Kinda long, so here's a cut: My personal rabbits are Princess and Umaro. They're both New Zealand mixes, although I think Princess has some Flemish Giant in her while Umaro is probably part Florida White, and we're pretty certain that they are former Easter bunnies. She was taken into animal control after being hit by a car, while he was dumped at a pet store in a carrier. It took about six months to get them bonded, but now they groom each other, snuggle together, and Princess has never been happier. Umaro would really prefer to be a 100% free range bunny, but I don't have the space. So instead they share a double x-pen (still with two litter boxes, though I'm working on reducing that to one).
My foster rabbits are a bonded pair of mini rexes, Hazel and Nutmeg. I've had them for well over a year now, and I personally have given up hope that they will ever be adopted. They are shy and hate being picked up. Hazel doesn't like other rabbits and I don't think she likes me (toenail incident that I don't think she's ever going to forgive me for). We've been looking for someone to foster them where they wouldn't have to live in the same room as other rabbits, but have not been successful with that, either.
So I've been debating off and on if I should simply give up and bond them to my own rabbits. At first, I did not think it possible, because Princess was extremely territorial. But now that she's bonded to Umaro, she has completely turned into a different bunny. When she hops up to the other pen, she is no longer growling or lunging (she still feels it necessary to mark the area as hers, but that is normal). I am seeing less aggressive behavior from Hazel, as well.
The bunny lady who runs the rescue is very experienced with bonding, and she feels that if I really wanted to bond them all, it could be done (it would be a lot of work, but that's fine). I fully trust her judgment in this, and I'll have her help (and possibly that of a few of my friends, too) if I go through with it. I simply don't know if it would be the best thing for the bunnies. It would give them more room (they would get my entire room minus the futon), and it would be easier for me to spend time with them when I'm not trying to split my attention between two pairs. I think Princess has mellowed enough that she wouldn't mind. I don't think Umaro would give a darn (he'd love the extra space, though). I think Nutmeg would enjoy getting more petting from me. As for Hazel - I don't know, but I think she is starting to mellow out, too. We got the mini rexes from a confiscation situation where they were living with eight other rabbits, so I know the idea of other rabbits isn't completely foreign to them.
We believe the rabbits are all approximately the same age, so that should not be an issue.
So ... what do you guys think?
(cross-posted)
My foster rabbits are a bonded pair of mini rexes, Hazel and Nutmeg. I've had them for well over a year now, and I personally have given up hope that they will ever be adopted. They are shy and hate being picked up. Hazel doesn't like other rabbits and I don't think she likes me (toenail incident that I don't think she's ever going to forgive me for). We've been looking for someone to foster them where they wouldn't have to live in the same room as other rabbits, but have not been successful with that, either.
So I've been debating off and on if I should simply give up and bond them to my own rabbits. At first, I did not think it possible, because Princess was extremely territorial. But now that she's bonded to Umaro, she has completely turned into a different bunny. When she hops up to the other pen, she is no longer growling or lunging (she still feels it necessary to mark the area as hers, but that is normal). I am seeing less aggressive behavior from Hazel, as well.
The bunny lady who runs the rescue is very experienced with bonding, and she feels that if I really wanted to bond them all, it could be done (it would be a lot of work, but that's fine). I fully trust her judgment in this, and I'll have her help (and possibly that of a few of my friends, too) if I go through with it. I simply don't know if it would be the best thing for the bunnies. It would give them more room (they would get my entire room minus the futon), and it would be easier for me to spend time with them when I'm not trying to split my attention between two pairs. I think Princess has mellowed enough that she wouldn't mind. I don't think Umaro would give a darn (he'd love the extra space, though). I think Nutmeg would enjoy getting more petting from me. As for Hazel - I don't know, but I think she is starting to mellow out, too. We got the mini rexes from a confiscation situation where they were living with eight other rabbits, so I know the idea of other rabbits isn't completely foreign to them.
We believe the rabbits are all approximately the same age, so that should not be an issue.
So ... what do you guys think?
(cross-posted)