Posted By Gina.Jenny on 1/07/2017 7:19 AM

I marathon bonded Gina and Podge, it took four days from initial meeting to ‘moving in’ to their new set up and being left there together without needing more than a passing eye kept on them

That’s really encouraging to hear! Fingers crossed I have the same experience. Did you do any pre-bonding?

Posted By Vienna Blue in France on 1/07/2017 7:33 AM

GOOD LUCK !!!! Will be thinking of you !

My advice (now) would be lots of room so they have their own space, and fight it out to begin with…. then reduce when the fighting becomes more dominance rather than aggression (my female did NOT want the other to be top bun – he was! lol).
Once she started running away from him rather than facing and fighting we knew we were on the right track…

Thank you!

I’m not too concerned about fighting (altho obviously I can’t be sure and they’ll probably do it just to prove me wrong lol) I’m more concerned with humping as that’s what happened when Buttercup managed to escape into Peanut’s play area overnight – we woke up in the morning and saw them together lol) Before we re-seperated them, Buttercup had a roll around in his litter tray and nibbled on his hay and he was just chilling and then humped LOL.

Posted By Vienna Blue in France on 1/07/2017 12:22 PM

Humping is OK. Let them hump but remove hump’er’ from hump’ee’ ( ) after about 5-10 secs if you see it going on for too long…. so as not to stress humpee too much…

Will keep that in mind!

As I plan to marathon bond, I’ll obviously need to provide litter trays, food and water (though not right away, I’ll see how they are for a while without distractions first) do you recommend one large litter tray for the two to share,  or one each? (When they are able to share their living space, I will give them one each)

Posted By Sleepy on 1/07/2017 4:21 PM

For us, when we started having our buns share things like their litter trays+food+water, we started by swapping materials between them (like food bowls and such) as pre-bonding. Then when we were giving them materials to share in the same space, we gave them a ‘neutral’ litter box that neither had used before and let them share it, which is now the litterbox they share even now.

Since you intend to give them one for each in their final space, though, switching around litterboxes (before and during bonding) might be the way to go so they don’t get territorial over them.

I’ve not been switching litter boxes but I have been putting some of Buttercup’s soiled litter in Peanut’s tray and vice versa to keep both of their scents in both boxes. Hopefully that’ll be enough I’ve also been switching their water bowls and food bowls. I’ve also been swapping their toys and I bought them both a fleece blanket each and a plush toy which they’ve had for a few days now so I’ll start swapping those  

Do you think I should start with totally deodarised/”neutral” litter boxes in their bonding space and then add some of their soiled litter into both boxes?

Posted By Vienna Blue in France on 1/08/2017 1:29 PM

You’ll need lots of distracting things in the bonding area… exactly to take their minds of each other. A few big cardboard boxes scattered around so they can hide behind them. A BIG pile of the bestest food in the middle.

Marathon is one way of bonding…. but keep an eye on them both eating because you don’t want there to be other problems, like digestion slowing down….

Yeah I’ll only continue with the marathon bonding method if both buns are unaffected/not stressed out by it If one or both don’t respond well I will have to rethink! 

One more week!!!!! Not that I’m counting or anything….

I’ll try my best! I’m trying to mentally prepare myself because I imagine it’ll be a very roller coaster type day!

The day is quickly approaching, eeek!

I’m second guessing myself now, I’m really worried that marathon bonding won’t create a cement bond?

Posted By Gina.Jenny on 1/11/2017 3:13 PM

It did for Gina and Podge

I think it’s last minute nerves! I’m also really scared of coming home one day to something awful. Obviously I don’t plan on leaving them unattended til I’m certain they’ll be okay but there’s that ‘what if’ going on in my mind.

We’re going to tackle the bonding slightly differently to how we originally planned, instead of marathon bonding from Sunday m were going to do a bonding session during the day and see how they get on but I’d like it to be a few hours then we’ll separate them again. Repeat on Monday and Tuesday. Then we’ll start the long haul on Wednesday. We’ve decided to do it this way because my boyfriend is working Monday and Tuesday evening and I’d rather have 2 sets of eyes on them! From Wednesday, he’s got a week off work so perfect time for intense bonding! 

Plus I’m a little nervous to jump right in of course 

I let the bunnies have a little interaction today, I just pushed the partition close together so they could give each other a sniff. Buttercup shoved her face as much as possible and Peanut just sniffed her then the second time she put her face up against the bars, he dug at her head once then stopped. Third time they just rubbed noses. Buttercup did flinch a couple of times but I didn’t see any nipping, I think maybe be must have tickled her or something. I think the first time they might have rubbed noses too or he was grooming her face? I’m not sure, he was pressed up against her face but I saw no nipping.

I really hope Sunday goes well! We also switched the bunnies today so now Peanut is on the left side and Buttercup is on the right side of the living room. Is it a good sign that there is no territorial poops/peeing going on?

Posted By Vienna Blue in France on 1/12/2017 4:27 PM

Yes keep switching them every day.
I’m in agreement with GJ (of course ) once the bond is made – by whichever method – then the bond is the same.
You’ll know when its done and you wont leave them unattended if you dont think its right too.
Remember, I slept down with them on the first night together, and then gave up at 4am (!) because everything was just perfect with them. I wouldnt have done if id thought otherwise….

Positive actions from both sides is the key.

Thank you Vienna, the bit bolded is especially encouraging to read. I suppose I’ve got to just get over it and jump right in 

Okay I swear Peanut is the sweetest little boy (I’m biased I know) – he pushed the partition (he knows he can do that now, grr!) And as Buttercup pushed her face against it, I am 99% certain he LICKED HER NOSE!