbits need time to get used to each other’s movements and close presence.
Rabbits are very territorial by nature. During the dating period your job will be to observe their behavior and allow it to continue if it furthers their journey towards resolving who will be dominant, or to stop it if it becomes detrimental to that journey. Before starting it is helpful to become as familiar as possible with rabbit body language and what are common bonding behaviors. Please know that there is no manual for how to do this, and always err on the side of caution if you are unsure. You will become more familiar as you proceed, and never be afraid to contact Triangle Rabbits for help.
The bonding space should be an area neither rabbit has been in before (neutral territory).
It should be a small space; a bathroom is often a good space, a blocked off hallway, or a 4’ x 4’ x pen as you want to be able to intervene easily if necessary.
There should be nothing in the space except for you, a partner and the rabbits as early on in bonding it is helpful not to have anything they can get territorial over.
Supplies to keep on hand:
A dustpan, sturdy broom or similar item to place between rabbits should a tussle break out.
Gloves or a towel you can use for picking up the rabbits if they are biting so you do not get injured in the crossfire.
A water bottle so that you can spray them with water if you need to break up a fight.
Before placing the rabbits together, give yourself a mental check to make sure you are relaxed! Take some deep cleansing breaths if necessary. It’s very normal to feel nervous, especially if it is your first time bonding, but if you are extremely anxious the rabbits will pick up on your energy. You want the rabbits to know that you are in charge, even if you do not feel like it! They respect authority and you are the boss here.
Once you are calm, place both rabbits together on the floor next to each other, keeping your hands on them, quietly stroking them both. Start stroking at their heads, across the ears and down their bodies. Speak softly to them as they get used to being next to each other. Stop petting them and watch to see how they react.
Good first date behavior:
Ignoring each other and hopping around the room.
Bowing their heads and presenting face to face for grooming. You may encourage this by petting them for a minute or two.
Be on the alert behavior:
Immediate nipping, especially if the other one retaliates by also nipping. If the other rabbit runs away, this can be playful so just watch carefully. Nipping is a part of rabbit language so it is important to observe how the other rabbit takes the nipping and of course, discourage any nipping in the face where injury could occur.
Mounting - this is a normal dominant behavior that you will see - pay attention to the other rabbit’s reaction to it. If the other rabbit is okay with it, allow it for a minute, then gently push the rabbit off. Never let a rabbit mount the other rabbit’s head and if the mounting starts a fight stop it immediately.
Charging or chasing - this can go along with mounting as it is a dominant behavior that can be playful, but it all depends on the interpretation of the other rabbit. If it starts a fight, do not allow it.
Aggressive behavior:
Circling and biting.
Do not be discouraged if the first date ends with what seems to be little progress - one or both rabbits going to aggression rather quickly. A good first date is 15 minutes so if you can keep them calmly laying together for that long you have done well! Just remember that the more often you have dates, the more quickly they will bond.
IMPORTANT RULE #1:
Often people get confused by the difference between nipping and biting. Biting is a deliberate attack. You can see it in the rabbit’s body language - their ears will be bent back at a 45 degree angle. Their tail goes straight up. The minute you see this body language, or circling start, stop the behavior by placing both rabbits side by side and calmly pet them. Leave them on the floor and not pick them up. See if they can act calmly after that. If not, lay them side by side, speak quietly to them, and end the date.
IMPORTANT RULE #2:
Alway end dates on a positive note. If you have just had to separate them due to a spat, make sure you place them back side by side for some petting before you end the session. Or if you see them doing some positive bonding behaviors on their own, like grooming themselves simultaneously or laying in a relaxed position even if it is on opposite sides of the room, you may end the session.
IMPORTANT RULE #3:
Do your absolute best not to let the rabbits fight. One of the important tasks we are trying to achieve is for them to trust each other and a fight, especially where one gets hurt will not help the process. When you are inexperienced it is easy to have accidents happen. As stated above, the more often you have bunny dates, the more the rabbits will get used to each other and will resolve their dominance issues. Your job is to monitor them and make sure that they are able to achieve this in a safe manner. As long as you are seeing progress, meaning less squabbles over grooming, less mounting, less nipping and chasing, you are on the right track.
How do I know if they are making progress?
What you are looking for with each bonding session is progress from where you were before. If they were fighting and now you have two rabbits ignoring each other, you have progress. If they have been ignoring each other and now they seem a little interested in each other, that is progress - take the small victories! As you see some victories, reward them with more space, or add in some toys or a litter box or two. If these cause issues you can always remove them.
Backsliding is normal too! For every two steps forward, you may see a step backwards. They may just not be “feeling it” that day. Keep pushing forward!
Ideas for when you seem stuck
It is totally normal for two rabbits to appear to get “stuck” in what seems like lack of progress. Lack of progress can be:
Complete standoff with grooming - one wants grooming, does not get it, then nips or starts to fight with the other
Mounting just won’t stop and causes a fight
Nipping and chasing is better but still going on
‘I’m just not that into you’. This means continual lack of interest on the part of one rabbit towards the other. This is a red flag. If there is complete disinterest on the part of one rabbit the bonding is not likely to work.
Try changing things up
Add toys and boxes to the bonding area as a distraction.
Add a touch of banana to their foreheads to encourage grooming.
Try feeding a big pile of their favorite greens to the rabbits during a bonding session.
Try a larger space.
Try a smaller space.
Try a different space.
Put them both in a laundry basket and stroll around the house.
Borrow a pet stroller and take them for a walk.
Sit them on a chair next to you while you are reading or talking on the phone (rabbits love to listen to their humans talk!).
Try a “stunt double” - place a stuffed animal that is about rabbit sized in each of their pens. After one week, switch the stuffed animals. This can help them get used to one another.
Try fence bonding - divide the play space with a fence and let them have exercise time on either side. This can help them get used to seeing the other rabbit moving around their space. It can also help curb chasing behavior, especially if one rabbit becomes nervous or upset at being chased.
Stress bonding
We aren’t generally fans of stress bonding - who needs extra stress? If the problem is continual fighting, though, a little stress added to the mix might help (this is not recommended if one rabbit is timid, only if both are fighting for dominance and you feel like you are at a standstill).
Here are some ideas:
Have the vacuum nearby and turn it on to startle them into stopping bad behaviors.
Take them on a short car ride. Place them both in a carrier, once in the car, remove the top of the carrier and hold the carrier on your lap, observing them while being driven around the neighborhood for about 15 minutes. They should just snuggle together and be calmer when you take them home and place them in the bonding area again.
If you do not want to go on a car ride, place them in a carrier and put the carrier on top of your clothes dryer. Put some old shoes in it on the AIR setting and run it for about 10-15 minutes, observing them from a distance.
Take a fake trip. Put them in a carrier and go for a walk around your house. Come back inside to neutral space.
Make a “stunt double” out of a large sponge, rolled up towels or stuffed animal the same size as the rabbits and duct tape it to a broom handle. If the rabbits start fighting in their area slowly reach the stunt double in the middle of them, this may distract them from fighting so they will calm down.
Good reminders
Be the benevolent ruler of the rabbit kingdom. Remember the mantra - you are in charge! You portray strength by attitude, and staying calm. During bonding sessions, keep up a dialogue with the rabbits. Tell them what you are thinking and how they are doing. If they are behaving themselves, praise them! Tell them “No bite!” if that is what you want. Remember, rabbits love hearing the sound of your voice. You will be amazed at how well they listen.
When your rabbits start showing positive progress you can increase the amount of time they are together. If they can spend several hours together without fighting you can increase their space, but still keep it neutral territory. Feel free to step out of the bonding space while still keeping an eye/ear on them and observe them for signs of affection. Do they lay near each other? Do they groom themselves at the same time? Can you catch one of them grooming the other? This is often a breakthrough, but they can also fool you by reverting back to squabbling after some grooming so do not think grooming once means they are bonded.
If the rabbits can successfully cohabit the larger space without disagreements you can try letting them into their mutual exercise area. Let them in at the same time since this is a crucial moment in the bonding process and you do not want one to come in first and start claiming the space as “his”. If entering their normal space causes some fighting, go back to the neutral territory and if all continues to be peaceful there, try their normal space again in a few days. You may need to be with them at this point to keep them calm. Once they are good together in their shared space you basically have a bonded pair. It is good to observe them for a day or so in their shared space while separating them at night unless you plan to sleep next to them the first night.
Congratulations!! You have successfully bonded a pair of rabbits!
