Baby bun bonding with adult

[luvmyhunybuny]

The little one that I hand raised is now 6 weeks old. She is doing phenomenally! I have read and been told by many rabbit experts that adults almost always just take to the babies. So, I tried to introduce her (btw, I am still not 100% sure she is a she, but I am pretty sure) to my neutered lop/lionhead and he honked and went after her   So, I tried to introduce her to my spayed rabbit and she tried to bite her Do I just need to wait a bit longer? I, obviously, do not want her to get hurt, so I have been very careful with the initial introduction. But, she is very lonely. Her mom is still in my home (as a foster) and to our surprise delivered 6 more babies last week. Apparently the person who surrendered her to the rescue did not separate mom and dad RIGHT after she gave birth to her first litter. We were soo not expecting 6 more babies, who she is taking very good care of. Advice please?

[luvmyhunybuny]

Recent picture of my sweet baby!

 

<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v…eksold.jpg” target=”_blank”><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v…eksold.jpg” border=”0″ alt=”Photobucket”>

[bunnyfriend]

I think you should wait until after she (or he) is spayed and recovered to introduce. That will ensure the best interactions possible. Plus when her hormones do kick in she won’t go all hormonal on the other bun. But if she really is lonely then maybe she does need attention from another rabbit after all. She is absolutely adorable, that picture is so sweet!!!!

[luvmyhunybuny]

No, I really don’t want to wait. I have successfully bonded 2 pairs of bunnies before the female was spayed (and of course the male was neutered) and the bond was never broken after the spay. She really is very lonely. She has bonded to me (rightly so, i have been feeding/handling her since she was 3 days old) but I can’t spend 24/7 with her. My heart breaks looking at her in her pathetic “I need a friend” state.

[bunnyfriend]

Awhh poor bunny! Okay, well then I would suggest trying again, very carefully as you said. Were the first two times in neutral territory? Maybe try feeding them together, it makes some bunnies fight over food but I found that it distracted my bunnies and helped them calm done around each other. How did she react towards the other rabbits?

[Sarita]

That is not true that all adults take to babies.

Babies get scared easily and are very delicate. You should wait a bit until the baby is a bit older and less fragile as your rabbits are adults and can unintentionally harm her. Have you tried putting a surrogate stuffed animal in with her?

Also you know since you have bonded rabbits before, one session does not a bond make – it’s the most stressful session of introducing 2 rabbits and especially a delicate little baby.

[luvmyhunybuny]

Sarita~
Yes, I do know that not all adults take to babies, I am living testimony. And I was told *almost* all. Obviously there are expections to this “rule”. I was just told it is rare. I know you know Meghan C and she is a good friend of mine. She is one the people who has introduced a 8 week old baby to an adult with no problems.

And yes, babies do scare easily and yes she is very delicate. Again, I am very well aware of this which is why I was very careful when I had my adults around her (meaning she has been in her superyard enclosure). She has had a surrogate stuffed animal since I have had her, which has been since she was 3 days old.

When I asked about “bonding a baby with an adult” I was more in reference to introducing and then eventually working on a bond. Smudge is not bonded with anyone and would love a friend. I have no problem waiting until she is a bit older/bigger. I was more or less looking for someone who may have had experience with this before.

[Monkeybun]

I have to agree, wait until she is older and spayed. Personalities change so much with baby buns, she could adore the other bun now, and one day reverse and completely loathe the other. Wait, it’s best for all buns involved.

I also have to disagree with the “almost” all adults like baby buns. In my experience, its more like “Once in a long long while” adults will like baby buns.

[Sarita]

I do remember that bond that Meghan did – have you asked her for some tips as well? I have tried it only once and the baby screamed and it freaked me out. I have not had success with babies and other adults but only with babies and their mom, I have had it work.

[luvmyhunybuny]

Yes, Sarita I have asked her for tips. But she just put Martha with her older rabbit and they just took to each other. I suppose I can try to put Lilbit back with her mom, but I did not plan on keeping mom (though I would love to). I would hate to have mom to accept her and then break them apart. I plan to keep Lilbit.

I have not had a negative experience bonding unspayed females with neutered males. They have always like each other immediately and even after spaying they remained “in love”. So, I know it can work.

[luvmyhunybuny]

Posted By Monkeybun on 12/18/2011 06:54 PM
I also have to disagree with the “almost” all adults like baby buns. In my experience, its more like “Once in a long long while” adults will like baby buns.

Then I guess the volunteers that I have spoken with at the rescue (4 of them) are freaks of nature, because none of them had any problems. They all just put the baby with the adult and the adult took to baby.Which is why I am coming to you all, because they never encountered what I am encountering. I am way to nervous to just put her with Smudge after he honked and charged her superyard. I have since put her supeyard in the same room that Smudge frequents and the honking and charging has stopped, but I still won’t risk her getting injured meeting Smudge.

 

[Sam and Lady's Human]

I was going to try my unspayed female baby with my spayed female and they showed it wasn’t going to work, so now I’m waiting until both are spayed to bond them. It’s a pain to keep them separate sometimes, but they are better for it.

[luvmyhunybuny]

Sam and Lady’s Human~
I wish you the best of luck bonding 2 females. I tried to bond 2 neuetered males and it just did not work.

On another note, I have no problem keeping them separate, but the baby is very lonely.

[Monkeybun]

I did fine with my 2 spayed girls bonding, it can be done. The spaying helps greatly.

The baby bun is probably fine. She has you, and that will be enough for now. Just spend time with her, and in a few months get her spayed, then do bonding.

[luvmyhunybuny]

Sure, Monkeybun, it can be done, it just is sometimes a longer process than m/f bonds. Just as bonding an unspayed female with a neutered male can be done. Our vets we use like to hold off on spays until 6 months. I do not want to wait that long to get her a friend. I do spend time with her, but I feel not the time she needs.

[Monkeybun]

I’m not sure hwy people think it takes longer, it took next to no time to bond my girls. It just depends on the 2 rabbits.

If oyu insist on bonding a baby unspayed bun, go for it. Don’t expect instant love on both sides. But we did warn you

[luvmyhunybuny]

And I am not sure why most of you insist an unspayed female cannot bond with a neutered male. I did not come here to be warned, but thanks anyway. Now it has become clear why I have posted here less and less over the last 7 months.

[Monkeybun]

Unspayed females can be very much more territorial once they do hit he puberty age, thats why I insist on not bonding before spayed/neutered. Personalities can change drastically.

In case you missed it, I did add a to the end. That usually indicates humor, which seems to be lost in translation. If you don’t care to hear the opinions we have on what you post, well… that’s your prerogative. Alot of us do have strong views on bonding, and spaying/neutering is one of them. It makes for less vet bills due to injuries, and less frustrations and tears later on.

[RabbitPam]

Hi Binkybunnies, I think we’ve exhausted the advice here for now. I’m gonna put the thread on hold for a while so we can come back to it later.
Thanks everyone.

[BinkyBunny]

 One thing to keep in mind is that what may work for one bunny bonding situation may not work for another.  There are some basics that definitely help – like having both altered, starting in a neutral territory but  of course there are exceptions and more importantly– if bonding was so cookie cutter easy, we wouldn’t even need a bonding section in this forum (along with plenty of bonding advice all over the net that differs)

What works for one person or even a few people may not work for another person or another few.  So people will offer advice based on what works for them.  It is not the only way, the right way nor the wrong way…it’s just what worked. 

So try not to take suggestions as criticisms. 

There is also no need to right fight as if it worked for one pair, it was right for them…or if it didn’t work for another pair, it wasn’t right for them.  

The one thing that can be true for bonding is it can be stressful if it doesn’t go well. So just take a step back a bit and relax a bit.   If what someone says doesn’t agree with what you have heard…don’t fret, it’s just what worked for someone else.   Again, bonding isn’t a one trick pony kind of deal.

My suggestion would be to take parts of the advice that you feel may work (that may be some, all or none).  But just know that people are just trying to help and that is all. 

So this post can continue on IF the tone of right fighting and defensiveness disappears.  

[Sam and Lady's Human]

Thanks Luv I don’t think I’ll have a hard time of it, they groom through the bars, so I do feel hopeful about it

[Stickerbunny]

I would wait to introduce until the baby is a bit older, at the moment she normally wouldn’t even be away from her mother yet, so let her grow up a little bit and the adults may be a bit more inclined to accept her. I personally would wait until at least 12 weeks, when you are supposed to introduce veggies and they are “grown up” enough to not be quite as fragile.

For introducing, I would let them get used to each others smells through a layered x-pen or baby gate (so no biting through bars could happen). Then work on it from there like you would any bond. A lot of times buns will nip or be aggressive when you first introduce, they are stressed and see the other as an intruder. Powder nipped my female a few times when I introduced them in a small area, as a “I am boss, you are not, now let me dominate you!”. Also, since she is being hand raised, she has lost a lot of that learning experience in bunny social skills that babies usually get, so it may go a little slower as she learns how to behave around rabbits (Powder has horrible bunny social skills, Stickers asked him to groom her and he looked at her like she was an alien until I showed him what it meant).

[luvmyhunybuny]

I took a step back from the forum, as I feel like everytime I come here I get advice, based on the assumption, that I am not competent or have any knowledge about bunny behavior. I am glad I popped back in, because I would have missed the helpful advice from BB and Stickerbunny. Thank you!

Like I stated several times before a few insisted I wait to introduce and then work on bonding, I have had success with bonding a unspayed female with a neutered male. Twice. Just as some have had no problems bonding male to male or female to female, which is something I have personally not had success with. So, yes, I do forewarn others that same sex bonds *can* sometimes be a bit more difficult. And of course this varies bunny to bunny. Just as bonding unaltered buns *can* be done.

I am not new to being a bunny slave. I am not careless and I would never throw 2 bunnies together. So, to be given advice as if I were a bit clueless just puts one of the defensive. I realize most are trying to help and it truly is appreciated. But please do not assume that when someone asks a question that they are ignorant to all bunny behaviors.

Stickerbunny, I am doing just what you described. Baby bun’s enclosure is where Smudge can see and smell her without hurting her. He has stopped honking and acting territorial around her, which I think is a step in the right direction. I also do agree with you and plan to wait until she is closer to 12 weeks. I can’t let her free range now anyway, as her litter habits are still sketchy.

Thanks again for the advice.

[BinkyBunny]

Posted By luvmyhunybuny on 12/24/2011 03:52 PM
I feel like everytime I come here I get advice, based on the assumption, that I am not competent or have any knowledge about bunny behavior …….. But please do not assume that when someone asks a question that they are ignorant to all bunny behaviors.

luvmyhunybuny — I feel it important to mention that offering advice based on some sort of assumption comes with the territory when posting in a forum.  (It is sort of innate in this format — would be ideal for that not to happen, but it is almost impossible to avoid).  No one knows each other…. and you know, working in rescue yourself, how many times you have to educate others about some of the very basics.  Many times the negative consequences happen when people do not accept the advice given and it can become frustrating.

  I understand that is not the case in your case, but many of our long-term members have just seen so much over the years, and many times it’s better to assume ignorance rather than assume that someone knows all of the basics.  We have found that to be helpful to members who are educating themselves, and though I know that may feel condescending to someone who is already active in rescue and knows the basics, it is not meant to be that wayl.  I’m sure it can be just as frustrating to have advice be met with perceived discontent, apathy or hostility.   I’m sure we can all make improvements on how we interact with each other — as forum, text and email etc all come with a host of communication challenges and it’s especially important to be mindful and respectful in this type of format.  So hopefully everyone can cut each other a little slack here and move on. 

Respectful interaction, offering opinions without right fighting, is a must — but it can take practice when many of us have dealt with so much heartbreak in rescue work.  And it can feel frustrating if we feel the other person doesn’t agree or there becomes a “duel of advice”.    

  So my advice to everyone is—- just give the advice and if the person refuses to listen or disagrees, then that’s fine.   We need to be a snooty free zone so we can respectfully disagree or better yet (in this format), just move on.   I wouldn’t go round and round with someone.  It’s not like the advice is in the spoken word and will disappear as a memory  – it’s written. It’s rather permanent and so it can be reread if necessary and/or will be there for others who may need or want to take the advice or benefit from the suggestion.   

Just remember we are “rowing the same boat” but we aren’t going to get anywhere if we are swinging our paddles at each other.   

Let’s now move on from this, and from this point on please focus on the original subject. If the next post isn’t about the original subject then we will have to end it and delete this thread — so please let’s stay on point. 

 

 

 

[Author]

Messages