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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 10sd replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 5 months ago by Mikey.

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- 09/01/2017 at 1:45 PM
  Sparkles
  Participant
  26 posts
  Hey guys!
  
  I adopted a second rabbit (Wesley) to bond with my other rabbit (Sparks) back in January. I started trying to bond them in late Feb, but it was more intermittent than it should have been, and in April I took a break due to some family things going on. I restarted in May, but Sparks managed to get out of her pen one day because I hadn’t used all the hooks, and there was chasing and lots of biting and fur pulling before I separated them (thankfully I was home so it was only a few minutes). They started nipping each other through the pens again after that, so I took another month off to let things calm down. Previously they had been snuggling and grooming each other through bars.
  
  I’ve restarted now that they’re back to that, and I think they might be ready to move in but I’m not sure. Previously bonding session had gone really well, lots of snuggling and grooming, but sometimes Wesley would bite sparks when he wanted to be groomed if she didn’t right away and they’d have little trysts, but they never lasted long.
  
  I’ve moved them into a less neutral area for bonding this past week. No more biting, lots of snuggling and grooming, or just flopping out next to each other. My only concern is from what I’ve read, usually they’ll have some sort of working out dominance, and aside from the nips and the fight that was my fault, I’ve never seen them. If they’re not ready I don’t want to ruin it and move them in too early, but they clearly enjoy being together and I don’t want to keep them apart unnecessarily.
  
  Any advice or input from people who’ve been through this before would be great!
  
  Thank you
- 09/02/2017 at 6:39 PM
  Serenity
  Participant
  173 posts
  You might want to try putting something sticky and yummy on one’s head if they’re having a problem with grooming. It worked with Ginny and Hermione. I put I think some juice I squeezed from a grape on Hermione’s head and after a minute Ginny started licking it off. This iniiated lots of grooming afterward and now they’re besties, inseparable. Haven’t seen Ginny bite/chase/growl since, not once.
- 09/02/2017 at 7:59 PM
  Sparkles
  Participant
  26 posts
  No problem grooming
  
  The biting was only at first, and only when Wesley wanted to be groomed. He wouldn’t “ask” like rabbits usually do first. He’d do a quick nip and then ask. That’s totally stopped now.
  
  Every bonding session since l restarted they’ve just spent the whole time cuddling and grooming. I’ve been doing 1-2 hour sessions this week, sometimes twice a day and they’ve been going very well. Yesterday they were together for almost five hours, and were happily munching, snuggling and grooming each other the whole time
- 09/02/2017 at 8:55 PM
  Mikey
  Participant
  3186 posts
  They cant move in until they can go 48 full hours of no aggression. Biting, fur pulling, chasing, lunging, boxing, ect are all signs of aggression. During this 48 hour test run, youll be sleeping next to them and have them in a space where you can always see them. Best if you have a friend or family member watch them on occasion if you need to use the bathroom, eat, ect.
- 09/03/2017 at 1:46 AM
  Sparkles
  Participant
  26 posts
  I think I didn’t phrase what I was trying to ask well. I know you need to do the 2 full days of them together with no issues before you can say they’re bonded. I’m looking more for when they’re ready to do that trial run while being watched.
  
  There have been zero issues, just lots of snuggling, grooming, eating together, etc. Previously, when they were first introduced there was the nips by my male when he wanted to be groomed and my female would hip him back, but they never fought and usually I didn’t have to interfere, aside from some “bunny magic.” After that, they’d go back to snuggling and one would start grooming.
  
  This week I’ve moved them to a less neutral area, and even when left together for the five hour stint they’ve had no problems. I’ve never seen them “work out dominance” like I’ve seen mentioned here and in other bonding articles, so I’m wondering if they’re displaying the above, is it okay to try the 48 hour stint anyway?
- 09/03/2017 at 1:48 AM
  Sparkles
  Participant
  26 posts
  Thank you both for your replies I’m sorry I wasn’t clear with what I was asking before!
- 09/03/2017 at 1:48 AM
  Sparkles
  Participant
  26 posts
  *whoops*
- 09/03/2017 at 1:48 AM
  Sparkles
  Participant
  26 posts
  *refreshed since my computer seemed to be frozen and I ended up posting three times. Whoops!*
- 09/03/2017 at 12:57 PM
  Mikey
  Participant
  3186 posts
  Lol, no worries on the resposts! Happens to the best of us
  
  Ah, ok. I would say if they can go about 8 hours together with no aggression at all for atleast 3 days in a row, then youre ready the 48 hour test run
- 09/03/2017 at 2:12 PM
  Sparkles
  Participant
  26 posts
  Thank you!
  
  I did another long bonding session yesterday (3 hours) and it went well, so I’ll try seeing how they do with 8 hour ones!
  
  Thanks again!
- 09/04/2017 at 12:53 AM
  Mikey
  Participant
  3186 posts
  Not a problem! I would up it an hour a day until you get to 8 hours, then do 8 hour sessions for atleast three days in a row. As long as there is on aggression in those hours, they should be ready to test drive. Their bond sounds promising either way
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