Cotton/Schroeder- bonding not progressing

[KatnipCrzy]

I really have not gotten anywhere with Cotton and Schroeder- they do well in stress bonding- washer, car rides, etc.  A few weeks ago Schroeder finally humped Cotton- which was the first humping I have seen.  They have never groomed each other.  So it seems like when I have them in a carrier they “tolerate” each other and do huddle together a bit.  But if they are in a larger pen the rump biting starts- which I expect some- but sometimes they get into a biting/kicking bunny ball.

I took them outside today and put them in a dog crate with the tray removes so they could feel/eat the grass.  They did pretty good with a few chasing sessions.  But then they both stopped at opposite ends of the 3ft cage and sat there.  I could coax them closer to each other with Craisins but otherwise they sat opposite.  It was about 20 minutes before Schroeder relaxed enough to eat some grass, Cotton just sat there loafing and ignoring him.

It really seems as though they do not trust each other, and I have to admit I have not been diligent about daily bonding.  But they are side by side separated by NIC cubes and are swapped in their cages.  Will daily bonding help them gain trust? 

At first I skipped days when I was waiting for an ear wound on Schroeder to heal, and then an ear wound on Cotton to heal.  And my husband hates to see the bunnies fight- and when in a larger area (bigger than pet carrier) they either fight/chase or sit at opposite ends.

[Beka27]

Keep trying. Don’t give up. It sometimes seems like they will NEVER bond right before they do. Just keep at it! Try changing up your location if you want. Have them in a space no bigger than 6 or 8 feet so they have to be in close proximity of each other. Give them food together, a litterbox with hay, lift them both into the litterbox side by side and do some forced snuggling. It took me 3 weeks of daily, one hour sessions to bond M&M… and that was rather quick, it can take much longer.

[MooBunnay]

How long has the bonding been now? I know it can be tough, I don’t like watching bunnies fight either, but I’d say to keep working at it. I would guess that the daily bonding might help just because it will help them get into a “routine” and I would think that would make them feel more comfortable during the sessions. When I was taking Henri and Amelia on car rides, I would often leave them in the carrier for awhile after the car ride just because it forced them to stick close together.

[BinkyBunny]

Ignoring is actually a good sign. Though it may not seem like it, it COULD signal progression when they finally get to that point – unless they just seem exhausted. I also agree to change up the locations. Have you done the “bathtub” yet?

[Author]

Messages