Ok – I have no advice on bonding as never been there before but just wanted to say -hahahaha! How are they getting together? Lucky they are both fixed! It is a cage right? Has a top and bottom? Are the bars spaced apart that they can sqeeze thru? I thought maybe they’re jumping in or lifting the base and scooting under but if it’s a cage……………?????????? When there’s a will……….lol.

EDIT: Bugger! Another double post.  Admin?  Pretty Please………

Ok – I have no advice on bonding as never been there before but just wanted to say -hahahaha! How are they getting together? Lucky they are both fixed! It is a cage right? Has a top and bottom? Are the bars spaced apart that they can sqeeze thru? I thought maybe they’re jumping in or lifting the base and scooting under but if it’s a cage……………?????????? When there’s a will……….lol.

Awww. I know! It’s because I’m anal! I post then go back into edit my errors. Then i re submit/cancel/re submit and then there you have it! Grrr!

The next step would be to have both of them in a neutral place 24/7 for about 2 weeks. AT least that is what was needed with Maryann and Dono.

There will eventually come a time when you will need to begin putting them in together 24/7. If Charlie was in her cage eating her food and not attacking her, that is a good sign (he wasn’t trying to oust someone who ‘staked a claim’ in his house). I had to put Maryann and Dono in the bathroom for 2 weeks straight. There was the occasional nip here and there but never an all out fight. What you want to do is start it on a weekend, early in the morning. If they get into a major fight, scoop them up, put them in a carrier and give them a 15 minute time out on the dryer. Then back into the enclosure.

The more you keep them seperated the more they’ll begin to accept the seperation as what it should be. Now, I’m not saying that they will go easily into this and if there is all out fighting, you won’t want to keep them in there and will need to take a step back in the bonding but you do need to try to go forward.  But do realize that there will be the occasional nip and chase, as long as it isn’t something that continues for more than a few seconds.

A way to create a neutral space in non-neutral area is to drape a sheet around the sides of the X-pen. You will create a new room within your room and they’ll see it as neutral. Try that for a couple of hours and if the fighting starts up, see if you can get them to stop while still in the X-pen together. If not, then you’ll need to continue with the shower bonding – maybe keep them in there for most of a saturday and then move them into the new neutral area.

Well it IS a good thing that they seem to be getting along in the neutral space. You need to keep them there for at least 2 weeks so that they become so accostumed to each other that when they are in other spaces, it is just like having their own tail there.

And, just an FYI, even to this day, I will find the occasional clump of Dono fur after Maryann has taken offense to something.

Sometimes you won’t get love but a good friendship. Maryann and Dono often do their own thing and sometimes even take naps apart from one another. But I do find them snuggling together from time to time. To me, it sounds like that you are nearing the end of the journey. After two weeks being housed in neutral space, you can then move them to their permament home. Make sure that the condo/x-pen/area is as clean and deoderized (with vinegar and water solution) as you can get it. Also, to help with it, I would suggest all new items – such as toys, litter box and food/water bowls.

And the chasing thing is something that also happens with Maryann and Dono – especially around feeding time.

Hi-

How’s the bonding going? Any news? I think actually leaving them together will be the scariest part. Thoughts of coming home to tufts of bunny fur everywhere- makes me nervous just typing it- lol. But I guess it’s gotta be done sooner or later! I know I’m takin it slooooowww- last night my two were getting along and I kept thinking,”I should seperate them while they’re getting along, cuz soon he’ll start his humping routine and it’ll be all downhill from there…” It’shard to just relax and enjoy them when it’s so new. Although the nice moments are worth it, for sure!

  Anyway, I hope it’s going well! We’ll get there eventually…

It’s me again- somehow I missed your last post- I’m in such a hurry to post I end up being a babbling idiot. Congrats on them being together all the time!!! You are really just about there!
Nelli flattens herself out on the floor when Ludicrous gets frisky- he is evidently more persistent than your nice boy Charlie, because Lude takes the opportunity to climb onto Nelli’s head, grab a couple nibbles of fur, etc. At least he is mixing some grooming in there now though…

Yeah, a sense of humor definitely makes things easier. I find the buns so amusing, it’s hard not to laugh at their bizarre antics.

So this weekend is The Move, huh? It sounds like you have really take your time preparing Layla and Charlie for this- I’m sure that will help them adjust. Have fun cleaning- lol. It’ll be worth it- it sounds so much easier jut to have one cage, bowl.etc.

Good luck- I’ll be watching for news from you!

Well, C&C? How’d it go? Are they happily housed together?

If you wake up and find a bit of fur that looks like it was yanked out or if there’s a tiny bit of nipping, don’t worry about it. Even the best couples have spats.

Maryann nips Dono on occasion when I come to give the food. He’s actually learned to hang back until he sees Maryann take the first bite then he hops over and begins eating (since her mouth is busy).

That’s AWESOME C&C! So glad they’re friends! You realize, now they’re going to talk, and Layla will teach Charlie how to get into hard-to-reach places, and Charlie will teach Layla how to annoy and provoke your boyfriend!

Now that you’re an expert, you get to help me when I get to bonding the Diva to the Ruffian!