So day (well night) 1:

I asked husband to help me with this. I decided rather than starting with the bathtub I would start with something they both enjoy – a patting session. So I got husband to hold Terry and I held Greebo. We sat next to each other and patted them for 5 minutes. 

Then we decided that was going well (super relaxed, Terry half flopped, and they were both “purring”) so we put them between us on the couch next to each other and kept patting. They kept “purring” and Terry enjoyed squishing up with Greebo. Just as I was thinking “this is going well, let’s end it on a good note” Terry decided to ask Greebo for a groom. Of course Greebo wasn’t paying attention so Terry gave up after 2 seconds and started grooming Greebo instead! He groomed him for a good minute and when he stopped to pretty much nap next to Greebo we put them away. 

I managed to get a couple of not very good photos – but you get the idea.

Terry and Greebo being patted together. 

Terry grooming Greebo (which Greebo was very okay with!)

Haha, Greebo is pretty awesome!

All of my rabbits are named after Terry Pratchett characters – courtesy of my husband with his first rabbits. I believe the character Greebo is a cat belonging to Nanny Ogg, and he isn’t the nicest cat. Husband just loves the name.

Don’t know if I will do a bonding session tonight. Been sick all day.

The Floofle Quartet?

I do think despite the first session going well Terry and Greebo will be a challenging bond. Given half a chance Greebo does just want to hump (he wasn’t neutered until the age of 2 just before I got him so perhaps a learned habit?) and Terry is not going to take that well.

We did another cuddle session today. They both got upset that my dog barked and ran out the back. Terry because it startled him. Greebo because he wanted to chase the dog. So after that Terry only wanted to be on my lap, not next to me. We had some nice pats together for a few minutes. Terry groomed Greebo for 3 seconds then groomed me. Greebo tried to turn twice towards Terry’s bum as if going to hump but I stopped him both times.The humping is going to be an interesting habit to break – does anyone have any experience with this?

Well I haven’t let Greebo full on hump Terry since starting the bonding. But a few weeks after I got Greebo I accidentally knocked the barrier while I was cleaning and Greebo tried humping. Terry didn’t really hurt him but did chase and grunt angrily. Greebo just kept running in circles trying to hump. At least then I could put it down to post neuter hormones, but he doesn’t have that excuse now.

I might just have to spend lots of time warding Greebo off until he gets the idea during bonding. I don’t want it to escalate to Terry getting angry.

Nope. But I haven’t really had them together for a proper bonding session yet either – just the two cuddle sessions mentioned above. Terry didn’t hump Maggie or Lily though, just went straight to grooming. That could be a gender thing though!

I don’t plan to stop all humping for the reason you mentioned. I will just have to see how they go when I try a proper bonding session tomorrow. Maybe if Greebo gets a nip he will back off on the humping.

I’ll update more tomorrow.

Haha I lied, another update tonight!

I decided to just suck it up and try a session in the bath with husband, water spray, and sieve on standby.

Greebo did lots of humping. So much humping! And lots of honking too. Terry gently nipped him on the bum and they circled each other a couple of times both trying to hump, but Terry never actually humped Greebo and mostly put up with Greebo humping him. We separated them a few times when Greebo had been humping for 30 + seconds. We tried squirting a couple of times but nothing really bothers Greebo so that did nothing. Also got Greebo off Terry’s face when he tried to hump there.

Greebo then tried humping for 10 seconds, then running to Terry’s face to demand a groom. Terry had 1-2 seconds to respond and when he didn’t, Greebo would run back and hump again. This pattern happened a bit. Then poor Greebo was so tired from running and humping that he just sort of stopped half way through humping and flopped on Terry’s back and almost fell asleep! I think a noise in the house startled him back awake though.

Greebo calmed down and stopped humping when I gave them both a quick pat together. Then Terry started grooming himself while Greebo shoved his face under Terry’s. So Terry groomed Greebo a little bit, but I think Greebo thought he was being groomed more because Terry was grooming himself and using Greebo as something to lean on.

They also shared a bit of lettuce quite happily.

So I am actually really happy with this start. Turns out I didn’t need to stress!

Also looks like Terry isn’t a morning person. Well bunny. He seems happier to do sessions later in the day. I’ll keep that in mind with him too.

I don’t think husband got any good photos but I’ll ask him and put them up tomorrow if he did.

Yeah he has no interest in it even when it smelled like the girls too. It’s a stuffed rabbit same size and colour as Lily so I can’t get much better than that. Greebo did settle for grooms from me so I suspect when Terry grooms him more he will calm down on the humping. The length of his humping moments on Terry did shorten over time at least. I might just have to keep doing sessions as is and chuck a few parts of both of them in to call him down as needed.

Having session two in the bath as we speak. Well as I type. It started with them approaching each other and Terry grooming Greebo very thoroughly. I’ll put photos up soon but for now there is a short video on Instagram – @bunniesofchaos.

They have had a bit more humping mostly from Greebo and a few scuffles which I have stopped if they don’t fairly quickly. The scuffles are when Terry tries to jump back. But then lots more of Terry grooming Greebo. While they are relaxed next to each other I might end it on a good note. Terry just flopped next to Greebo!

Nobody ate the spinach by the way. When I chucked it in there a bit accidentally landed on Greebo so he carried it around on his head for a while.

And the flop I mentioned at the end:

Haha why thanks! It’s only even this year I have learn a lot about bonding but I have learnt a lot. Probably the autism – makes me super obsessive about learning something I find interesting.

I didn’t end up doing another session last night – my asthma got quite bad so I had to rush off to doctors before they shut. Will try a session later today when my husband is home, although I think at this stage the only thing I need him for is help carrying rabbits. One Greebo and Terry can get along well without scuffles and supervision I will start introducing the girls too. I don’t have a plan for how yet – maybe some one on ones again to see how we go and then try Greebo and both girls, then all four (in the meantime still keeping up the play dates between Greebo and Terry). Boy am I going to be busy with this. I just don’t want to put them all together right now because if they all scuffle, well, that would be dangerous and hard to separate and poor little Lily would be the one to get hurt because of he size and magical ability to always be in the way.

So umm yeah, that’s my vague plan. It’s basically how I did the trio, but more complicated because fourth rabbit.

Someone stop me if I ever try to get a fifth!!

I just googled it. Apparently most of the world calls a group of rabbits a herd. And in parts of Canada it’s a fluffle. I’m from Australia but I prefer fluffle!

Yesterday we had two sessions. The first started really well with grooming then they had a few scuffles and got a bit grumpy so I separated for a moment, let them calm down, then gave them a minute together to ignore each other and ended it on that. Second session I went with stress bonding in the washing basket and I think I might do a few more like that before the scuffles get worse. No photos from yesterday, but today we got a cute photo of Greebo under a blanket my husband put on him. I’ll put it in the September photos thread in a bit.

Quick update: I haven’t done any more bonding sessions for a while because I have been quite sick.

Right now I have decided to try a marathon session with them all. So far there have been a couple of tussles between Greebo and Maggie but nothing worrying. Terry and Greebo had one fight I had to break up but I stopped it before it got bad. I think they almost needed that. Greebo isn’t trying to jump Terry so much now. Lily and Greebo have been a bit adorable sniffing and checking each other out. Right now they are apart from each other exploring and eating hay scraps.

They are all moulting right now too, so they just need to use mind powers to make a bit of fur fly to be honest!

As I typed this Greebo and Terry just had a nice sniff and then ignored each other.

I’ll update again later.

Interesting development.

Last night husband without thinking left the barrier open between the trio and Greebo while cleaning. So they had an unplanned session in the opposite of neutral territory. They were fine.

I’m starting to notice with Terry that he is actually more aggressive when stressed. He instantly bonded with both Ogg and Maggie, and both times that was in his territory. So right now I’m trying a session in the study which is their territory. It’s going very well. Terry is relaxed, the girls don’t really care much, and Greebo is having fun trying to interfere with my cleaning.

The boys had one scuffle that stopped before I needed to intervene. There has been a few 2-3 second chases but other than that lots of “I’m totally ignoring you” behaviour. And some nice sniffing.

The trio are grooming each other, Greebo is grooming himself, and they are all eating a bit and exploring. For the day while I’m supervising I have set the study up like it will be when they are all bonded. So litter trays all in one spot being the main change.

I know it’s unconventional but it seems to be working for these guys so I’m going with it.

I will have some photos but not for a couple of days when I have internet working properly again.

Update:

They are still together and have been all day. Fairly unsupervised too. I’ve been working on my garden but going last and checking them a lot.

They have been really good. Mostly still ignoring. But I just walked in to find the two boys together and I think Terry was grooming Greebo until I interrupted. There have been a few 3 second chases but not too many. Lots of napping within a metre of each other. Eating near each other.

Looks like these guys are just ignoring conventional bonding rules.

I’ll update again tomorrow.

Posted By DanaNM on 9/10/2017 11:49 AM

Wow that’s great! I wonder if the dynamics are just different with groups?…. and they have all had a ton of pre-bonding and some neutral sessions too, so Greebo isn’t some random stranger at this point.

It certainly has been interesting observing the dynamics. Terry is a strange rabbit though – I have insta-bonded him twice, and to be honest with Lily it was pretty much instant too. He clearly likes Greebo a bit less but it still hasn’t been that bad apart from some scuffles when I tried in neutral territory. And you are right, I did lots and lots of pre bonding so they are all very familiar with each other. 

I have noticed with the trio dynamics though – any bunny expert would be able to watch them and after a short while probably pick the original pair – Maggie and Terry. I would call all three of them bonded, but you can see that little bit of extra special between those two. Lily is almost that third wheel that they still love even though she just uses them for warms I think!  

I kept the four of them together until about midnight when I wanted to sleep. Once when I checked on them Lily was grooming Greebo! Of course I didn’t have my phone on me to take a photo though! They at their veggie dinner together – Greebo just separate from the others a bit. I scattered the food all over the floor so they would have that space. He ate to close to Maggie at first so she nipped him gently and he ran off with a piece of carrot. 

So obviously they still have a long way to go to be bonded, but I think they are starting to make a lot of progress which I am really happy with. I’ll probably do the same today and just have them together all day semi-supervised. 

I keep missing cute photo opportunities!

They have been together all day. Fairly unsupervised. Nothing worse than Maggie nipping Greebo once. And she vaguely attempted to chase him once, but she is so lazy and he is pretty fast, so her attempt was really pathetic and she gave up so quick.

I have walked in on Terry grooming Greebo a few times. Poor Terry. Looks like he is stuck grooming everyone!

But every time I check on them they are hanging out closer together. They ate happily together earlier. I think we are winning!

Typical rabbits, ignoring all conventional bonding rules!

So they have been together all of yesterday, last night, and today. Terry and Greebo are pretty good together now so Maggie is having her turn telling Greebo that she is boss. No aggressiveness really, just one or two vague nips. But they are spending more and more time all close to each other and tonight instead of scattering their food like I have the last few days, I put it all in their litter trays (I have a few litter trays next to each other). They were really good about it! Greebo was able to share perfectly with the others.

I think they still have a way to go getting closer but I’m super happy with their progress. Cleaning is so much easier with them all together!

So last night and this morning I fed them in their litter trays rather than scattering the food. Win! They were really good. Greebo is keeping out of Maggie’s way a bit, but she isn’t doing anything other than looking at him.

This isn’t the best photo, but here they are eating breakfast veggies this morning. 

When I peeped earlier Maggie, Terry, and Lily were squished together in size order which was very cute. And Greebo was on a shelf nearby. He isn’t snuggling with them yet, but he will sleep a lot closer to them and they are happy sleeping near him. 

I’m just going to leave a couple of photos here..

Just wanted to update as I haven’t been on here for a while. They have been a wonderful happy bonded group for quite a while now. They live in my study (no cage), and when the weather is nice during the day they sometimes go in a large playpen in the backyard. Maggie gets regular hair cuts because she has too much fur otherwise, she overheats with the others snuggling her, and they groom her a lot and I don’t want them ingesting all her loose floof. 

Below is a photo of the four of them sharing a banana. Lily still likes to grab her share and run off with it. 

Right now they are a bit upset with me. I have foster rabbits in an entirely different part of the house but obviously they can smell them. They have done nothing worse than wee on the floor instead of their litter tray, but that’s sure telling me!  

Thanks everyone! They certainly are a fun group of rabbits to have. My husband and I are sort of tempted to adopt one of the fosters when he is old enough and neutered, but we aren’t sure if we want a group of 5 or not.