*Bonded* (provisionally) Not Another Bonding Thread

[Dface]

Because I can barely remember what I ate for dinner yesterday, I figured keeping a bonding thread for Peep and Yumi might help me keep track of what Im doing (and also helping me see any mistakes Im making!) 

So I have had Peep just over a week now, – I started bonding pretty quickly(after talking with the woman from the shelter about it)  for 2 reasons-

1) Peep is super relaxed (he grew up in a sanctuary and was re-homed more than once, and is a very confident boy) 

2) Yumi was getting cage rage- to the point she was getting so worked up she was biting anyone who went near her cage (not just the new bun) so after three days I decided that both bunnies should meet in neutral territory (bath tub)

Once she met him bun on bun-that stopped completely, she calmed down  and the pacing and shadowing stopped too. 

They met in the bathtub three times a day for 15 -30 minutes at first. After three days of it I wasn’t happy with how they were acting despite how short a time frame it was, some things are worth persisting with, but to me I was looking at the potential of an injury to one or both buns.

 Every session took the same route, they would groom each other politely, one would push for dominance and a fight would break out. 

To me, the confined space was causing the problem to be worse. Both bunnies are stubborn and want to be in charge, cornering them into sorting it out was pretty much asking for the worst case.

So they were given the bathroom floor which is slippy and large enough and 100% neutral. Seeing as Yumi claimed me as hers, I am resigned to sit in the bath tub out of sight. 

This hasn’t stopped the bickering, but it gives them a chance to move away from one and interact with one another minus a full fight.

<Yesterday> 

I was sick and not in the humour to deal with a bunny bickering so I lugged the 2 of them into my bed. (I had a boyfriend at hand to assist if anything was to go wrong, though once in bed both rabbits just go into sleepy cuddle mode) 

-This way the rabbits spent an hour together tooth purring and sharing a favourite space (all positive association is good right?)

<Today>

The most recent session lasted an hour, one fight in the first 15 minutes of the date. Lots of tie spent ignoring each other and grooming themselves in different locations(Im going to own the cleanest rabbits in the world after this)

 Peep approached Yumi a few times but was given a nip- to go away, which was what he did-there was no escalation to a full fight.

Session ended with them eating together. I also used the time to brush Peep…Yumi was still eating and I felt it would help with the positive note for Peep.

Unintentional advantage- Yumi joined in and ‘helped’ groom Peep. Lasted for about 15 minutes, she would groom and then go eat food and return to clean his eyes and ears. Tried to praise this “good” behaviour  from Yumi with the occasional nose rub ( Lots of tooth purring.)

[Azerane]

Well it sounds as if things are really progressing well

Love the name Peep

[Dface]

Did no sessions yesterday-The room was wrecked by housemates 
Was sick as well so buns and boyfriend were all huddled into my bed for cuddles and movies. They are well behaved in the bed thankfully…(I had a rule once about bunnies in my bed….it fell apart so quickly )

[Dface]

So the last bonding session I did was the 2nd, it went well. One fight after about half an hour, but not much else, Yumi groomed Peep a bit and then gave him a few nips on the nose when he overstepped his boundaries-but they did not escalate further. Peep even felt happy enough to do a full flop!

Today
In the bathtub typing it up, after only being out ten minutes, Yumi walked over to Peep and groomed him, and they then groomed themselves, and she went over to the food where he joined her and they ate peacefully.
Peep seems to keep pushing the issue of being groomed- to the point Yumi occasionally gets frustrated and nips at him to leave her alone(he seems to be getting the message though and backs off.)
Yumi can be quiet aggressive when grooming – so I think there is also need for them to work that out.

Im going to try to leave them together for a few hours today (aka as long as I can sit in the cold bathtub for !) To see if theses kinks can get resolved between them a bit faster!

[Dface]

Some pictures from today of the pair of floofs

[Dface]

So I have not been updating regularly (or even bonding them regularly -doh!)

After nearly 7 hours in the bathroom together I thought my pair were ready to move into a common area (ie the pen I plan to use to house them in when they are bonded.
Mistake.
The small space sparked off a lot of fights. Figured the simple solution was to let them free roam the room (which they share) but the damage seemed to have been done and wicked fights ensued, to the point they were really going after each other. Even after side by side petting for upwards of ten minutes, once I stopped they’d start up fighting again.

After this I stressed them out by putting them in the carrier and walking them downstairs, they were happy to spend the hour together in the dining room, no fights, no grooming but just sitting together.

Today I started them back in the dining room. It’s got tiled floors so it’s cool enough for them, unlike my room which is a sweatbox! We’ve had a few boxing matches, but nothing that has escalated beyond what I’d view as normal seeing as neither wants to give the other dominance.

After an hour I added fresh greens to the room, after three hours I gave them a litter tray.
Weirdly both of them have been waiting to go back to their cage to pee and poop in previous sessions. 
Peep hoped in immediately to relieve himself, Yumi,who doesnt like the feel of the pellets peed on the floor beside the box(close enough.)

Lots and lots of grooming has been going on-the one redeeming thing is that I know both rabbits really enjoy grooming and being groomed, so even if this bond takes an eternity, I can take solace in the fact the two of them technically are happier to have the company of another rabbit.

They are being very cuddly today and have been spending an awful lot of time cuddling and grooming.

Im so relieved to see the positive behaviours as I really didnt think it was gonna be such an easy transition back after how seemingly violent they had been together.

Next door are having a house party so I feel like I can risk staying up a while later with the two of them and doing a psuedo marathon session, fingers crossed it goes well!

I still find their stand offs to be one of the most comical looking images. 

[Dface]

9 hours… both rabbits started to get cranky as they couldnt figure out where they could sleep.
After about 7 hours they started to bicker more and more frequently, in hope that it’d help them sort through some of their problems I persisted with them together.
They took some naps together but in the end I felt that it wasnt worth keeping them together overnight. Hopefully they will be a little bit more setlled in the morning…when I plan to try again…

[Dface]

So after a week of long sessions Im not seeing the progress I’d hoped for.
They’ve been spending about 2 hours out in the morning with each other, and another 4 in the evening (I dont have the time to give them individual excersice time so i give them joint time) .
I see a whole range of things in a session. They’ll share food, groom themselves, groom each other, flop (Yumi tries to flop near peep, he’ll normally relocate himself though) binkies and zoomies by both parties.
But these are interspersed with lunging, fur pulling, boxing and chasing (again not both rabbits will do this.)

Yesterday they were happy in the morning session and then horrendous in the evening. Yumi was just all over the place. She just seemed to be completely overwhelmed to the point I couldn’t catch her to bring her back to her cage (she’s never been a problem to catch) I think there had been a march near my street that may have just really unnerved her.

This morning for the first time they tried fighting between the bars. I separated the cage temporarily and then moved it back and they’ve mostly just sniffed each other through the bars since.

Yumi spent the morning in my bed asleep curled up against me. I feel awful that she seems so upset with the whole situation.

I’ve no idea if I should keep going or change. Half of what they do is positive, half is very negative and disheartening.

[Dface]

I am terrible at keeping things up to date 

So in the middle of bonding we had to move the buns home. Yumi and Peep were kept in side by side pens for a week while my mam and twin were minding them. Yumi managed to get into Peep while I wasnt around and caused a few fights(i wasnt told about this til after I’d found the cuts on Peep) 

Since being home I’ve spent a lot of time doin very erratic sessions with them- the whole house is neutral territory which makes it easier to do, so we have had sessions in the sitting room, kitchen and hallway. Alongside this there is a field behind my house which I take them to as well.
The fighting has all but gone, a few nips here and there was all I was seeing, so I gave them a long session on Wednesday where they spent 11 hours together, while I pottered about the house.
Yesterday I took them to the back field where they cuddled and bopped around together for an hour, then I took them home and they were with me while I cooked dinners in the kitchen (another 2 hours) I figured it was as good a time as any to set up an enclosure for them and see how it went.

They went into the enclosure at 6pm and only had minor issues during the night (nothing that a “stop”) didn’t rectify. They woke me up at 5.30-the giddy binky and zoomie hours of high energy.  Other than that they both seem very happy in their new space. Its nearly midday now so they’ve spent a solid chunk of time together and fingers crossed it’ll stay that way!
Obviously Im still pretty apprehensive, as they’ve not even been together 24 hours, but hopefully it works out !

[Q8bunny]

*fingers crossed*

[Dface]

So three nights together and I’m thinking I’m allowed to say that these two are provisionally bonded.
All it took was nearly three months, 7 neutral areas, moving house, abandoning them with ‘strangers’ for a week and even some outdoor sessions. But I finally seem to have some cuddley buns

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By Dface on 7/30/2017 5:54 AM

So three nights together and I’m thinking I’m allowed to say that these two are provisionally bonded.
All it took was nearly three months, 7 neutral areas, moving house, abandoning them with ‘strangers’ for a week and even some outdoor sessions. But I finally seem to have some cuddley buns

And they say bonding is hard work 

[ThorBunny]

Hooray! Pics of the newly cuddly couple??

[Q8bunny]

Wheeeee!

[Author]

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