All I can say about today is poor Chipper!!! This morning we tried out first face to face since they seemed just very curious though the screen. Licorice seemed ok, but then chased and humped him. Chipper made little squeaks and high tailed it for me. Licorice clearly wants to be the bossy bunny here. We tried the bath tub now – about 6 hours later. Chipper literally jumped right out!

I think maybe Chipper needs more time to settle in. When Licorice is not around – he will not come out of his cage on his own (we leave the door open – they are in separate rooms.) But if you take him out – aside from an initial grunt or two – he snuggles right up, or hops around a little. He seems to particularly like my boys. Maybe smaller humans = less threatening? (Also – the boys know they are not allowed to pick up either bunny. Period. We had the same rule previous with the cat before he passed.) I mean – his bunny body language is a complete give away. (See below with my 10 yr old – very relaxed. Fell completely asleep a minute later.)

I truly appreciate the insights. Chipper is really very much a couch/snuggle bunny right now. I’m very surprised. Also, I think my husband adds to his nervousness. =( He is real sweetie – love hunkering right in with me or the boys. But my husband’s deep voice seems unsettling. (Which makes him sad because he’s an animal lover to the max!)

Also – a good deal of what I read states the boys cages should be next to each other. Right now Licorice is in my office space because he likes to treat my dining room as an obstacle course – he tears through it then binkys all over the living room. Then flops on the couch to snooze or in a sunny spot near my sliding doors. So he’s pretty free here. Our entire down stairs is open concept – no internal doors. So I’ve got Chipper screened off in the kitchen (Licorice did go there – but not much. He doesn’t care for the tiles.)

Should I put them next to each other but still separated by a screen?

Another potentially noteworthy bit – Chipper refuses to leave his cage of his own accord. He does let me pick him up (only me) – sometimes with a grunt. Mostly though he’s ok. Once I get him out and into the living room – he really likes the couch, and I caught him mid -binky dance yesterday when no one else was home but me and the bunnies. =) He just will not come out on his own! Today – he got overwhelmed and started to thump though. =( I showed him back to his cage right away – he seems fine now.

Ok so that is really confusing on re-read, sorry.

Licorice has a cage in my office. He only gets the door shut overnight and if we are not home. Sometimes he chooses to sleep in there (like right now. )

Chipper is in the kitchen. I moved him there because when we tried to keep his cage near Licorice – Licorice was relentless! He would sniff and sniff at Chipper through the cage bars – and even got up on Chipper’s cage. Chipper was panicking. So I moved him – and put up a huge old window screen to make sure Licorice can’t get into the kitchen and bother him.

I leave Chipper’s cage door open the same as I do Licorice’s. It’s just that he never leaves the cage on his own. I took a picture below. The cage is small. It came with him. I did not think he would stay in it by any means! It’s just meant to be a “home base” for a few hours in the day is all.

Even when I remove him from his cage – he returns immediately unless I take him far enough away that he doesn’t know how to get back yet. Then he perks up a tad – even does a little exploring, etc. During those time – I have to cage Licorice or he goes right for him and Chipper runs off in terror.

Below I put a pic – he came to the door, I took him out – gave him the apple as reward – he tore back into his cage and in his tunnel to eat it. Won’t come back out.I should add – he is more shy since we tried the face to face. =(

So bonding… yeah.

Here’s the update:

They are totally and completely fine with a screen between them. They groom, they sleep, they sniff each other through the screen. The SECOND you lift the screen – Licorice gets all frantic (squeaks, humps, does a little chasing) and poor Chipper hides.

We try putting them on other “neutral” ground (involves carrying them both someplace else.) Roughly the same – Chipper hides, Licorice all frantic – sniffing, trying to hump, a little chasing. We try to hold them (Chipper mad dashes for a lap anyways – he likes people a lot.) Licorice tries to just get away like a madman.

Licorice is a fantastic animal – so much personality. He does come sit with you – next to you that is – on his own terms. He has a ton of energy. Chipper – is seriously a cuddle bunny. He doesn’t like open spaces, he likes people (loves to hunker in you arms/lap.) I think if Licorice would “chill” and sit there – Chipper would be fine – but Licorice is a ball of fuzzy energy. he’s overwhelming Chips.

Any thoughts?

I really appreciate all the advice. Licorice I think is going to be an issue until he’s fixed! In the meantime, we back up the screen – giving Chipper more room to roam without Licorice interfering. Chipper seems more and more comfortable with us and I cannot get over how cuddly he is. I find that very strange for a bunny. I don’t mind at all though – and my soon to be 7 year old is his favorite lap. How sweet is that?! Oh and – he isn’t totally high tailing it from my husband anymore. He travels a good bit – and I thought when he came back Chipper and him would have to start all over. But Chipper took strawberry right out of his hand and hoped right into his lap.

I think right now I’m just counting my blessing that neither bunnies seem to be major biters! We’ll resume more intensive bonding when Licorice is fully neutered and all recovered/ hopefully less hormonal.

Also – as of today we’ve had Licorice 3 months and Chipper 3 weeks. Licorice isn’t neutered and they can at least be next to each other through the screen no issue. So I think all in all things are going splendidly. 

Chipper is adorably cuddly. Very shy – but I also suspect he can sense Licorice’s over excitement – and probably smell it too!

Hoping by the end of April to be back underway with the bonding efforts.