I think it's adorable when to see two bonded rabbits laying side by side. Some bondings go fairly easy, others are difficult. Rabbits, just like people, all have different personalities. When you try to bond a pair of bunnies, please be patient. Many people wonder if their rabbit will change. If you have a rabbit who is friendly with you, they will remain friendly. While a mate does sometimes help bring a rabbit out if their shell, I have also seen the reverse. I do want to stress, that I have never seen a friendly rabbit lose interest in human companionship. Many people state that rabbits are less likely to get into trouble once they have a mate. Every case is different. Unless it is impossible for health reasons, it is essential for both rabbits to be spayed or neutered before introducing them. You should figure out housing and bonding areas before bringing a second rabbit home. Please make sure that both rabbits are healthy. The best mate for your rabbit is one that they are interested in, and vice versa. Place the two rabbits in the pen and observe. Have your rabbit meet several prospective mates. Sex is another question. Age is sometimes a factor. Of course there is always the case where your neighbor found a rabbit, you took it in and now you want them to be friends. I would have two cages set up for the rabbits side by side, about three inches apart. If you know one rabbit will soon be altered or was recently altered, it is all right to start with them living as neighbors for several weeks. I want to emphasize that you should do your best to never let the rabbits fight. Look for signs that your rabbit is in attack mode. Now there is also the rabbit that will run and charge another bunny. Find a small neutral area of your house that your rabbit does not use. I would start by letting your rabbits spend 15-30 minutes together on their first date, depending on how it is going. When rabbits meet, they start the bonding at different stages. An important aspect of bonding is knowing what stage your rabbits are in. While the rabbits may at time appear indifferent to us, the truth is they are sizing each other up to determine if they can trust each other. If your rabbits are not interacting, look for other signs. When the rabbits are curious about each other, they will go up to each other and sniff. When you see positive signs- whether they just seem comfortable in a pen togehter (while not interacting) or if you are lucky enough to see some grooming, you should gradually increase the time they spend together and the space they use. You should instinctively know when to move on to the next stage. Like most things in life, bonding isn't a straight line of progress. When your rabbits show positive signs of progress, the first thing you should do is gradually increase the time they are spending together. Once they can spend several hours together, you should be looking for signs of affection. If they are successful in the common exercise area, then you should only let them out together so they play together. Don't forget that when you push them forward, it is easy for them to take a step backward first. When evaluating how to bond your rabbits, it is important to realize that what works for other people may not work for you. Relationships with rabbits aren't always a partnership. If one rabbit is mounting the other, I will gently stroke the submissive bun and talk to them in a gentle manner. Mounting can be incessant the first few days of a relationship. One thing to be careful of- you shouldn't let the male mounts backwards, mounting the face. Sometimes rabbits appear to be stuck in a rut and not progressing with their bonding. Many people will stress rabbits to encourage bonding. Most rabbits don't like car rides. If you only have one person or don't particulary want to drive, you can substitute the washing machine. A third alternative is to run the vacuum cleaner. The first time they have been stressed, I typically return them to their cages. You are the boss! Switching cages is good tactic. Since many rabbits love banana as a treat, we sometimes take a small amount and smear it just below the rabbit's ears, on their forehead. At a certain point in the bonding process, I often will let the play/exercise time be the bonding time. When they are first getting to know each other, I will talk the rabbits through the process. Eating is a social behavior in rabbits. If you are stuck in rut or stage and just don't feel as if you are making any progress, then I would consider changing locations. Often I will take the two rabbits and place them side by side. It is very important that you don't let your rabbits fight and that you do everything in your power to prevent one. Sometimes the best approach is to force the issue. Rabbits that live in different warrens (rabbit families) will mark against another warren by dropping pellets. As you can probably tell there are many items to take into account when bonding rabbits.
