The process of introducing two rabbits is known as bonding. As every rabbit is different and has its own personality, you cannot guarantee that two rabbits will bond. However, rabbits are gregarious and therefore predisposed to living together so the chances are good that the rabbits will get along.
You can give equal attention to both rabbits, but make sure the dominant rabbit doesn't feel left out. Don't prevent dominance rituals. There is no need to break up mounting, chasing, or be too worried about nipping.
In the natural order, some rabbits obtain dominant status and the others take subordinate status; they live in a clear hierarchy that is maintained amicably. Since dominance status is given by others, relationships can change depending on a rabbit's physical and mental health, and his environment.
Bonding rabbits can be an incredibly difficult and stressful process (but not always). However, you can find a friend for your rabbit if you take the time to plan and prepare for bonding. It usually takes between two weeks and two months to bond a pair of rabbits.
As a general rule, rabbits are bonded once they can spend 48 hours together without any chasing or aggressive behaviors. You also want to see positive signs such as grooming, sharing food, and sleeping next to each other to confirm that your rabbits feel safe around each other.
It can take a few weeks to a few months to combine two rabbits into a "bonded" pair.
Will rabbits chase after they are bonded? By the time your rabbits are fully bonded, you should hardly see any chasing at all. However, you might still see the occasional chase. Sometimes one rabbit will want to reassert their dominance, and sometimes one rabbit does something that upsets the other.
Bonded rabbits can also break their bond. This can happen if they've been separated, for example if one bunny needs to spend a few days at the vet. It can also happen if you move house, move or change your rabbit enclosure, or upset the hierarchy by introducing new rabbits.
Nipping will most likely happen at some point during the bonding process. It is normal and isn't always a negative action. Sometimes a rabbit will nip the other because they want him/her to groom them.
The easiest way to tell which one of your rabbits is dominant is to watch their grooming. A dominant rabbit will groom the other rabbits far less and for shorter periods of time than the other animals. A dominant rabbit will often thrust their heads towards the other rabbits.
If your rabbits are mounting each other a lot, instigating fights, stop them, place them side by side. Pet them together and talk to them quietly. Do not let much chasing ensue. If they are persistently aggressive, separate them to prevent injuries.
Do rabbits have dominant individuals? If you're watching a group of rabbits, you should be able to tell which is the dominant male – he's the one who is constantly patrolling his territory. You'll also notice that subordinates tend to move away when he approaches.
While female – male bonding tends to be easier, you can certainly bond two females or two males together. Next, each rabbit will require its own space with their own personal things.
One thing that can help with the bonding process is to place a pile of vegetables in the center of a neutral area. Place a rabbit on either side facing each other and allow them to share the food. Bonding over food is often the easiest.
If you have a single rabbit, it's never too late for them to bond with another rabbit. If you have a young rabbit (under 12 weeks old) you'll usually be able to introduce another young rabbit of the same sex easily. If you have an older rabbit it take a little longer.
Moving your rabbits into the same home
Keep a close eye on them for any signs that they're not getting on. It's normal to see a bit more mounting or chasing again while they work things out. But if they start getting into fights, separate them and go back a step in the bonding process.
These are all signs that the bond will be successful. Thumping when a rabbit uses a back leg to stomp. A thump is a to let everyone know they are frustrated or annoyed about something or as a warning sign if they feel threatened. The rabbits may also show each other the 'bunny butt'.
CHASING: in the wild, males chase females as part of “courting”. Sometimes, males and females chase each other Some of this is just fun and games, sometimes it is part of the dominance relationship. This behavior is not dangerous. Just let it happen.
Bonded rabbits spend the majority of their days and nights together. They tend to visit the litter tray at the same time, eat together and groom together. A lot of time is spent simply snuggled up together sleeping.
Rabbits can bite, claw or swat at each other potentially inflicting great harm. For this reason, all bonding must be supervised. A good way to have your rabbits become acquainted is to place their pens/cages next to each other. By keeping a bit of space between them, you can avoid fighting.
In general, the only time you should give up on bonding rabbits is when they have injured each other. You should also reevaluate the bond if one rabbit is a bully, making the other rabbit anxious and afraid to eat, use the litter box, or even move around too much.
Once bunnies are bonded, they must always be kept together. You can't separate them at night. BUT, for now, you definitely should be separating them at night. While it sounds like it's going well so far, they still need to get used to each other and they might need to establish dominance.
Once your bunny is bonded it doesn't take any extra work to care for two bunnies. They share a house, food, water, and litter box. They will groom each other and keep each other clean and healthy.
Two baby rabbits (under 12 weeks of age) that are the same sex, or a “love at first sight” couple, can live with each other immediately. All other combinations will need to be carefully and gradually introduced.