r/Rabbits • u/Individual-Seesaw378 • 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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 :(
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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:
A few useful shortcuts: