DJ and Jerseys Bonding journal

[Carrot Lane Bunny]

Some info:

DJ and Jersey are both fixed DJ is 2 and jersey is 10 months. They have lived with their cages together for a couple of months

Session 1: In the bathtub June 23 2010

Put Them in the tub DJ started to nip. Fur everywhwere! DJ got a teeny piece of jerseys ear. She was fine.

Session 2: In the mudroom August 22 2010

 

Ignored each other for awhile and then DJ got annoyed and chased Jersey. Tried to nip her a couple of times we interfered and it was back to ingnoring.Then to my uttermost suprise Jersey was sitting in a corner and DJ came up to her. I was expecting him to nip, so I was ready with my coroplast when to my suprise DJ GROOMS Jersey’s ears!  Then he walks away. I then held Jersey for a sec to calm her down (she is easily stressed) and while I am holding her DJ jumped up onto my lap and peed on me. We ended it there.

Session 3: In the mudroom August 23 2010

Ignored each other. A couple of chase nippys from DJ and thats about it.

[Carrot Lane Bunny]

Session 4: In the mudroom. August 25 2010.

They ignored eachother for awhile. Then Jersey ran past DJ pretty close a couple of time without DJ niping or chasing which is an improvment. Then DJ came over to Jersey who was sitting in the corner and groomed her which is fantastic, but after he had groomed Jersey for awhile he wanted grooms from her so stuck his head down and she did not give him any so he kind grunted at her a bit. After that they ignored each other for awhile.

 

questions:

Am I doing it right? Also is there any way to encourage Jersey to groom DJ ?

 

[Monkeybun]

Seems like it is going good to me. They just need to work it out themselves as to who does grooming when. Maybe try some banana or something on DJ’s head to entice Jersey to groom?

Ignoring is good, much better than fighting!

[Carrot Lane Bunny]

Thats good Im going to do another session later and will try the banana. thanks for your help!
~CLB

[Carrot Lane Bunny]

Session 5: In the mudroom August 26 2010

DJ and Jersey put together no nips only a couple lunges from DJ.Then my dogs barked and scared Jersey so bad she was shaking.

Ended the session there. I decided to give them a day to cool of.

Session 6: In the mudroom August 28 2010

There were no nips only 2 lunges from DJ. The other significant thing they did was grooming wars where they put the heads down and demand grooms from each other.Nobody groomed though. They did that 4 times.

 

Questions:  For when they can live together permanantly, would just really cleaning their cages before conjoining them and puting the buns in be enough? Or do they need a full reno?  Also would be a good idea to do a super long session today?

 

~CLB

[Carrot Lane Bunny]

session 7: in the mudroom august 29 2010

Everything went well lots of groom wars and only one nippy from DJ. Had to end early because of company.

session 8: in the mudroom august 30 2010

Breakthrough!!! No nippys from DJ!!! Dj groomed Jersey a bit but Jersey refused to groom him even for nanners. Lots more groom demands.

[Carrot Lane Bunny]

Session 9: In the x-pen  September 2 2010

Note: The x pen was set up in my bedroom where both their cages are and where they get out time.

Everything went super!  DJ did a weak attempt at a lunge.I corrected him and there were no more attempts.Ater that there was a couple snuggle wars. DJ groomed Jersey for a bit,and them something very odd happend, he almost seemed to accept the fact that jersey was not gonna groom him and they just kinda snuggled with there heads buried in eachothers fur.Then DJ kinda wandered off. DJ is very sensitive about people toching his bum and tummy, Jersey ran past his but a couple of times and he did not even flinch. Then DJ backed up into a corner and peed, not in a territorial way he just needed to pee. We will be implementing a litterbox next session.we ended it at another snuggle.

 

Tommorows plan is to start implementing food litterbox and water.And to do 2 sessions.

 

~CLB

[Carrot Lane Bunny]

Session 10: in the x pen September 3  2010

So I did another session in the pen today and i put a large litterbox with hay and a water bowl in.  DJ did 0 nippys and was very friendly. They spent almost the whole day together without a hitch. Grooms were exchanged. DJ was not territorial at all. And I was wondering since they have been together all day can i just leave in the pen tonight?My bed is right beside it. if i do keep them together tonight, I go to a show tommorow night and i will be gone for about 3 hours can i leave them together for that? And also tommorow morning I want to make a home depot run to get the stuff for their new mansion can i leave them together for that? Help me please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! there have been alot of view and very little responses could you help me please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~CLB

[jerseygirl]

I say go for it. Personally I think you’ve got nothing to lose. If all goes well though, you’re onto cementing a bond and will be able to move them into their permanent habitat soon!  If there are issues that can’t be settled, just separate them to their own cages and try again after more bonding sessions.  It’s up to you if you feel comfortable leaving them when you go out. If all is well overnight and they continue ok in the morning while you’re in an out of the room, then you could leave them.

[Beka27]

How did it go? Did you do an overnight?

[Carrot Lane Bunny]

yes i put them overnight until about 1 am and then DJ was chasing a little bit and i had a headache so i separated them. But my mom put them back when she got up 6 am And they are now flopped and grooming each other. My mom says i shouldn’t separate them any more. once they have spent the night succesfuly then how long will cementing last? Do i keep them in the pen for that?

[Beka27]

Yes. Keep them in the pen for 2 weeks straight, with little or no time separated. It’s their “Bunnymoon”! If they get restless or start chasing, you can go in the pen and settle them down, pet them, relax them… but don’t separate.

[Author]

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