Cincinnati & Daisy

[Boing]

Daisy’s quarantine is over.  Cincinnati and Daisy met today for the first time.  It was through a pen as I don’t have any experience with this and didn’t want to risk a fight.

I let Cincinnati out as he is the resident bunny.  They both looked shocked and very alert.  Then Daisy hid in her hidey box for a couple of seconds.  Then they continuously sniffed noses.  Then Daisy ate some hay (was sniffed through pen while eating, continued eating).  Then Daisy flopped and closed her eyes (was interrupted by Cincinnati sniffing her and trying to lick her).  

One of them made a bizarre noise early on.  It sounded like a wheezy, soft honk.  No idea what it was as I have never heard a bunny make any noise before.  Cincinnati has thumped a few times.

Part way through this I gave them each a cookie, which they each ate near each other.  Daisy is currently trying to open the pen so as to access Cincinnati.

Cincinnati has also hopped back to his pen a few times, and Daisy just ate some cecotropes.  She is now grooming.  He is hopping about observing and sniffing.  His ears are forward.  Neither has shown their teeth or claws.

Does any of this sound promising??

Thank you very much!    

[BB & Tiny]

That all sounds promising !

[Boing]

Thanks, BunLuv!

Unfortunately, things did not go as planned.  They had been getting to know each other through a pen.  Daisy had tried to box Cincinnati, and he had tried to use her litter box through the pen.    I added one in that spot for him.

Though for the past few days there had been none of that.  

So, it being 4 weeks past her spay, I took them to a neutral hallway.  I scattered some treats about part way through.  They studiously avoided each other.  I’ve never heard of that.  When they accidentally came nose to nose due to treat sniffing Cincinnati nipped Daisy.  He has never harmed anyone – not Holly the cat when she bops his nose/ refuses to groom him, not me when I brush him or clip his nails.  I was too slow to sprinkle him with water (I had a sprinkling can with me).  He was incredibly fast!

Given the choice, they run away from each other, quaking, and I know that Cincinnati knows how to solicit grooming, because he does it to Holly.  I’m not sure what to do.  They are already very stressed, so I don’t want to do stress bonding, especially since this is my first time bonding.  Neither has tried mounting.  They just look wide eyed.  She tried to escape into the bedroom (door was closed; neither have ever been there) to access my cat who was peering under the door.  They both love Holly.  What’s up with that?

Cincinnati is a very gentle, good rabbit.  He is good for the vet.  He isn’t cage territorial.  Holly (the cat) regularly steals his water and saunters about his pen.  She periodically will bop him on the nose.  She weighs 6.5 lbs and has health issues (he’s 7.5 lbs).  He has never hurt her.  I can clean his pen when he is in it/ eating/ whatever.

Daisy was recommended as a gentle companion, as the HS doesn’t allow speed dating.  She is very gentle, at least with Holly and me.

My cat is also stressed.  She intervened during the boxing the first few days, and sat worried near ‘her’ bunny (Cincinnati).  Please see 
photos.  Any help is appreciated!

Worried Holly a few days ago, post Daisy boxing.

What most of last night looked like.

Right before Cincinnati nipped.

[Boing]

Since no one replied/ seems to know what to do about scared bunnies, I decided to try them together in not-so-neutral territory, so that they could focus on each other rather than on their extreme distress.  It worked!    For 1.5 hours they were totally okay.  I changed their water and gave them each a new willow ring.  There was no violence or fear.  Towards the end of the night when I brought hay Cincinnati postured at Daisy.  He was told ‘no’, and did not move and relaxed.  So I gave them their pellets on the rug about a foot from each other, to end on a happy note.  

This was their second time being together without a pen between them.  They have known each other a week today.  They sniffed each other a lot.  Cincinnati was especially fond of sniffing.  They chinned each other’s stuff.  I’d never seen chinning before as neither had ever done it.  It was neat.  They binkyed for each other too.  Cincinnati can’t walk off of carpet.  Daisy can, so when she was sick of him sniffing she simply hopped across to hang out with Holly (the cat) on the other rug or slip under the couch.

Here are the highlights, in picture form.  I took a ton of photos.  These are in chronological order.

Daisy in Cincinnati’s Pen Grooming

Daisy in Cincinnati’s Litterbox

Cincinnati in Daisy’s Litterbox

Daisy Chinning Cincinnati’s Pen While He Watches

Cincinnati Attempting to Sniff Daisy

Cincinnati Waiting for Daisy

Cincinnati Sniffing Daisy While She Uses His Litterbox

Cincinnati Sniffing Daisy in His Pen

[Boing]

Daisy jumping out of the window towards Cincinnati

Cincinnati & Daisy Sniffing Noses in Her Pen (you can tell from her posture she’s less comfortable with this)

Daisy Taking a Break Under the Couch

Cincinnati Waiting for Daisy

Daisy Binkying Before Going Across to Cincinnati

I guess the moral of this sudden twist in the story is that stress bonding, including minor stress like neutral territory, may be detrimental to the developing friendship between two docile, submissive rabbits.  They really are incredibly docile.  There wasn’t even any mounting, and, as mentioned, this is the first time anybunny has chinned anything!  I’m really hopeful about the progression of this relationship!!  

[vanessa]

It all looks good to me. I’d be way more cautious and only let them meet in a small area, but that’s just because Guin reacted very aggressively towards Lancelot on their first few meetings. Mine were also quite stressed during bonding. It is a stressful experience. I sat with them ALOT and stroked and comforted them. I smooshed them together and did a lot of petting with their faces next to eachother. Neither of mine humped.

[BB & Tiny]

OH gosh, sorry I lost track of the thread.

Mine only had a few bathroom dates, BB was terrified of the bathroom. They did most of their bonding in the living room as yours did. Don’t usually read about this type of bonding often lol. Neither of mine has ever mounted each other either. They have been together since June 2015.

Their was more issues between them in confined space, than open space. Yours is the only other case of bonding that I’ve read of this type. They only had one fight 3 weeks in, never found out why because I wasn’t home. I put them in separate pens to sleep and while out, but I let them loose in the living room. He would chase her and I would squirt him with the spray bottle and say no. Eventually he clued in and they have been great since.

Good to see it is working out for you !

[BB & Tiny]

I love that white pen, it is cute ! What make is that ?

[Boing]

@vanessa I have ordered some pen panels so as to restrict Daisy to a smaller area – like the rug.

@BunLuv It’s good that you’ve experienced this type of bonding too. I was getting a bit worried, waiting for the ‘inevitable’ huge fight. The pen is an Iris Plastic Pet Pen – made in the USA and extremely high quality. They’re available on Amazon.

So far things are progressing well!

[Boing]

Restricting space didn’t work. Daisy didn’t realize that the space included bare floor (where only she can go; Cincinnati can’t walk on hardwood). So she went and hid in her hidey box. He followed to fight. I shook the box like an earthquake ’till they stopped. No one was injured. I checked!

My current plan is to let them work it out in a larger space. They are happy, but they both still prefer Holly the cat. Yesterday Cincinnati flopped in his pen as Daisy ate all of the best hay in his litter box. Both were relaxed.

I’m still convinced that someone who knew more about rabbits would find this an easy bond, but I’m not that person, and I don’t want to risk injury. They will still get their exercise together, which they seem to like, but will go to different pens at night.

[vanessa]

Number one rule: stick to what works 🙂 If a larger area is working for you, keep at it.

[Boing]

Late last night I think there was a bunny bonding breakthrough!

Cincinnati and Daisy flopped on the same rug, about 3 feet apart. They looked so cute, & I didn’t want to disturb them so I have no pics. Naturally my phone was across the room. After about 5 minutes Cincinnati hopped up to Daisy & began to vigorously groom her face and between her ears.

Grooming is good, but is such serious grooming? He was really licking her seriously. She hopped away when he licked over her left eye.

Does this sound good?

[vanessa]

Bunnies are serious groomers. That sounds good 🙂

[Author]

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