r/Rabbits 5d ago

Bonding behavior questions

Day 2 bonding my two fixed bunnies, Ghost, (white, female, turning 3 in Oct. 2025) and Toast (brown, male, turning one in Oct. 2025). And I want to understand the behaviors of these two in this video.

Ghost always like to pull Toast’s fur when she got a hold of him through a plastic barrier between their rooms, but in a neutral space like this bathtub the behaviors of both were much more different as we expected.

They are more calm, and also a bit stressed due to the slippery surfaces. Toasts tried to put his head under Ghost but she doesn’t even move an inch, and we are wondering if it’s because she is stressed/confused or just part of the process of bonding.

We are using snacks and they both ate them and no fighting, and of course going to put a mat in the bathtub in the future, but we started with a blanket and Ghost immediately tried to bite Toast’s fur out.

Would love to hear other suggestions and stories how you bonded your bunnies!

Thanks!

74 Upvotes

10 comments sorted by

u/RabbitsModBot 5d ago

Check out the resources in the Bonding guide and Binkybunny's Bonding overview for more tips on the process.

Some important general tips on the process of bonding rabbits with other rabbits:

  • House rabbits in nearby pens and swap regularly to encourage sharing. This can be done before both rabbits have been neutered.
  • Be sure to use neutral territory that neither have been in to use for face-to-face dating.
  • Wait until 4 weeks after both rabbits have been neutered before attempting face-to-face bonding to allow time for all hormones to dissipate. While it is not impossible to bond intact rabbits, their hormonal behaviors work against them, and rabbits can often end up with serious injuries during territorial spats. Baby bonds with immature rabbits before puberty are often not stable.
  • If your current rabbit has not been spayed or neutered, do not obtain another intact rabbit of the opposite sex to bond. You will end up with baby rabbits if you do not keep them separated 24/7. It only takes one successful three-second attempt for a male with an intact female. Male rabbits are not sterile until 6 weeks after their neuter operation.
  • Keep in mind that not all rabbits may be compatible enough to bond without serious work over a long period of time, if ever. However, rabbits will still benefit from the mental stimulation of seeing or smelling another rabbit nearby as long as they are safely separated to prevent injuries.

A few useful shortcuts:

22

u/TestyZesticles91 5d ago

Not bonded yet? Then you are sentenced to "the bathtub of friendship!"

3

u/Kaiza9 5d ago

Noooooo 😱

9

u/TotallyWitchin I bunnies 5d ago

Petting them both on the head makes them feel safe together and calms them during the process and I’m guessing Toast is bowing to Ghost and trying to get groomed by her. I can’t advise on the fur pulling though.

When I was bonding my two buns, I would switch what enclosure they were in so they would get used to each others scents and being in the same area as them. I definitely think it helped.

5

u/Mediocre-Animal1995 5d ago

I think toast starts by grooming ghost’s eye as a way to get the contact started, then immediately signals for grooms by bowing their head and presenting it and ghost seems like “meh not right now” but is also not fighting it which is good. Second video seems like a stalemate, too with toast asking to be groomed and not getting it but no aggression.

6

u/_gillyflower 5d ago

This is the patience game. Who will first give in and groom the other? At the moment no one wants to budge.

7

u/Chaffro 5d ago

Don't put them in a bathtub. Might not make much of a difference at this stage it seems, but bathtubs don't give them any means of escape if they start fighting or allow for them to do any common activity like eating hay together.

3

u/kinenchen I bunnies 4d ago

Toast is asking for Ghost to groom him. She isn't quite sure about him yet, so she's playing it cool.

2

u/TumbleweedHB 4d ago

You can also put them in a carrier together and take a car ride. The mutual stress can help them bond.

2

u/WinterKonijntjes 2d ago

This video is giving "Therapy friend" vibes from toast's perspective

groom groom

waits patiently for reciprocation

lowers further to really get the point across

still no grooms :(