Bonding help!

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 5sd replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 9 months ago by brianamonster.

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- 02/24/2009 at 6:34 PM
  brianamonster
  Participant
  87 posts
  Okay, here’s a little background info with my two buns, Pongo & Gizmo:
  
  About a year & a half ago my mother, sister & I went up to Tennessee to get a rabbit. Well, we ended up getting two little baby boys(brothers) & on the drive home my sister fell in love with one(Gizmo) so she ended up keeping him while I kept Pongo. A couple months ago we ended up moving Gizmo in so he could get a little more attention, seeing as how im still in high school & have nothing better to do
  
  So they have both been in separate cages in my room, but I’ve been trying to bond them so I can someday put them together. Usually when they run around they are separated by a fence, but they’ll lay next to each other & groom each other through the fence. I started putting them together in a small area after they got to know each other through the fence about a month or so ago & it’s been smooth sailing; no problems with fighting…minimal mounting, it’s really been great
  
  But today I had them together after a couple days apart & I guess Gizmo was grumpy from being stuck in his cage because he started mounting Pongo as soon as they were together. Pongo tends to let him for a second & then I will remove him, but Gizmo was being unusually aggressive, which obviously made Pongo uncomfortable. So, they started going in circles & I intervened but Gizmo had managed to bite Pongo(& me) & held on for a second I put Giz in his cage & checked Pongo out. He seems to be okay & I dont see blood or fur missing. I put the fence back up & they’ve been laying beside each other like normal but there’s a little uneasiness.
  
  So, I guess I’d just like some advice on where to go from here. Should I keep the fence until they seem okay again? & a question on grooming: Gizmo grooms Pongo a lot, but sometimes it seems a little aggressive. I read that it does often look like they’re kind of nibbling, but how can I tell when the grooming does get to be too much?
  
  Thanks for all the help, sorry about all the typing
- 02/24/2009 at 7:46 PM
  BinkyBunny
  Moderator
  8776 posts
  OUCH! I know how that hanging on bite feels! Rabbit bites are harsh. Also, be sure to keep a close on on Pongo’s bite, as even small bites can turn into abscesses. I just wanted to double check – i know it says in your profile that Pongo is neutered – is Gizmo as well?
  
  So was basically everything the same except for the fact Gizmo was stuck in his cage? Was Pongo also stuck in his cage near him like normal? Anything different at all that you can think of? When you “put them together” where are they during the bonding sessions? Was this the same this time too? Do you feel you were the same? Or have you or the household been a bit more anxious lately?
  
  Definitely keep the fence until it’s okay again – they can bite each other through a fence too depending on how far apart the grid is.
  
  Sometimes grooming can be a little rough for the social bunny misfits. Usually they find that the “nibbling” type of grooming will get them no where. That is what Jack used to do and I would have to get to a point to gently stop him. I wouldn’t scare him away entirely, but I would gentlly push his head away and then pet him so he knew I wasn’t trying to dominate him or claim the other bunny (Rucy) in that situation. He would try again and when he got it right, i would pet him while he was grooming properly.
- 02/24/2009 at 7:57 PM
  brianamonster
  Participant
  87 posts
  Yeah, I’ll definitely keep an eye on him. Gizmo is neutered, we got them done on the same day.
  
  As far as I know everything was the same. They were both in their cages for a couple days because I had training all day, but they are big cages so I don’t know why Gizmo would be grumpy over that. At first they were just in a small little pin that I made with the fence, then I expanded it as time went on & now it’s all the space in between their cages(they’re on different sides of the room) but their cages are closed to prevent any territory issues. I’ve never had problems with Giz getting mad that Pongo was near his cage, or vice versa.
  I was reading a couple other posts & someone had said that sometimes putting in a lot of toys can affect it. Coincidentally, I put a couple more toys than usual with them today & maybe that upset Gizmo for some reason.
- 02/24/2009 at 8:07 PM
  BinkyBunny
  Moderator
  8776 posts
  The toys that you put in…were they brand new or could they have smelled like another animal?
  
  Well, either way you could try again, (wear gloves) and if Gizmo tries this little stunt again, then you may have to go to a neutral territory. Unless, I am misreading it sounds like you open the cages and their bonding sessions take place in your room. Most of the time I would encourage to first go to a neutral territory, but since you said they were doing just fine before, then I’d give it one more try, and grab them before the spiraling even begins to start if you can – Look for ears back, tail up. (that is aggression)
  
  Mounting is okay just like you had said, and it’s okay to let it go on for about 20 seconds (if the one being mounted is okay with it) and then gently push the mounter off for about a minute or two before allowing a remount. In the meantime, pet them, talk to them calmly and just try to keep everyone, including yourself chilled out.
  
  Good Luck! Keep us updated.
- 02/25/2009 at 3:29 PM
  KatnipCrzy
  Participant
  2981 posts
  I have been bitten by a rabbit 2 different times during bonding sessions- now I make sure to keep a Frisbee or heavy plastic plate that I can use to divide the bunnies if they get into a “rolling ball of biting bunnies”.
  
  The first time I got bit on the back of my hand and it drew blood and left a bruise for weeks. And the second time was my fault since I was sitting in the room with them with my feet in front of me and no shoes on- I got bit right on the side of my big toe! So now I always wear shoes, even though I knew better even before I got bit. They started to scuffle near my feet and since their eyesight is not so great my foot was seen as a threat by an already excited bunny.
  
  (Ironically enough I have 3 rabbits- and although I have only been bitten 3 times it has always been by the same rabbit- Cotton).
- 02/26/2009 at 10:01 AM
  brianamonster
  Participant
  87 posts
  Yeah, I think I’m going to move them into a more neutral territory & just take some baby steps until i feel comfortable putting them together in my room again. The toys weren’t new, so they probably did smell like the other rabbit or the cat…which I’m thinking now was probably the problem x[
  
  I’ve been bitten 3 times, although the first two weren’t out of anger, they were trying to groom me! hehe xD This last time though was on my leg & it didn’t bleed but it looks pretty brutal. It’s like battle scars…but with rabbits…geeze..
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