Bonding 2 females NEED HELP

[Sam_go]

So, I currently have two female buns. My eldest, Jaina, is about 2 years and 5 months, my younger is Nymeria (aka Nym) and is only 5 months. Jaina has been spayed for 2 years, Nym was just spayed about a month ago. Currently my apartment is split into two. Half is Jaina’s and half is Nyms. I have a gate between them, and 80% of their view of each other is blocked off.

Now that 20% where they could see each other? It used to be fine, no issues, no fights. Until right after Nym’s spay. See, Jaina used to pull out Nym’s fur through the gate. Nothing super aggressive and Nym didn’t  seem to mind. But after her spay, Nym started to retaliate when Jaina pulled her fur, and I ended up blocking the gate so they couldn’t see each other at all.

They haven’t had an introduction on neutral ground yet. I used to be able to get them to eat lettuce next to each other. I haven’t tried again since. We JUST moved back into our apartment after Irma.

So, should I let them have their little bit of view of each other back? Should I try to get them eating next to each other again?? I need to get them bonded otherwise my parents/land-lords won’t let me keep both buns :[

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By Sam_go on 9/16/2017 5:52 PM

So, I currently have two female buns. My eldest, Jaina, is about 2 years and 5 months, my younger is Nymeria (aka Nym) and is only 5 months. Jaina has been spayed for 2 years, Nym was just spayed about a month ago. Currently my apartment is split into two. Half is Jaina’s and half is Nyms. I have a gate between them, and 80% of their view of each other is blocked off.

Now that 20% where they could see each other? It used to be fine, no issues, no fights. Until right after Nym’s spay. See, Jaina used to pull out Nym’s fur through the gate. Nothing super aggressive and Nym didn’t  seem to mind. But after her spay, Nym started to retaliate when Jaina pulled her fur, and I ended up blocking the gate so they couldn’t see each other at all.

They haven’t had an introduction on neutral ground yet. I used to be able to get them to eat lettuce next to each other. I haven’t tried again since. We JUST moved back into our apartment after Irma.

So, should I let them have their little bit of view of each other back? Should I try to get them eating next to each other again?? I need to get them bonded otherwise my parents/land-lords won’t let me keep both buns :[

Hi Sam! Jaina and Nym – what pretty bun names, I’ve never heard those before.

Onto your problem – after spaying, many buns go through what is called a ‘hormonal surge’ This is where their hormones are sort of all over the place, so they might get extra aggressive until enough time has passed and the hormones have actually settled. Although I’ve not experienced this personally, it has been known to take upto 6 months for a doe’s hormones to disipate although it usually settles after a month or two. 

What I would do is block their view of each other entirely and wait another month. After that month I would start pre-bonding, so swapping litter trays, bowls, blankets, toys etc. You could allow them to see one another at this point but they must not be able to touch one another as bunnies can fight through bars. Pre-bond for a month. If they are responding well to the other’s scent (I. E, not getting aggressive towards the items you’ll be swapping) then I would try a physical introduction. 

It’s a very slow process but it’s worth taking it slow! It sounds like you have a time limit? 

[Deleted User]

Off topic, but is Nymeria from GoT? After Arya’s wolf?

[Sam_go]

Ahh a hormonal surge would make sense!!!!  I was shocked that Nym would retaliate. She’s SUPER SUPER laid back. I got her from the local Humane Society. They keep their buns in the same area as their cats, and all the other buns looked a bit overwhelmed by being surrounded by cats and having people stare at them. Except my Nym. This lil’girl did a massive flop, then popped up into a binkie, then sprinted around her area as best she could, only to flop again!!   I left with her over any of the males they had because I figured her laid back nature would mesh well with Jaina (who can be very moody and particular.) Jaina initially freaked out, but she had seemed to really be interested in Nym and would wait at the bars of the gate for Nym to come back!!

I don’t wash my hands in between petting them. Its mostly so Jaina can stay used to Nym’s smell. Nym doesn’t care if I smell like another bun, my Jaina is the moody girl haha

I don’t have a massive time limit anymore. My parents (well mostly my mom) were pretty upset when I told them that I had a second bun. Jaina isn’t the easiest bun to love. I’ve mentioned it, but she’s EXTREMELY moody and angry and (pardon my language) a total beotch who will only let you pet her when she’s feeling like it in the exact place she wants to be pet for exactly as long as she wants to be pet. They got the chance to get to know Nym while we stayed with them through Hurricane Irma, and my mom fell so in love with her I thought she was going to ask to keep her forever  

So I have a longer time limit now. I really don’t think my mom would make me re-home Nym since she’s in love with her

OH BEFORE I FORGET!! My Jaina isn’t really into toys. I haven’t found anything that she actually likes. Nym has been getting all of Jaina’s rejected toys tbh, and seems to have zero issue with the fact that they still must carry some of J’s scent. They have those hide-hole-igloo’s from the pet store, would swapping those be sufficient since J doesn’t actually play with her toys?

[Sam_go]

Nymeria is from GoT!!! 

They don’t get into it in the show, but in the books Arya names her wolf after a legendary warrior-princess. When the Dragonlords of Valyria were conquering the west, the Rhoynar refugees were led by Nymeria from Essos to Dorne. When they landed she burned all of their 10,000 ships to prevent anyone from returning, and symbolically showing her people that they can’t look back to the past. They had to focus on their new life in this new land. She’s the first ancestor of house Martell.

The Humane Society named her “Daisy,” which I’m not a fan of (I work at an animal hospital and I know an insane amount of pets named Daisy.) I was testing out names on her, and she responded to Nym/Nymeria. Its the same way I ended up naming my other Jaina. She responded to it, so we stuck with that one  

[Sam_go]

Okay guys, I think I almost had an incident between my girls last night….

I didn’t realize at the time it occurred, but turns out SOME-BUNNY peed on/next to the gate separating their “areas,” and that pee leaked onto the other bun’s side. It could’ve been my young girl (Nym) since she’s only 90% litter trained, but my older girl (Jaina) could’ve done it out of spite (and cause she started being rude to Nym since her spay.) Either way, the other rabbit’s pee leaked into the territory of the other bun -_-

So anyways, I had gone over to Nym’s side to do stuff over there, and Jaina had followed me up to the gate and seemed to be waiting for me to come back to her side. Nym must’ve realized she was there, and she left me and ran over to the gate to see J. I have their view blocked off, but they can still see each other if they REALLY want to… aaand they did really want to. They sniffed each other’s noses, but then Jaina froze… and I know my Jaina very well, and she got this glint in her eye like she was going to do something she KNOWS she is NOT ALLOWED to do. (Doing things that are forbidden is her favorite part of life.)

I clapped my hands and sent both back to their cages for a minute. I alternated between who was out at any given time to prevent any further tension.

I’m planning on doing an introduction in the next few weeks. I’ll be dog sitting for my parent’s neighbor, and her house is perfect neutral territory (and I have her permission already.) I’ve fortified their barrier, and Jaina will actually be staying with my parents while I’m there, and Nym will be at her house with me.

I’m planning on switching litter boxes, bowls, and their plastic igloo’s before I do a physical introduction. I know Nym won’t be the issue. She’s borderline obsessed with Jaina. She still waits by the gate where they used to be able to see each other. And when they could see each other, she would just look for Jaina constantly. J has always had trust issues. She had been returned to the pet store 4 times before I ended up with her, and it took her a year to really trust me, and 2 1/2 years later we’re still not fully there.
I’m just babbling ’cause I’m worried that J won’t realize that she’ll have a friend who truly understands her

[Deleted User]

They might surprise you! I have a male and female I am currently bonding. My female had always been very sweet until we brought the male home, and she went nuts for a little bit. She would run around with crazy wide eyes and attack my feet if I smelled like him. He has always been very calm, so I expected her to be the obviously dominant one and him to just go with the flow. Even up until I started bonding my female would grunt at him. BUT, interestingly enough, I think he may actually end up being dominant. She was kinda humpy at first, so I thought he would eventually give in. But it seems like the opposite may be happening, as she seems to be giving in and warming up to him more, yet he is becoming more demanding and “dominant” acting. So, you never know! I think both of my bunnies are very affectionate little buns, so that could also contribute to them being so physical and cuddly.

[Author]

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