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BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately!  Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES 

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

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Forum BONDING Bonding Has Taken a Troubling Turn

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    • BubbaBunnies
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      57 posts Send Private Message

        Hi Everyone,

        Im hoping I can get some advice on how to proceed with my two buns. Sorry in advance for the long post.

        Back story:  I have had my first bun Alfie ( 1yr old Neutered male), since last January and decided after much deliberation that he needs a friend as I am a full time student with a part time job.  About 3 weeks ago I took him to the local shelter to go on some bunny dates and came home with a beautiful albino, 2.5 year old (neutered) girly named Lily.  I kept them separate for 1 week with their cages next to one another and within a couple days they were grooming each other flopping next to one another through the bars.  So I started bonding face to face.

        Bonding: I bonded them in the bathroom for about a week, starting with a 30 minute date (because it was going so well) and by the end of the week it progressed to a couple hours in which they would groom, relax and eat together.  The I rashly decided it was time for them to have a date in semi neutral territory (in my room where they live but with the cage doors closed).  I know this was a big mistake now, but at the time I thought they were ready.  Well out of nowhere one of them (i forget which one) went to mount the other and fur went flying).  So from there i put them in the bathtub and stopped fights for a couple mins and ended it when they were sitting quietly beside each other.  I since they started fighting thought their cages i didn’t bond them for a couple days and eventually moved them to different parts of the house.  About 3 days ago (about 5 days after the fight) i did a date in a different bathtub with no mat or blanket and they snuggled and groomed each other like old time.   The next day i put a mat down and even gave them some food once they started grooming each other, and they groomed each other more equally (usually Lily grooms Alfie more) then they have ever before.  So yesterday I put a mat and a blanket down and did the same, put some food down once they started to groom.  There was some mounting by Alfie but Lily was too busy eating to care and then one of them got a little too close to the others butt for their liking (happened so fast i don’t remember who, i may have also blocked it from my memory) and before i could bang a pot to stop them they were at it again so i banged a pot but they didn’t acknowledge it at all so i had to physically separate them with oven mitted hands.  I held them apart for a bit and let them go back to each other but usually Lily would go straight in for Alfies butt so i settled for squishing them together and eventually i had them grooming each other so i gave them treats and checked for wounds (none thankfully) and put them back.  I didn’t want to end on a bad note so they were in the bathtub for about 40 mins.

        So my question is; am I going about this the right way? Do you have any recommendations?  From your experience is there hope that they will get over this?  Really any info or suggestions you can give me is welcome.

        My plan is to keep them on bathtub dates until they are lying together with no aggression etc. then move them to a neutral pen and do the 48 hour bonding (since the mini dates before they fight did not progress from session to session) session and if all goes well to a semi neutral and then to their cleaned and reorganized home.  


      • MoveDiagonally
        Participant
        2361 posts Send Private Message

          Hello and welcome! It sounds like you did a lot of research and I think you’re on the right track

          When it comes to semi neutral it’s recommended that you not do it too close to their cages/homes. Otherwise it might still feel like home and cause aggressive lashing out. I really don’t have much advice to give you other than that! Your plan sounds great.

          One thing I did find incredibly helpful was keeping up a bonding journal or thread. That way members can offer you support or advice as you go through the process and face certain issues.

          For example here are mine:
          https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/aft/125145/Default.aspx
          https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/aft/127407/Default.aspx

          Keep us posted!


        • BubbaBunnies
          Participant
          57 posts Send Private Message

            Thanks MoveDiagonally!

            Makes me feel so much better to hear im on the right track.  

            Ooh I actually kept up taking pics and filming bits of each of the sessions up until they fought, then my record of their dates are a little sporadic due to breaking up fights.  I will go through those and post some of them and my continued progress when i get home from work, thanks for the great idea!

            Cheers!


          • BubbaBunnies
            Participant
            57 posts Send Private Message

              I will be keeping track of the remainder of my bonding journey with Alfie and Lily https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/54/aft/134387/Default.aspx

              So please direct any suggestion to that thread as this one is now closed.  Thanks 

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          Forum BONDING Bonding Has Taken a Troubling Turn