Teaching an old bunny new things...

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 4sd replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 9 months ago by mrmac.

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- 06/27/2010 at 12:50 PM
  mrmac
  Participant
  2156 posts
  I haven’t posted in such a long time! Ok….
  
  We just got Dennis a couple weeks ago. We have started some introduction sessions between him and Dexter, but that is where the problem comes. Dennis has never been around another bunny…ever. He does not know how to lick, or what grooming is and has no clue! We have tried putting raisins on Dexter’s head to try and get him to lick but all he does is bite the raisin off and bite at his fur on his face instead of licking. Dexter and Dennis get along and show a lot of interest in being with eachother but it is the initial approach that is ruining it.
  
  Today during a small session between them Dexter actually nipped Dennis first, which set Dennis off. Dex put his head down to be groomed, Dennis did not, they both thumped and honked then a couple of tufts got pulled. But then I put them back sitting next to one another and Dexter groomed him…(Dexter is already rgrooming him quite a bit) Dennis enjoys the grooms but doesn’t get that the favor needs to be returned at some point…
- 06/27/2010 at 12:58 PM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  I don’t know if I have any suggestions other than to wait it out. Hannah desperately wanted a bunny friend, and groomed her stuffed rabbit all the time, but had no idea how to groom Otto. They’ve been bonded for 2.5 months and she’s still a horrible groomer. lol. Her grooming technique involves going at his eyes like she’s going to eat them (Otto puts up with it good-naturedly) but she’s definitely not very skilled. I think Dennis will get it with time – I’m not sure if there’s much you can do beyond the banana/raisin/food on the head trick.
  
  Perhaps if Dexter grooms Dennis more, he’ll get the idea. Otto is a much more gentle groomer, and I think Hannah learned some of her technique from him. It might take a while, but he’ll figure it out.
- 06/27/2010 at 1:52 PM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  I think they are going to have to teach each other – you cannot force it. Partly too this is all new to Dennis so you need to give him time – if he’s never seen another rabbit he’s going to have to learn to trust.
  
  And for grooming – my Dutch pair NEVER groom each other so it’s not a must. They sit side by side and get along perfectly but no grooming so I don’t think that grooming is a must and remember you are going to have a quartet so the dynamics of a quartet will be totally different than a pair or a trio.
- 06/27/2010 at 6:03 PM
  Deleted User
  Participant
  22064 posts
  Neigey still has never groomed anybunny in my quartet…
  — My suggestion is to imitate grooms with your hands: wet your figers and stick both buns in a box and massage their heads like that
- 06/27/2010 at 7:34 PM
  mrmac
  Participant
  2156 posts
  I will try the wet fingers, Dexter enjoys that already. He is just such a feisty little guy… He really enjoys when Dexter grooms him, he just doesn’t get it….
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