I don’t seperate completely, but I pick one of them up and calm them down, then try again. Sometimes they completely ignore each other for a few minutes, then the process starts over again. I’m thinking that Derby about 2 years older than Spike, so he might not have the energy or patience for my little whippersnapper To bring them closer again I put a little pile of veggies down and they both come to it and eat and the process starts all over again. I have tried the laundry basket and they do really well with that. There is no nipping, only snuggling. I will have to try the petting thing you told me about, MD, that might really help since they will sort of be pinned to the groud and cant chase. They are so darn cute together that I just want them to be pals! I havent had any real fights so I’m glad about that!

Yes, maybe my neutral area is a bit big. I constructed it out of old doors so it’s 4 normal sized doors as walls. I used it as my fosters pen, but now that they are gone, I use it for bonding. I also have carpet down. Should i take the carpet up and have the slippery floor? I worry about that because I think that freaks out Derby even more. I could for sure try making the space smaller until they are feeling better.

ok, tonight I am going to make the space smaller so they are “forced” to be near each other. Should I continue with the piles of greens so they come together? should I try the bonding before or after they eat? (i figured after so they wouldnt be aggitated because they were hungry) How often should i be bringing them together? i have been trying to do it everyday, but should i do it more than once each day?

This weekend went really well! I did two sessions a day for about 20 minutes. I made the space about 1ft by 2 feet, with me sitting at the opening so they were forced together. Spike was grooming Derby and there was no aggression whatsoever. Derby did mount Spike a few times, but I just pushed him off. They ate out of the same bowl and shared strawberry treats. I swapped their cages a few times too, so hopefully that will help. I am going to continue like i have been and increase the space in about a week. eventually I will walk away and see what they do. then I will go the neutral space and the space they will both share. I am really happy with the results so far though!

I wouldnt say that I am out of the woods yet, but I am starting to see the clearing!! I was able to leave them alone and do some housework while they were in the neutral area together. They just kind of beebopped together and hung out. Since I was off all day yesterday and they had been doing so well, I decided to move them to the semi-neutral area. They did really well in there, so I left them in there all day. I think they got a little restless because they were both pulling on the gate later in the day. Since again, they were doing so well, I let them out and they got to run around together in the livingroom, which will be “their area.” They did well, a little chasing, but nothing too bad. They ended the night by lying nose to nose together for quite awhile and Spike was also grooming Derby. This morning I let them out of their houses together again in the living room. They did ok…some chasing, but nothing a loud clap from me couldnt stop. They even went into Derby’s cage together and laid together…but Derby is NOT allowed in Spike’s cage! (I had been swapping cages for them, but I think Spike still thinks of that one as his own.) They are in eachother’s cages today and I will bring them out again together tonight. My little dudes are so cute together! I am one proud mama, but will be even prouder when they are completely bonded and living together