Rabbits How to know two are bonded

Why are you buying rabbits at a pet store? Or any live animals for that matter?

Do you know what gender they both are? Often pet stores lie or are mistaken. They can breed in a few months. And same gender rabbits often start fighting when they hit adolescence. That is why opposite sex, neutered rabbits are better to pair up. i.e. neutered male and spayed female.

What type of cage do you have? It is almost likely too small for one or even two rabbits.

Here FAQ: Bonding Multiple Rabbits
FAQ: Spaying and Neutering

Lionheads are sadly the "new fad breed" that has started flooding shelters since backyard breeders and pet stores have pushed their sales. Many of them end up not being healthy.

Because that's where I bought it. I had no idea it was SO WRONG in many people's eyes. I went to a petstore opening so my children can see the pet and I came out with a guinea pig. Then I went to a petstore for some supplies and my husband fell inlove with the LIONHEAD. Man, this is why I didn't want to post anything. None of this answered my question AND I made a 2 by 3 which is YES TOO SMALL.. I have 3 2 by 3's! but the bunnies have levels of course for jumping, but they are pretty much out with us ALL THE TIME!.

I am learning a lot and fast. Thank you for your reply.

Echoing what rabbitsncavyluv has already said, this forum does not support buying from pet stores or breeders. You will be met with much hostility if you are claiming that you have "rescued" your rabbits by buying them from a pet store on this forum.

Rabbit bonds are as unique as rabbits themselves. Some are very closely bonded, and some just tolerate each other. And everything in between. It is good that you haven't put them in the same cage yet, because you really need to take them to a rabbit-savvy vet and make sure that they are not opposite sexes.
Bonding will be a lot easier if both of your rabbits are spayed/neutered. And their chances of dying of reproductive cancers will be reduced to zero. [Unspayed female rabbits are at an especially high risk of this]
Lionheads have become increasingly popular in recent years. They are very inbred and are usually riddled with health problems, the most popular being malocclusions. The rescue I work with is constantly being contacted by local shelters and rabbit-owners with overgrown, broken, or ingrown incisors. The vast majority of these rabbits are lionheads.
Before you move forward with the bonding process, your buns need to go to the vet and have a checkup. In the meantime, here are some good pages about bonding rabbits:
FAQ: Bonding Multiple Rabbits
The Case for Rabbits in the Plural
(broken link removed)
(broken link removed)
Bonding When the Going Gets Rough

Thank you very much. I learned fast not to buy from a petstore. My bad mistake not to research very well. All in All I have them, and came here looking for more infromation. Very much appreciated.

I'm new to rabbits too. We endured a week of humping and chasing when introducing my two adult rabbits - fortunately my girl could jump out of Vespa's way when he got annoying. Now, they snuggle and groom together - very cute. The links above have some really good info - I relied on them a lot.

At the pet shop where i work at, we sometimes sell guinea pigs that have been abandoned/mistreated by their owners at SPCA.

bunnyguinea21 said:

Because that's where I bought it. I had no idea it was SO WRONG in many people's eyes. I went to a petstore opening so my children can see the pet and I came out with a guinea pig. Then I went to a petstore for some supplies and my husband fell inlove with the LIONHEAD. Man, this is why I didn't want to post anything. None of this answered my question AND I made a 2 by 3 which is YES TOO SMALL.. I have 3 2 by 3's! but the bunnies have levels of course for jumping, but they are pretty much out with us ALL THE TIME!.

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When I made my reply, your posts had not yet been approved, so I didn't see your response to rabbitsncavyluv.
Many new members who come here for help are given the same 'oh-you-bought-from-a-pet-store-you-must-be-an-idiot' speech. In some cases it is needed, but in this case I think that rabbitsncavyluv could've been a lot more tactful in her reply, since all you were asking was about how to bond two rabbits. Many seasoned members see posts like yours and assume the worst.
As far as your cages go, If they are tall enough [3 or more grids high] and your rabbits are only in them when you are out of the house/at night, they should be fine. A 2x3 is not tragically small for a rabbit, especially if it has plenty of levels.

bunnyguinea21 said:

Thank you very much. I learned fast not to buy from a petstore. My bad mistake not to research very well. All in All I have them, and came here looking for more infromation. Very much appreciated.

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I hope my reply didn't seem like a lecture, I was only meaning to tell you about some of the health problems to look for in lionheads.
If you need more info on bonding and rabbit care, the site rabbit.org which is the site all those pages are on, is a great resource.

I think I got offended because it was my first post and then I felt silly after! I'm totally new to all of this, but I so wanted pets for my children. I take care of them and I really like the information on this site and it has helped me learn a lot in the little of time I've been guinea pigs and bunnies owner. I didn't mean to sound like a child I was just hoping for some feedback and I'm grateful for feedback. And the first bunny we got at the petshop had been there since October and looked so sad and bored. They had said she didn't get out of her cage and we just fell inlove reguardless, I felt bad leaving her there. We all love her. She's not social or comfortable with us yet, but she's getting more and more curious everyday We thought we should get her a buddy, while they are both young and they had just got the little ones in and they were taken away from the owner because they thought they would hurt them. Don't know if it's true but I'm a sucker. I'm happy with my 2 guinea's and Bunnies, I know now not to get my pets from a pet store.

The information was gratefully appreciated. I notoced after that they were links to information.. that's when I relied with a thank you. As for the bonding, they are doing great. I wonder if they can eventually be in the same cage and when to know it's safe. The older one is said to be 4 months and the younger one 2 and a half, but the older one is WAAY bigger. I'll just wait it our tho for sure until I knwo it's safe.

How was that not tactful? I didn't realize you could read my mind over the internet or a tone from typed words. Quite a talent you have there. That was not a lecture.. if it was, it would have been much longer.

You are wrong too - it isn't the 'you are an idiot because you bought live animals from a pet store' speech. No one gets that. It's an educational speech to people who don't know any better.

I gave her info. 2 by 3 is too small for a rabbit let alone two.

The bunnies are neither bonded or likely to fight - they are babies. The true test is what gender they are, and what happens after they hit adolescence and need to get neutered/spayed. That is usually when two rabbits start fighting and even one starts to have behavioral issues - then the owner usually dumps them.

They may be new but they have made several posts and sounded like they had just bought a new guinea pig and a baby bunny since posting here.

Are they both female rabbits? If they are, they are likely to start fighting in a few months.

Silverbeat said:

When I made my reply, your posts had not yet been approved, so I didn't see your response to rabbitsncavyluv.
Many new members who come here for help are given the same 'oh-you-bought-from-a-pet-store-you-must-be-an-idiot' speech. In some cases it is needed, but in this case I think that rabbitsncavyluv could've been a lot more tactful in her reply, since all you were asking was about how to bond two rabbits. Many seasoned members see posts like yours and assume the worst.
As far as your cages go, If they are tall enough [3 or more grids high] and your rabbits are only in them when you are out of the house/at night, they should be fine. A 2x3 is not tragically small for a rabbit, especially if it has plenty of levels.



I hope my reply didn't seem like a lecture, I was only meaning to tell you about some of the health problems to look for in lionheads.
If you need more info on bonding and rabbit care, the site rabbit.org which is the site all those pages are on, is a great resource.

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Yes they are both females. I wouldn't dump them if they start fighting. That's why I'm on here, so I can find more information and they can be happier and healthier. I will bring them to the vet and get them checked out. I brought home 2 guinea pigs in February and built a cage as soon as I seen this site. I love our pets reguardless where they are from. They get plenty of time out of their cage and I'm always trying to figure out new ways to make their cages bigger with more space for them.

I didn't say you were .. just that that is when people usually dump them instead of paying for a neuter/spay or working with them. They are no longer 'cute babies' and they don't want to deal.

Two females usually debond when they hit adolescence. I would anticipate that.

Read (broken link removed) too to get a glimpse of where pet stores buy their animals and what conditions you support when you buy from them.

rabbitsncavyluv said:

Why are you buying rabbits at a pet store? Or any live animals for that matter?

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Rabbitsncavyluv, I think the above is what the person was refering to when they said it was not tactful. That one paragraph insinuates the person knows the downfalls of purchasing at a petstore and should be ashamed for doing so. My guess is before coming here. this person, like myself, did not know all the pitfalls to purchasing from a pet store. I think if you poll people at random and ask them "if you were to buy a bunny/guinea pig, where would you go to get one?" I bet at minimal 60% if not as high as 80% would respond a breeder or a pet store. Its just a fact, most of the public is not educated in the matters. I know I wasn't when I came here, now I am, now I will never buy another live animal from a pet store/breeder, much less most of my pet needs from a store that sells live animals.

To me, a better opening would have been, grats on your rabbits, please adopt next time, advise of the issues of buying at a petstore so they can get to a vet and answer their questions they posted for.

Bunnyguinea - grats on the bunnies and guineas. Please enjoy what this site has to offer for helpful hints and tips etc. I do not have bunnies so I cannot respond to your post on them but would love to see pictures of your crew when you get them up!

Thank you very much, we absolutely love them and look forward to sharing our lives with them And also learning more for them to be happy and healthy sharing their lives with us.
I appreciate any information. And yes, I plan on spaying them when they are old enough. I already knew I was going to. They do not share a cage yet, but they do get bonding time throughout the day. Every pay day for me I am buying more supplies to get their living space more spacious and fun..and convent to clean for me

rabbitsncavyluv said:

I didn't say you were .. just that that is when people usually dump them instead of paying for a neuter/spay or working with them. They are no longer 'cute babies' and they don't want to deal.

Two females usually debond when they hit adolescence. I would anticipate that.

Read (broken link removed) too to get a glimpse of where pet stores buy their animals and what conditions you support when you buy from them.

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OMG!! I am sick to my stomach. THank you for educating me about this!! OMG!!! Never again!

I'm also wondering if it's the same in Canada as well? We bought our guinea pigs from Petsmart at their opening. We bought the one first (we never had a small pet before, as a family-just a cat) and then I read online, they need a buddy, so I went back to PETSMART and got another Guinea Pig. I made a C & C cage 2 by 3 (and yes I'm ashamed, it's too small. I went to another local Petstore, and they had this poor Lionhead Bunny since October and my husband couldn't leave without her. And then again, we read, they needed buddies. So we thought to get one while Fluffy is still new to our home. She was at the same local petstore we got Fluffy from. The S.P.C.A had "saved" them from thier owner who they apprehended 4 baby lionheads from and brought them to the local petstore. Here I thought I was saving them from the petstore. I felt so bad how they just sit in their cages with no floor time or bonding or love I am learning so much from this site. I am pasionate about my pets and caring for them, and only want the best for them <3