Bonding rabbits is a gradual, patient process that involves separate housing, supervised neutral territory dates, and desensitization to scent and presence, starting after spaying/neutering; use short, fun sessions in a neutral spot with distractions, gradually increasing time as they show calm, positive signs like grooming or relaxing together, and watch for aggression to intervene, as it can take weeks or months.
You should speak calmly and lovingly to your rabbit. In other words, ``sweet talk'' your rabbit. Do not make sudden moves or noises. If your rabbit approaches you, have a special treat available to see if you can tempt him to come near your hands. When his curiosity gets the best of him, he will come close to you.
Rabbits do like to bond so if your bun is skittish then just keep working with them building trust. Whenever you feel is right, and this could be a few weeks or a few months, take away any areas they have to hide in and lay in their pen with them.
The 3-3-3 rule for rabbits (and other pets) is a guideline for adjusting to a new home: 3 Days for the rabbit to feel overwhelmed and hide, 3 Weeks to start settling in and showing personality, and 3 Months to feel truly at home and build a strong bond. It helps adopters manage expectations, understand that fear and skittishness are normal, and encourages patience as the bunny decompresses in its new environment, emphasizing providing a safe space and routine.
Spend the first and last 5 minutes of their time petting the rabbits side by side (or nose to nose) to help encourage good feelings toward each other. Every day, increase the amount of time they spend together until they are able to be together in the space for 2-3 hours without any serious incidents.
As a rule, a rabbit should be able to take at least three hops in a row from one end to the other. It can be difficult to buy purpose-built accommodation measuring these dimensions but there's no reason why you can't build your own! Rabbits are a prey species and need to be able to hide from things that scare them.
Both rabbits should be spayed/neutered. The strong hormones in unaltered bunnies can cause aggressive and/or sexual behavior. After they are spayed/neutered you will want to wait a few weeks before starting the bonding process because it can take some time for the hormones to get out of their systems.
Rabbits aren't “starter pets”—they're high-maintenance, long-term commitments. While healthy adult rabbits will typically use a litterbox to do their business, they do a lot of business—and you will have to keep their box clean by changing it at least every other day.
Signs of a stressed rabbit include body language like ears pinned back, a tense hunched posture, wide eyes, and stillness, combined with behavioral changes such as hiding excessively, aggression (biting, lunging), destructive bar biting, changes in eating/toileting, restlessness, rapid breathing, or unusual vocalizations like grunting. These signals, often a prey animal's reaction to feeling threatened or unhappy, need prompt attention as chronic stress can cause serious health issues.
Rabbits are sociable creatures that can form deep bonds with their human companions.
Intermittently swap the rabbits between cages to allow each rabbit to get used to the other's scent, as this can make a huge difference to the speed of bonding. You can also swap toys intermittently. If your rabbit has free run of the house, swap access, so both rabbits take a turn in all areas.
Older Rabbit Behaviour
If your bunny lives indoors with you, you may also notice them becoming clingier and more affectionate. The downside of ageing brings its problems too. Your bunny will still want to use their litter tray, but they can sometimes find getting in and out of them a bit tricky.
Lucky for humans, buns forgive easily. A treat or some snuggles usually makes them your friend again. Sometimes they just need a little time alone. Thumping: Unlike how it's portrayed in movies, rabbits don't thump for fun.
Rabbits are naturally curious, and eventually, he will come over to sniff you. Resist the temptation to reach out and pet the bunny. Instead, let him sniff you, hop on you and just get to know your smell. This will teach him that you are not a threat.
Is there such a thing as a 'low mood' in rabbits?
A lack of socialisation, changes in their environment or too much stimulation can all lead to stress in rabbits. In some cases, even the presence of other animals or humans can be stressful for rabbits if they are not used to them.
The 3-3-3 rule for rabbits (and other pets) is a guideline for adjusting to a new home: 3 Days for the rabbit to feel overwhelmed and hide, 3 Weeks to start settling in and showing personality, and 3 Months to feel truly at home and build a strong bond. It helps adopters manage expectations, understand that fear and skittishness are normal, and encourages patience as the bunny decompresses in its new environment, emphasizing providing a safe space and routine.
Unfixed rabbits after this age can get very territorial and spray urine and poop everywhere. Spaying and neutering your rabbit will make it more likely for him to learn proper litter habits. Another reason your rabbit may have messy litter habits is that you are giving him too much freedom at once.
In answer to the question what animal eats rabbits, the most common that springs to mind is the fox. But there are numerous others including pet dogs and cats, birds of prey, stoats, weasels, ferrets, badgers and snakes.
Rabbits are naturally social animals and companionship is important to them. In the wild, rabbits live in family groups which can reach up to 30 in one warren! Mammal Society. If they are kept alone, they may begin to show some abnormal behaviour, especially if left without company for long periods of time.
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.