Bonding

How do I make my rabbits get along?

To bond a pair or a group of rabbits you need to start them off in a small space which is gradually expanded over time. The 24/7 technique sees the best results and is most ethical. This involves putting rabbits together and monitoring them 24/7 until they are safe to leave unwatched. It is vital that rabbits can establish a hierarchy first before they can begin properly making friends and live together in a full-sized housing. A huge amount of care needs to be given to each bond to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the rabbits involved. 

How to start bonding
To bond your rabbits, put them together in quite a small space (5 panels of a typical puppy pen should be right for most small groups of rabbits) where neither rabbits have been before. There should be nothing but hay covering the floor with one water bowl. Leave them together 24/7 whilst supervising their behaviours. This goes on until they can be trusted to live together unsupervised or you decide they're not a beneficial match for each other.

Behaviours to allow:

• Humping

• Nipping

• Fur pulling

• Lunging

• Chasing

Behaviours to stop:
(stop the behaviour by gently restraining the aggressor until their body tension relaxes rather than stopping the bond)

• Biting (much harder than nipping)

• Head Humping (to begin with until you know they can be trusted)

• Tight circling

• Fighting (locked on, spinning)

It's ok to be naturally more cautious at first but over time you will learn their cues and what behaviours are safe. Be careful with googling. There's lots of outdated and unethical information. After 24 hours of very few difficult behaviours, you can extend the space or add a litter tray or hide. More information on the 24/7 bonding technique can be found in our Bonding Guide!

Help bonding rabbits
Bonding can be a time-consuming and difficult process. We offer personalised walkthroughs of the process as a service for all rabbits adopted from the rescue, as well as bunnies who are not part of the rescue but need assistance in getting along. For non Ivy Dene rabbits we’re also happy to help but we do ask for a donation to the rescue in order to support our work.

At Ivy Dene we sometimes work with The BunnyJackpot Foundation to matchmake rabbits who have more complex communication styles. While some rabbits are harder to bond than others, you should never give up. The team has matched thousands of rabbits since they began working together and have not found a bunny yet who hasn’t managed to make a friend! We run quarterly “bondathons” with The BunnyJackpot Foundation so if your rabbit is looking for love then get in touch.

Rabbit bonding using a dating method
In the past dating methods were recommended to match rabbits however in recent years this approach has become outdated as it has been shown to be less successful and less ethical than 24/7 bonding. This is because when rabbits are put together repeatedly and then separated, it needlessly extends the bonding period and creates a lot of unnecessary confusion and stress.

Will rabbits become friends if they’re kept next to one another?
When rabbits live near each other but separate, they are not making any progress on the bond and are simply raising the stakes for when they eventually meet. This is not a form of bonding and is unhelpful.

How long after a rabbit is neutered can they be bonded?
All rabbits must be neutered at least 6 weeks prior to bonding.

Why are my rabbits fighting?
All rabbit relationships are different and scuffles, chasing and humping can all be normal behaviours. True fighting where the rabbits lock together and there are injuries should be taken more seriously. If rabbits are not neutered, this is the reason why. They should be separated, neutered and appropriately re-bonded. Rabbits may also fight because they are in pain or distress. You should take all rabbits involved in a true fight for a full health check with an exotic vet. It’s worth remembering that not all rabbits will get on. Fighting rabbits may just not like each other and might need friends who are a better match for them.

Stress bonding rabbits
Do not use any stress bonding techniques to force rabbits to be friends through fear. This is cruel and unnecessary. 

Can a rabbit live alone?
Rabbits are very social animals so keeping one by themselves isn’t fair. They get lonely very easily and will suffer if they don’t have a bun-friend to keep them company. Making sure your rabbit is property bonded with a companion (or more) is vital to their overall health and wellbeing.