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I have a 3.5yr old male dwarf lion-head that has been with me over 3 years.  He is litter box trained, has his own room where he lives with cardboard boxes and carpet tubes as his burrow.

This past summer I acquired another rescue, a now 7month old female bunny who is over twice the dwarf rabbits size.  As you must know, when they're tiny you have no idea what to expect.  Her and her siblings were domestic born in the wild.

I have the female in a large cage in the living room where she's lived since she was 5 weeks old, the first 3 months with 2 of her brothers.  She appears to be finally understanding the litter box, will use only that to urinate in for like 3 weeks then for no reason I can figure, urinate in all the other corners of her cage.  Is there a reason for this?

I have been attempting to introduce the two rabbits, using an exercise pen as a gate between them so they can see, smell and even if they want touch noses without a chance of hurting each other.    The male is neutered while the female has to wait until March for financial reasons.  Soon as she's put down the female goes all along the fence and urinates everywhere along with the pellet droppings.  The male carries these meetings over into being in his room and has recently started urinating out of his litter box but right next to it.  Also, he's started leaving piles of pellets right next to the box.  If I move the box to where he's using he just does it outside the box where the box used to be.  What is causing this behavior?

I love these two goofy rabbits who are silly with attitude like their mom. I really want them to be able to live together for the companionship and because it's so unfair to have one in a cage and one roaming.  But if they can't get along they have to be in the same room and the male will lose half his roaming space.  Somehow I don't think that will help any kind of bonding process and right now they meet on neutral ground.

I hope you can answer some of my questions.  I want what's best for both of them.

Thank-You,

D

Answer
Dear D,

You may have to wait until after her spay to have any degree of success with this bonding.  He may try to mount her, but his lack of success will frustrate her, and she could turn on him.  Or he might be able to have some fun, and who knows?  It might help the bonding.

For tips on bonding these bunnies, please see:

http://search.atomz.com/search/?sp_a=sp06282400&sp_f=iso-8859-1&sp_q=bonding

I know March seems a long way off.  But for a lifetime of companionship, it is probably worth the wait to do this right.

In the meantime, they will continue to mark their territories (that's what the female is doing when she pees in the corners).  You might consider letting her have free running time by putting the boy in a closed bedroom for an hour or two while the girl explores.  But be prepared for a Poopapalooza!

Hope all goes well with the spay, and that you can start the bonding in earnest soon.

Dana