Late last year, I was contacted about a bunny named Blue. Blue was a seven-month-old, white lion-head rabbit, with red eyes. Blue and her bonded mate, Swiss, were part of a rescue effort called The October 45.
In October of 2019, 45 baby bunnies were left on the doorstep of a local rescue here in Asheville, North Carolina, during the night. They were all huddled in boxes when the staff found them the next morning. The rescue quickly had them examined by shelter medical staff, scheduled their spay and neuters, and sent them to foster homes.
Swiss and Blue, at four months old, were living with a wonderful foster mom, when the unthinkable happened. Swiss died suddenly. A necropsy was performed on Swiss but had no results on the cause of death. Little Blue went into deep mourning, and we were worried she would mourn herself to death.
I was asked if I wanted to try bonding my sweet little boy, Strawberry, with another bunny. I had decided several months back I wouldn’t take another bunny in after I lost my boys, Belk and Larry. But during the past few months, I had been wondering whether Strawberry would like a friend. He had never been bonded with any bunny that I knew of.
Strawberry was very laid back and easygoing, and it sounded like little Blue needed some help. I took this as a sign and agreed to meet with Michelle Underhill (an HRS educator), Anna Ehredt (an HRS educator in training), and Shari Comeau, Blue’s foster mom. We met at Shari’s house on New Year’s Day 2020. Anna and Michelle set up the gates for a bonding session, in neutral territory.
Both ladies had experience in bonding. I, however, did not. I was worried because I had heard how stressful bonding sessions could be. Bonding sessions are short at first and build up as time goes by. Depending on how many bonding sessions you have, the process can take months. Rabbits will fight to establish both dominance and territory. Chasing, mounting, and nipping are all part of the package in bonding, as they establish their hierarchy. I had also learned there was a small chance (one in a million, to be exact) that they would just get along right from the beginning.
All this knowledge was weighing me down as I entered the room.
I put Strawberry down on the floor first, while Blue hid in her crate. When she finally came out, for whatever reason, I felt very at ease. She hopped right over to him and they touched noses. I noticed both Educators stretch up to watch the bunnies’ body language. I was told not to touch either of them and to let them meet and sniff each other without getting in the way. We were there to observe and intervene if needed, but to stay out of the way as much as possible.
They smelled each other for a minute and then hopped away from each other. A few seconds later, Blue came back to Strawberry, who had found the pile of hay we had left for them in the middle of the floor. Blue sniffed him all over for a moment before making a growling sound, which startled me. Strawberry couldn’t have cared less. Blue hopped off again. Each time Blue came back to Strawberry, they would smell each other and then find something else to do, like eat hay or investigate another area of the pen.
Strawberry, a brown lop, is approximately four- to five-years-old, and was cool as a cucumber during the whole thing. The only incident we had that day if you want to call it that, was when Blue nipped at his backside and got a mouth full of fur. Which she only did (we think) because she wanted to be groomed. Strawberry kept on eating his hay. We had planned to do a small session that day, but before we knew it, the bunnies had spent an hour together. Towards the end of the session, Strawberry flopped beside me to rest. It wasn’t until Blue hopped over to Strawberry and flopped down beside him that I realized I not only had another bunny, but I had a One in A Million Bond; a true New Year’s gift.
I took Blue home with us that night. Over the next few days, Blue lived in the top part of the condo while Strawberry lived in the bottom. Four days later, Anna and Shari came to my house for another session. We put both bunnies in the middle of my kitchen floor (another neutral spot) and watched them groom and flop beside one another. Not once did they nip or fight. Anna and I decided to see what they would do in Strawberry’s room; it was his territory and it could be a whole different ball game there. When we put them down, Blue investigated Strawberry’s territory, while Strawberry flopped on his carpet or happily munched on hay. Blue would occasionally come to him for a sniff or grooming session. I continued to watch them after Anna and Shari left.
Strawberry and Blue bonded so quickly, it blew my mind. Under supervision, they spent the rest of the day and night together. After just two hour-long sessions, these sweet little babies bonded. Now, they’re always together. They eat, sleep, and explore alongside each other.
A week after bringing Blue home, I adopted her and changed her name to Blueberry.
Due to Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus, many rescues, especially those in outbreak states, are not able to offer their rabbit speed-dating services. If you’re looking for a friend for your rabbit, you may need to do introductions at your home, in neutral territory.
There are many helpful articles on our website that can help give you an idea of what to expect and what signs to look for when tow rabbits meet for the first time. You can also reach out to a House Rabbit Educator for help during the process. HRS Educators are highly trained volunteers who want to use their extensive knowledge about rabbits to educate others and to help rabbits.
Learn more about RHDV: https://www.houserabbit.org/rabbits101/health/diseases-vaccines/
Learn more about bonding: https://www.houserabbit.org/category/hrj-articles/bonding/
Find an HRS Educator near you: https://www.houserabbit.org/about/chapters/
Reviewed by HRS staff
Author: Laura Camby McCaskillPhoto Credit: Laura Camby McCaskill
Journal Issue: House Rabbit Journal, Summer 2020
