11/03/2025
Bonding Series Part #4
Common Mistakes
While bonding, there are a LOT of things to keep in mind. It's almost impossible to remember them all, but today we'll go over the most common mistakes people make while bonding. It may not seem like much, but it's a big deal for the bunnies.
Below are some common mistakes that people make while bonding and why they're important. All of these mistakes can and will cause major issues in the bonding pen that can be misinterpreted as the bunnies hating each other. If the bunnies just don't stop fighting, one of more of these mistakes may be why.
- Jealousy outside of the bonding pen - Before bonding, some people may have to keep the bunnies housed in the same room. This is totally fine, IF both pens/areas are exactly the same. If one bunny has more space then the other, one bunny thinks the other bunny gets more freeroam time, or one bunny thinks the other has better toys, the bunnies will start to resent each other before they even meet. It's recommended to keep them out of sight and swap items between pens to allow them to get used to each other's smells while preventing jealousy entirely. If they have to be in the same room, make sure the EVERYTHING is the same between them.
Jealousy is not something that they will work out over time. The bond will need to be reset (waiting 2 weeks before trying again) and whatever the bunnies are jealous of needs to be resolved. Jealous bunnies are dangerous bunnies and this is the most common problem people make when it comes to bonding.
- Freeroaming in the same room as a restrained bunny - similar to above, if one bunny thinks the other gets more time out of their pen, they will begin to resent each other. Until they're bonded, the bunnies will have to be kept separated and freeroamed separately. If one bunny freeroams in the same room as a bunny who is in their pen, each bunny has claimed that territory as theirs. If freeroaming where another bunny lives, there needs to be adequate separation in between the 2 areas.
The bunnies can and will fight through the bars and this fighting is over territory so it will be harmful. If bunnies are allowed to bite or otherwise harm each other through this thin barrier, the bond is being destroyed before it even starts. This does not mean that they won't bond, but they will need a 2 week reset so that they don't carry the grudge with them into the bonding pen. Best practice is to freeroam separately or to add another pen around the bunny in the pen so they they can't get to each other. Start the bunnies out on the right foot, and keep them completely separated until it's time to bond!
- Expanding the bonding pen too fast - A critical part of bonding that we will go over in a separate post, is expanding the bonding pen. To put it simply, the bonding pen should be expanded a little at a time after 3-4 days of good behavior. 2 days is not enough. 1 day is not enough. Bunnies need time to accept the territory as claimed before you can add to it. Expanding the pen before the previous size is "claimed" will lead to more fighting and more issues. We'll say it again: do not rush the bunnies. They will bond in their own time, not when you want them to.
- Adding items to the bonding pen - It is very important that NOTHING is in the bonding pen. We'll go over a proper setup in another post, but the bonding pen truly needs to be empty except for scattered hay. Some people worry about litter habits and boredom and try to add litter boxes or toys to the bonding pen. This is not a good idea. The bunnies will claim these items and fight over them. The purpose of bonding is to claim a space together, items will come after the bond is complete. Adding things too soon will create unnecessary aggression.
- Not scattering hay/pellets/veggies - Obviously, your bunnies still need to eat while bonding. Any hay, pellets, or veggies need to be scattered throughout the bonding pen. If anything is in a pile or a bowl, it will be claimed by one bunny and fought over. If the food is everywhere, they can't fight over it and they can eat as they please.
- Using multiple flooring options - When bonding, you need to pick one blanket, rug, sheet, etc and use the same one everyday. It can be washed, but it needs to stay the same because it is part of what they are claiming. You need to make sure that this flooring of the bonding pen is big enough to accommodate the fully expanded pen. You cannot add a 2nd blanket or towel as the pen expands. If you haven't figured it out yet, anything added to the bonding pen will be fought over. This includes when you start. If you use 2 blankets, the bunnies will each claim one and will not let the other bunny cross without a fight. Pick a large blanket, washable p*e pad, or rug that will be used throughout the bonding pen to prevent unnecessary fighting.
- Not waiting long enough between fights - Fighting is inevitable, and the bunnies need to be separated when this happens. It's important that you give the bunnies enough time to calm down before removing your barrier. If you separate a fight and immediately let them interact again, they will go right back to fighting. Make sure to use something solid like a flattened cardboard box to separate the bunnies without removing them from the pen. You may need to wait up to a minute in this separation for them to calm down before removing this barrier, but that's okay. Give them enough time to calm down before continuing or the fight will resume as soon as it's removed.
- Skipping days - It's very important to bond daily for as long as you can. We understand that people get busy and things happen, but skipping a day of bonding will only cause the bond to go backwards. Skipping even one day can totally reverse all progress you've made and must be avoided. If you only have 15 minutes to bond one day, do it. 15 minutes won't do much to move the bond forward, but it will prevent you from going backwards or starting all over again.
- Ending the session with a fight - We get it, the fighting can sometimes seem exhausting. It's very important to end each bonding session on a good note. Never end a session after a fight. If the bunnies fight and you remove them for the day, they will just keep fighting because they know that means they get to go back to their own pen. Fighting can be dangerous, so please do everything you can to prevent it, not encourage it.
- Moving in too soon - When the bunnies are bonded, it's different than a typical expansion. We'll go over how to know they're bonded, but a few days of good behavior in a fully expanded pen does not mean they are bonded. The pen or room they are moving to also needs to be neutral or the bond will not hold. The bond will be fragile and can break for the smallest reason until fully settled into the new permanent pen. Make sure they are truly bonded by following the 10 day guideline that we will explain later. Moving them before they are truly bonded will ruin your progress.
- Not scattering enough hay - During bonding, you will need to replenish their hay periodically. Some will get p*ed on and not eaten, so it may seem like they have plenty, but they don't. If there is not enough hay in the pen for all bunnies, they will fight over the little that is left. Add a handful or two every half hour or so to make sure they have plenty of fresh hay and no reason to fight over resources.
- Misinterpreting behaviors - While bonding, we will go over a lot of common behaviors. Some behaviors like bowing are a dominant behavior, but many people think it is cute and a good sign. This involves the bunnies getting very close and the dominant bunny bowing their head to be groomed. It's not a bad sign, but it should not be taken as a sign of acceptance. Either the bunny submits and grooms the bowing bunny, or the bowing bunny gets fed up and fights the other bunny for not cooperating. If you don't know what a behavior means, ask! Many behaviors are misinterpreted because bunnies are prey animals. Their body language is very different than predators like cats and dogs, and they should be read differently. Cats and bunnies actually have opposite dominant behaviors, so if you think it's a good sign because it would be with your cat, it probably isn't.
These are some of the most common issues that we have to help people correct while bonding! It certainly is not all, so please feel free to take pictures or videos and send them to us if you have questions!! Videos are the most helpful so we know what the bunnies are actually doing!
Next week, we'll discuss what a neutral space is, how to make one if your bunnies freeroam, and how to choose the best place for bonding.
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