Bonding – communication better than ignoring?

[toujours_melissa]

Hello bunny lovers! This is my first post to binkybunny although I’ve read and learned from the forums previously – thank you for your knowledge! I’m mamma to Thumper and Lucille. Thumper has lived with me and my husband for 2 years and Luci for 2 weeks. We are working on bonding them and I’m looking for some advice because I’m second-guessing us every step of the way! 

My basic question is whether some communication (nipping which frequently becomes fighting) is better than no communication (staying on opposite sides of the tub and doing their own thing separately)?  

We initially took ignoring as a good sign, but after a week of 20-30 mins. together and no interaction, we felt stuck in a rut, so we’ve done a few bonding sessions in a large box (we were in the bathtub before; the box is smaller and forces them to be close to each other). The large box has led to some more mounting from Thumper (which happened initially in the tub but stopped), nipping from both of them, and fighting (if one bun nips, the other generally reacts aggressively, though not always). We think that Thumper may have tried to groom Lucille once or twice, but she gets scared with him around (she is a little jumpy, being brand-new to our household) and nips at him. If she nips, he fights back (nipping, maybe biting, and boxing). If he fights back, she fights back.

 If they’re just nipping, we tell them to stop it or to be nice. If they start boxing or biting we split them up (still in the box)  and try to calm them down. If they need to be separated, we always ‘smush’ them side by side and offer treats so that we can end on a positive note. 

I feel like they need to work out who will be top bunny and that the smaller space is making them do it? But I’m also concerned that we had positive signs (grooming selves, laying down with feet stretched or belly exposed, and Thumper did approach Luci once when she was laying down and sniffed her hindquarters with no freaking out from either one of them) in the larger tub and now that they’re in the smaller space we’ve made them fight instead. Thoughts?  

They are not aggressive to each other when in their side-by-side NIC condos (condos are about 3 inches apart & they eat next to each other) nor when they are out running around with a baby gate between them (they will sometimes sniff each other quickly through the gate). Thumper seems a lot more interested in Lucille than she does in him. 

Thanks for any advice that you may have for this bonding newbie!  

[tanlover14]

Have you tried stress bonding? Putting them in a box on top of a running washer/dryer (while you hold and supervise) or going for a car ride?

Stress bonding will typically put both bunnies on alert so they are less focused on the other rabbit. It’s natural instinct for rabbits to come together as a group during a scary situation because two buns are better against danger than one. I would try something like this.

There really is no wrong answer in my opinion. Ignoring is ALWAYS a good sign in the beginning. However, at some point interaction between the two becomes necessary so they can eventually form a bond and trust the other bunny. Ignoring is good but if you are still bonding for a week or two and seeing no progression you sometimes must force the interactions. Their behaviors right now are very typical for bonding buns so don’t be stressed or alarmed about it. Stress bonding can do wonders to help them improve and build trust between the two.

[toujours_melissa]

Thanks tanlover14 ! Even just your reassurance that we didn’t screw it up by putting them in a situation where they are closer together and kind of forced to interact was super helpful

We haven’t tried stress bonding yet, but we might give it a try in a day or two. We didn’t have a lot of time tonight but wanted to do some bonding time, so we couldn’t wait for them to relax and be ready to be picked up, so we stuck them in the box kind of stressed out (which means that Lucille freezes up a bit). They stayed next to each other and touching the entire time (Thumper did a quarter turn, so his hind was against Luci’s side), including while Thumper was grooming himself. At the end (we did a very short 7 mins. since it was so positive and we were short on time) I smushed them, we gave them raisins, and I rubbed their cheeks…Thumper leaned into Lucille. I’m hoping maybe we turned a 2 week corner! And if not, well, they can talk more with their teeth if they need to I guess.

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