Burrow Retreat:
Professional Rabbit Bonding

Known for bonding the unbondable.

IMPORTANT: Due to high demand, the Burrow Retreat waitlist is full through Winter 2027 - we will honor every current reservation. That being said, the Bonding Retreat will go on sabbatical beginning 2028. We will not accept any clients, established or new, at this time.
We are happy to offer a complimentary 30-minute virtual consultation in the interim.
Thank you so much for your support throughout the last 4 years.

Bun Chia Burrow brings 10+ years of behavioral research expertise combined with 5+ years of intensive bonding retreat experience perfected through successfully bonding 75+ rabbit groups. We are Southern California's only behavior-based rabbit bonding program with 24/7 supervised care, positive reinforcement techniques, and rigorous bonding standards. Every group leaves fully bonded and cleared in maximum space for 48+ hours - backed by our 90-day guarantee.

Based in Long Beach and serving all of Los Angeles County and Orange County, our intensive 5-Day Bonding Retreat uses Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and a marathon expansion approach to create safe, lasting bonds between rabbit pairs and groups. Unlike traditional speed dating methods that can take months, our program gets results in less than a week - with a complimentary 3-hour in-home transition to ensure success in your home environment.

Whether you're introducing new rabbits, expanding your warren, or re-bonding after a separation, we specialize in challenging dynamics with no negative reinforcement techniques (no water spraying, no stressful car rides, no punishment-based methods).

Why Our Bonding Is Different:
ABA-Based Methods, 24/7 Supervision + In-Home Consultation

Unlike most bonding services in Southern California, Bun Chia Burrow is not a foster home or rescue running multiple sessions on the side. Our Bonding Retreat takes place in a dedicated neutral space with someone physically present around the clock - not just during business hours. We take on one bonding retreat at a time, where every fluffle gets our full, undivided attention. Every retreat begins with an in-home consultation where we observe your rabbits in their own environment before a single session begins. We use Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) principles to read and respond to every interaction in real time. We are also the only bonding service in Southern California to offer transition support - helping your newly bonded fluffle settle into their home environment after the retreat ends. We do not promise a 100% bond (no one ever should) - we deliver an 80% bond and the tools to get the rest of the way home.

How Our Rabbit Bonding Process Works

Three rabbits, one gray and two black, inside a play tunnel with a black mat and scattered hay and food debris on the floor.

Pre-Bonding Consultation in Los Angeles + Orange County

  • Required In-Person Consultation
    ‍
    First-time/new clients: $75 consultation fee (discounted introductory rate) → $75 credited toward your retreat deposit
    Returning clients: $150 consultation fee → $75 credited toward your retreat deposit

    Your rabbit bonding journey begins with a comprehensive consultation in your home. During this 60 minute session, we will:

    • Observe your rabbits' current behaviors and temperaments

    • Review their history (previous bonding attempts, aggression, territorial behaviors)

    • Assess current housing setup (side-by-side pens, completely separate, etc.)

    • Discuss past bonding tactics if attempted elsewhere

    • Identify your rabbits' highest-value rewards (favorite treats, toys, activities)

    • Explain our behavior-based bonding methodology in detail

    • Determine if pre-bonding work is needed before the retreat

    • Answer all your questions about the bonding process

    Within 48 hours of your consultation, you'll receive a customized quote based on your rabbits' complexity, history, and group size.

  • A deposit is required to hold a Retreat Reservation. The in-person consultation fee can be used towards the deposit.

    50% of the quote is due at Retreat Start Date. The remaining 50% is due at the Retreat End Date.

    The exception to the above if a Payment Plan is requested. If a payment plan is requested, it must be done within one (1) week of the quote. We will ask for a credit card to keep on file.

    If payment is not remitted within a five (5) day grace period to the Bun Chia Burrow, we reserve the right to charge your credit card with an additional 3.5% fee.

  • Depending on your rabbits' history and current relationship, we may recommend pre-bonding activities to complete at home before the retreat:

    • Side-by-side housing - Placing rabbits in adjacent pens to acclimate to each other's presence

    • Scent swapping - Switching litterboxes and toys between pens

    • Territory swapping - Switching which rabbit lives in which space

    • Stress reduction - Creating calm environments and reducing territorial triggers

    These preparatory steps maximize your rabbits' success during the intensive bonding retreat. We'll provide detailed instructions tailored to your specific situation.

  • The Bun Chia Burrow has a 6+ month waitlist currently. We will send out an email at the start of the quarter (every 3 months) for upcoming Retreat Dates.

    If your rabbits are unable for the dates offered, you have one week to decline the reservation. Please note that if you are unable to take the reservation, you may be shifted to the end of the quarter waitlist. If there are specific dates in mind, we are open to asking the family to trade for those dates. There is no guarantee for trades, but they happen often.

Two rabbits in a pen, one white with gray spots and one gray, on a textured surface.

The 5+ Day Rabbit Bonding Retreat in Long Beach

  • Duration: 5 days (or 10 days for groups of 6+ rabbits or complex cases)
    Location: Our Long Beach bonding facility
    Supervision: 24/7 with staff member actively observing at all times

    Your rabbits will stay at our Long Beach facility for an intensive, behavior-focused bonding experience.

    Our Unique Marathon Expansion Method

    Unlike traditional rabbit bonding programs that use short "speed dating" sessions of 15-60 minutes per day (which can take 2-6 months), we use a marathon approach with 24/7 supervision. Your rabbits live together continuously throughout the retreat with constant behavioral monitoring and intervention.

    Around-the-Clock Supervision
    A human staff member actively watches your rabbits 24/7 throughout the entire retreat:

    • No sleeping during supervision shifts

    • Only one person steps away at a time (never leaving rabbits unsupervised)

    • Immediate intervention capability if needed

    • Continuous behavioral documentation

    • Real-time strategy adjustments

    This is why our program succeeds where others fail—and why our waitlist exists. Your rabbits are the ONLY bonding group in our care during their retreat, receiving our complete focus.

    Phase 1: Foundation (First 48 Hours)
    The first 48 hours are personally supervised by SD (our lead behavioral specialist). We start in a small pen appropriately sized for your group:

    • Pairs typically start in 2.5' x 2.5' space

    • Groups of 4-6 start in 4' x 4' space

    • Groups of 8+ start in 5' x 5' space

    Small spaces encourage closeness and cooperation while we determine base needs and establish hierarchy.

    Phase 2: Hierarchy Establishment
    We identify the dominant rabbit ("top bunny") and reinforce natural hierarchy through strategic positive reinforcement:

    • Top bunny receives food, treats, and attention first

    • We encourage appropriate dominance displays (grooming requests, mounting for position)

    • We intervene only when behaviors escalate beyond normal communication (latching, severe chasing)

    Phase 3: Space Expansion
    For every 12 hours of non-aggressive behavior, we expand the space by 2.5 feet as a reward.

    Target completion goals vary by lifestyle:

    • Free-roaming rabbits: Must complete bonding in 5' x 10' space

    • Pen-housed rabbits: Must complete bonding in 5' x 5' space

    • Custom setups: Matched to your home environment size

    Phase 4: Final Certification
    Rabbits must demonstrate 48+ consecutive hours of positive bonding behaviors in their maximum space before being cleared to go home:

    • No chasing

    • No aggressive mounting

    • Mutual grooming

    • Comfortable eating/sleeping together

    • Appropriate hierarchy maintenance

    If they're not ready after the scheduled days, we'll notify you 72 hours in advance and discuss options (extended stay or home pre-bonding with rescheduling).

  • The Bun Chia Burrow utilizes Behavior Modification, with Applied Behavior Analysis Principles.

    Positive Reinforcement Only
    We identify your rabbits' highest-value rewards (discovered during pre-consultation) and use them strategically:

    • Favorite treats delivered immediately after wanted behaviors

    • Preferred toys introduced as rewards

    • Social praise and attention for positive interactions

    • Increased space as ultimate reward

    We NEVER use:

    ❌ Water bottle spraying

    ❌ Loud noises or yelling

    ❌ Car rides or stressful environments

    ❌ Physical punishment

    ❌ Food/water deprivation

    ❌ Negative reinforcement of any kind

  • Behavioral Analysis in Action
    Using Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) principles, we:

    • Identify which base need is unmet (security, food access, territory, hierarchy)

    • Determine the function of unwanted behaviors (fear, dominance, resource guarding)

    • Reinforce wanted behaviors immediately and consistently

    • Allow unwanted behaviors to "extinguish" naturally without reinforcement

    • Adjust environment and rewards based on real-time behavioral data

  • We communicate in the same language your rabbits understand:

    • Our voices are used only for positive reinforcement and praise

    • We thump our feet to signal boundaries (like rabbits do)

    • We use gentle nudges and positioning to guide behavior

    • We allow normal rabbit communication (nipping, circling, brief mounting)

    • We only intervene before injury (latching, severe aggression)

Multiple rabbits of various colors inside a pen with hay and a cardboard hidey.

Post-Bonding Support + Guarantee

  • Duration: 3 hours
    Location: Your home
    Cost: Complimentary (included with every bonding retreat)
    Transport: Complimentary regardless of distance

    This service is UNIQUE to Bun Chia Burrow. No other rabbit bonding service in California—or anywhere—offers this level of transition support.

    On the day your rabbits come home, we personally transport them to your home and stay for 3 hours to:

    ✓ Set up their bonded living space in your home
    ✓ Monitor their behaviors in the new environment
    ✓ Observe how they interact with familiar surroundings and scents
    ✓ Correct any regression behaviors immediately
    ✓ Coach you on reading their body language
    ✓ Demonstrate intervention techniques if needed
    ✓ Answer real-time questions as situations arise
    ✓ Ensure successful transition before we leave

    You'll also receive immediate access to our Retreat Take-Home Guide (password-protected resource for bonding retreat graduates only) with detailed troubleshooting, behavioral guides, and ongoing support information.

  • Your relationship with us doesn't end when your rabbits go home. We provide comprehensive ongoing support.

    Four (4) Complimentary Virtual Consultations

    Available within 30 days of your rabbits' return home, these 30-minute consultations can be used flexibly:

    Option 1: Video Review
    Send up to 3 videos of your rabbits' behaviors and receive a detailed email analysis and recommendations.

    Option 2: Live Virtual Calls
    Schedule 30-minute video calls for real-time troubleshooting and guidance.

    Option 3: In-Person Follow-Up
    Combine two (2) virtual consultations into one (1) in-person visit (additional fees apply if outside our complimentary 35-mile range).

  • We're so confident in our rabbit bonding methods that we offer an industry-leading guarantee:

    If your rabbits unbond within 90 days, we will rebond them at absolutely no additional cost.

    Guarantee conditions:

    • You must follow protocols in our Retreat Take-Home Guide

    • You must contact us within 90 days of unbonding

    • Guarantee is void if you use bonding methods we don't recommend or mix strategies from other sources

    • Rebonding scheduling at our discretion based on availability

    This guarantee reflects our track record: the vast majority of our bonded rabbits remain happily bonded for life.

  • Interested in advancing rabbit behavioral science? Retreat clients can participate in our ongoing research:

    • Complete brief questionnaires about your rabbits' bond progress

    • Contribute to peer-reviewed rabbit bonding research

    • Receive 20% off full-service spa days for each completed questionnaire

    We discuss this at your consultation. Participation is entirely optional - you can withdraw at any time, and your information will be immediately discarded.

Why choose Bun Chia Burrow?

Bonding the Unbondable
We're often the last resort before rehoming. Known throughout Southern California for successfully bonding rabbits that other services rejected - aggressive pairs, failed bonding attempts, complex group dynamics. If others say "it can't be done," we prove them wrong.

True 24/7 Supervision
A staff member is present and alert at all times during bonding - even at 3AM. This is a service you won't find anywhere else.

Proven Methodology
Our bonding program is built on Applied Behavioral Analysis principles, peer-reviewed research on rabbit social dynamics, and 10+ years of hands-on bonding experience. Industry best practice shows that bonds maintained for 48+ hours in maximum space are stable long-term - which is why we require this clearance before rabbits go home. read the same articles we did →

Marathon Bonding Method
Rabbits stay together for the entirety of their retreat, not just 15-60 minute speed dates. This speeds up the process from months to less than a week.

Natural Communication
We communicate like rabbits do - thumping instead of yelling, gentle guidance instead of punishment. No water spraying or car rides.

Personal Experience
We've successfully bonded our own three rescue rabbits (Marshmallow, Macaron, and Chocolatte), as well as over 75 other groups (from duos to 8+) in a period of 5+ years using these exact techniques.

Exclusive Attention
Your rabbits are the only ones in our care during their retreat. Unlike other bonding operations, we don't juggle multiple groups.

Burrow Guarantee
Your rabbits will return home bonded and ready to live together, with minimum 48 hours of peaceful co-habitation before departure.

Transition Support
Optional 3-hour transition period at your home to ensure smooth adjustment and address any concerns.

The Bonding Retreat waitlist is currently full.

We are not accepting new inquiries at this time.

Please visit our learning library → for bonding resources, or contact us to schedule a complimentary virtual consultation.

Several rabbits, including white, black, and brown ones, are sitting together in a litterbox with hay.
Six rabbits gathered around a pot of fresh greens and foliage.
Three rabbits standing close together inside a pen, with different fur colors and patterns, looking up at the camera.
Two rabbits, one brown and one white, sitting on a bed with a pastel green headboard and a light-colored blanket.
Three rabbits lying close together on a wooden floor, one black and white rabbit and two white rabbits.
Two white rabbits lying close together on a blanket, on a dark blue couch.

Retreat Frequently Asked Questions

What does "sabbatical" mean for the Bonding Retreat?

Beginning 2028, BCB's Bonding Retreat will pause indefinitely. We will honor every reservation currently on our waitlist through Winter 2027 - no existing client will be affected.

Sabbatical means we are not accepting any new bonding clients, established or new, after our current waitlist is complete. It does not mean the service is gone forever, but we have no timeline for its return at this time.

In the interim, we are happy to offer a complimentary 30-minute virtual consultation for rabbit parents navigating bonding on their own. We are also working on a dedicated bonding resource in our Learning Library to support you through the process.

What if I'm already on the waitlist?

Your reservation is honored. Nothing changes for you. We will be in touch as your retreat date approaches.

Booking + Process

How do I book a Bonding Retreat?

Fill out the form above or contact us via call, text, or email. We respond within 48 hours.

All first-time clients can schedule a complimentary 30-minute virtual consultation to discuss your rabbits' history and bonding challenges OR schedule the in-person consultation ($75) to meet you and your rabbits. This fee is credited toward your deposit if you book a Retreat.

How are Retreat dates scheduled?

Retreats are offered on a first come, first serve basis. Dates can be traded to accommodate families.

What's included in the pre-bonding consultation?

During the in-person consultation, we assess your rabbits' temperaments, review their history, and determine your low and high-end Retreat quote based on expected timeline.

How long does bonding take?

  • Standard bonding: 5 days

  • Large groups (6+) or challenging cases: 10+ days

  • Timeline determined during consultation based on history and temperament

Bonding Approach + Methods

What makes your bonding method different?

Traditional bonding places rabbits in separate pens side-by-side for days or weeks, with 15-30 minute speed dates. This can take months.

We use marathon expansion bonding - rabbits stay together for the entire stay with 24/7 supervision. This compresses the timeline to less than a week while maintaining safety and allowing natural communication.

Do you use stress-based bonding techniques?

No. We don't use water spraying, car rides, or other negative behavior modifications. We communicate like rabbits do - thumping, gentle guidance, and patience.

What does "24/7 supervision" really mean?

A staff member is present and alert at all times - day and night, including 3AM. Your rabbits are placed together for the entirety of the stay and require constant monitoring.

How do you know when rabbits are bonded?

Rabbits must co-habitate peacefully without chasing or aggressive behaviors for a minimum of 48 hours before going home.

During the Retreat

Will my rabbits be the only ones you're caring for?

Yes. Your rabbits are the only ones in our care during their Retreat. We don't host multiple bonding groups simultaneously.

Can I get updates during the bonding?

Yes! We provide regular updates throughout the Retreat so you know how your rabbits are progressing.

Where do the rabbits stay?

Rabbits stay at our Montair location in a supervised bonding environment designed specifically for this intensive work.

After the Retreat

What happens when my rabbits come home?

We include an optional 3-hour transition period where we transport your rabbits back and stay with them to ensure smooth adjustment and address any negative behaviors.

What if they fight after coming home?

Our Burrow Guarantee ensures your rabbits return home bonded. The 3-hour transition period helps prevent regression. We're also available for follow-up support.

Can I get consultation credit toward a Retreat?

Yes! We credit up to 2 30-minute virtual consultations ($100) toward your Retreat booking.

Pricing + Payment

How much does a Bonding Retreat cost?

Pricing is determined during your in-person consultation based on:

  • Number of rabbits

  • Bonding history and temperament

  • Expected timeline (5 vs 10 days)

What payment methods do you accept?

Prefer: Cash, Venmo, Zelle
Accept: Credit card (3.5% service fee applies)

What's your cancellation policy?

Please review our cancellation policy before booking.

Miscellaneous

Can you bond large groups?

Yes! We specialize in bonding complex groups of 6-8+ rabbits - something most bonding services don't offer. Large group bonding requires more time (typically 10 days instead of 5), larger space (up to 12' x 5' for groups of 8+), and expertise managing multiple personalities. We're one of the few facilities in Southern California with the space and expertise to successfully bond large groups.