Lukie actualy likes another bunny!!

Forum

OUR FORUM IS UP BUT WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF UPDATING AND FIXING THINGS. SOME THINGS WILL LOOK WEIRD AND/OR NOT BE CORRECT. YOUR PATIENCE IS APPRECIATED. We are not fully ready to answer questions in a timely manner as we are not officially open, but we will do our best.

You may have received a 2-factor authentication (2FA) email from us on 4/21/2020. That was from us, but was premature as the login was not working at that time.

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately! Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

What are we about? Please read about our Forum Culture and check out the Rules.

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately! Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 8sd replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 6 months ago by DanaNM.

Viewing 8 reply threads

Author

Messages
- 03/31/2018 at 7:06 PM
  Dee
  Participant
  704 posts
  A miracle has occurred- Luke actually likes the bunny we brought home for him! It’s funny because the last 2 rabbits that he met before did not work out, but this one my husband picked out and it seems like a match! Well, maybe… I was all excited but now I’m worried. She was spayed about 6 weeks ago, so I just let them start interacting 2 days ago- with 2 fences 4 inches apart between them. I’m not rushing this, partly because I want it to work and partly because I’m so scared that it won’t and will result in bloodshed. Aside from the first time they saw each other from,a distance and Luke thumped, causing Lola (Luke’s prospective wifey) to thump back, there was no aggression until a minute ago. They are fascinated with each other, lay against the fences together, eat together, try to touch noses… And absolutely no growling, snorting or lunging from Luke, who is a notorious nose nipper and has never been friendly to anyone through gates before. I changed the fence situation today, making it a bit easier for us to get through, and didn’t notice that I left a part where they could make nose contact. They were out there by the gate for some time, and I went out to check them and they went to that section of the fence. Luke stuck his little nose through and Lola tried to nip him! He jumped back and didn’t seem very fazed, but if course I’m now thinking she will bite his nose off given the chance. For all I know, he had nipped at her a few minutes before and she was retaliating, but Luke is my little baby and she is much bigger than him. Since then, they have gone right back to sitting together and Lola just flopped beside the fence while Luke looked on. She shows off and binkies for him- it’s cute.
  
  So… do you all think the attempted nose nip was significant? I’m also wondering what the next step should be, although I think I’ll give it a few more days now. Do you usually move the fences close enough for contact first, or let them meet on neutral territory first? I’m so afraid of doing the wrong thing and them fighting and ending up holding grudges against each other. But I’m really pleased to see them interacting so positively- they hang out together constantly, only leaving to use the litter box. Oh yeah- I haven’t switched litterboxes or put them in each other’s territories yet. So that’s another option. I’m just looking for opinions, suggestions, experiences, etc. Thanks!!
- 03/31/2018 at 7:17 PM
  DanaNM
  Moderator
  9054 posts
  How exciting!
  
  I usually don’t allow any contact through fences, and I wouldn’t worry about the nip.
  
  I would let new bun settle in for at least a week or two, then start doing cage/litter box swaps. Most people on this forum recommend a month, but I think you can base it on how they react once you swap them. Once they aren’t marking all over the place every time you swap, and if they don’t see phased by it, then I think you are ready for actual sessions.
  
  . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
- 04/01/2018 at 2:55 AM
  Sirius&Luna
  Participant
  2320 posts
  I wouldn’t be too stressed about the nose nip. Since she’s new, she’s probably feeling a bit overwhelmed and wants to protect her space. How long have you had her?
- 04/03/2018 at 6:49 PM
  Dee
  Participant
  704 posts
  Hi Dana and Sirius & Luna- thanks for your replies! I’m glad that neither off you think the nip is worrisome.
  It does make sense not to allow contact through the fence before they are bonded. I reinforced the fencing so it cannot be pulled any closer together.
  
  I haven’t moved forward any with the bonding until today, when I switched their litter boxes. They were very mellow about it- Luke chinned the litter box twice and sniffed around and that was it. Lola went straight for the hay lol. She was a bit interested that it was Luke’s potty but she didn’t even chin that I noticed.
  
  The bunnies are OBSESSED with each other. They are together, on their respective sides of the fence, almost 24/7. They do most things at the same time- it’s so cute. They’re driving me crazy at night rattling the fences- I tried to put Lola back in her “home base” which is the mudroom and part of the kitchen, and that lasted all,if 10 minutes. She was was tearing at the cardboard on her fence (to prevent biting fence) frantically, and Luke was running back and forth on the other side of the kitchen gate, looking on the verge of a bunny breakdown, so I let Lola out.
  
  I feel almost cruel keeping them apart, but I’m not rushing into this because I know that once they’retogether, anything can happen. On Thursday, the start of my “weekend”, I plan to let them meet and I have a question for you all.
  
  Luke has an issue with rabbits hopping toward him- he tends to lay his ears back and look mean, then lunge and nip as soon as they get within reach. He used to do that with me at first, minus nipping, so I think it’s fear. So I was wondering if I should introduce the bunnies in a laundry basket or other contained place, so they have room to move around but not really hop or chase. I might even kinda smoosh them together and pat them if they seemed anxious. Or would that be forcing
  contact and interfering too much? Should I just go for the small pen enclosure in a neutral space? One thing- neither bunny is comfortable with being picked up, so catching and transporting them either upstairs or downstairs for neutral territory will be stressful for them. Thanks to everyone who is reading this very long post, and extra thanks in advance to anyone with ideas and opinions on this!
  
  I’m excited that they are so interested in each other but of course very nervous!!
- 04/03/2018 at 7:22 PM
  Dface
  Participant
  1084 posts
  I’m so glad for you that he looks like he likes her!!
  
  I think the confined space is best for their first interaction because you seem nervous. Interfering wont do much harm, but eventually when you calm down you can let them because bit more free with themselves. You know your own rabbits and you’ll quickly know if they need more or less space / more or less you.
  The main thing on first intro is to get them used to the other bunny in their space.
  
  Also try and remember that bonding is trial and error. One bad day (or three months of them) did not mean irreparable damage. The odd scuffle is perfectly within reason :p (as long as it doesn’t get too heated)
- 04/04/2018 at 4:17 AM
  Sirius&Luna
  Participant
  2320 posts
  The first few times I introduced my trio, I didn’t take my hand off Luna for a second. I worried that she’d lunge and bite if I did (she did!). Personally, I don’t think interfering a lot is bad, because it means that they can’t have negative interactions, even if you are artificially managed it.
  
  By a few sessions in, when I took my hand off Luna I was more confident about how she would behave, and all the bunnies were calmer because they had been spending time together without anything bad happening.
  
  I would definitely start in a confined space, and don’t be worried about petting them and interfering.
- 04/05/2018 at 9:15 PM
  Dee
  Participant
  704 posts
  Hi Dface and Sirius & Luna, thanks for your replies! I’m glad that you both agree that it’s ok for me to use a confined space and calm the bunnies of needed. Sirius & Luna, you’re right, I am INCREDIBLY nervous and I hate it because the rabbits can feel it and probably think there is a threat if even I am scared.
  
  Well, tonight is not going to be the big night because Lukie is acting strange- either sick or angry at me. He does this shuffle in the litter box like he’s going to pee, then sits there forever not doing anything, maybe one more shuffle, then jumps out flicking his feet all annoyed- and during that whole performance, he doesn’t pee ?. He’s done this occasionally before and earned himself a 3am, $400 trip to Tufts because I thought he had a blockage. So he has done this a few times this week, and today I picked him up to feel if his bladder felt huge and distended or if he seemed like it hurt. It was fine as far as I could tell (I imagine I could maybe feel his bladder if it was enormously full). Since I dared to pick him up, he has not gone back in the kitchen to visit Lola and was even hiding in his house where he normally only hides during the daytime. I’ve been keeping track of his litter boxes and he is peeing and it looks normal, but seems like such a small amount. He barely drinks anything so maybe that is fine, but I’m all worried now. And since he refuses to be in the same room with me I won’t even try to catch him (I just left the kitchen and he immediately hopped on to see Lola. What a little turd!!
  
  So, maybe tomorrow. As long as Luke isn’t having any medical crisis! I’ll try to make my updates shorter, I don’t know why I can’t write short, concise posts- sorry, everyone!!
- 05/11/2018 at 10:36 AM
  Dee
  Participant
  704 posts
  Finally another update- I’ll try to be brief as I have many dates to cover!
  
  Date 1- plastic bin. Luke terrified. Lola restless. No interaction, but I petted them to calm.
  
  Date 2- Luke really terrified due to Lola being claustrophobic and struggling to escape. No interaction.
  
  Date 3- Neutral area between respective territories. Luke more relaxed, Lola happier due to more space. Nose to nose, then Lola groomed Luke quickly then jumped on his head to hump. I stopped it after about 20 seconds. Then Lola humps
- 05/11/2018 at 7:11 PM
  DanaNM
  Moderator
  9054 posts
  Date 3 sounds really good!
  
  I def had the most success with big spaces, but then again I also had tons of car rides together in the carrier, and that seemed to help too.
  
  . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
Author

Messages

Viewing 8 reply threads

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.