Here’s how the first date went

[GlennTheLionhead]

Hello,

I have posted a couple times recently regarding my new rescue bun Bella and pre-bonding.

There is no crucial question in this post but if anyone wants to impart some wisdom it’s very welcome.

Spay

Both bunnies are neutered and spayed. Both buns were previously bonded with a another partner that passed away.

Background

3 weeks of pre-bonding living by side by side separated by double bars and about a foot of space.

Positives:

So the first date was I think a success! It took place in the bathroom. Thankfully there was no outright aggression, they had a sniff of each other, Glenn the resident bun decided to try claim the boss spot by mounting a few times, Bella was very receptive to this and accepted it. Glenn groomed her ears a tiny bit and then requested return grooms… Bella did not respond to his request. Both bunnies actively laid down next to each other and loafed top to tail a few times. Bella leaned and cuddled into Glenn, we had some puring from both. Self grooming mainly from Glenn and a tiny bit from Bella.

Concerns:

Bella was a bit of a bunny statue, she barely moved an inch the whole time and didn’t really show many social ques at all, it was almost like she was a bit to scared to do anything. She is very timid in her nature and the rescue believes she spent her life in a hutch because when in a pen she stays in the same spot and does not exercise. We are hoping a bond with confident Glenn will bring her out of her shell. This seemed to frustrate Glenn  a little at times as I don’t think he could really understand her intentions so he did thump a couple times.

My thoughts going forward are too move them to a slightly bigger area where Bella can escape Glenn. I know it is generally recommended to start small which we did but in this case I think fast tracking to a little bit bigger neutral space might be beneficial as I believe Bella needs to feel she can escape Glenn. During the first session Glenn showed signed of going to the other side of the bathroom (very small space) so I believe in a bigger space he would give her some breathing space and she would feel less threatened. Given the positives in the first session I am feeling this could be a good move!

Thanks for reading the long post and any advice and thoughts welcome! I’m sure I will have more questions as this process develops!

[DanaNM]

That sounds like a very positive first date! I think it’s fine to keep going in the same spot, or try a larger space if you want (as long as it’s still neutral). I actually prefer larger spaces and have usually had better luck with them. So feel free to try both and see what seems to work best for your two!

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[GlennTheLionhead]

Thanks for the advice Dana.

We did another bonding session today. The location didn’t go as planned and they both accidentally escaped into the semi-neutral lounge when I was trying to get them into the kitchen for the date.

I called my partner and he helped me stage the lounge so it was safe and as neutral as possible while I controlled the buns. We decided to continue in the lounge as they were both still very docile, no lunging/growing/aggression. We left them there as the way my house is set up there was a risk that one could have ran into the others territory when moving back to the kitchen causing an altercation, and then picking Glenn up would have caused mass hysteria due to the way Glenn reacts to being picked up. So leaving them be seemed best given they were non aggressive.

The first 5 minutes were a little tense and uncertain. They were both a bit unsure of one another and both managed to roughly nip each other at different times in this 5 mins. They both reacted the same and sort of moved away from the other and sulked a little.

Moving on from the tense beginning they both relaxed and ended up spending the majority of the rest of the session loafed, purring and ears down and relaxed about a foot or two away from each other. The both ate their cecals and self groomed about a foot or so away from each other as well. It was a very nice and relaxing date, not too much happened but not too little either.

I do worry I am being over cautious with them though. A couple of times they tried to put their noses together, I think they were about to start a ‘groom me first’ stand off but I am so terrified one will snap and bite the others face while they are doing this, so I have my hand very close to them ready to stop a bite but this seems to deter them and they stop the behaviour and move away from each other. Is this rational to think this? Or should ai relax a little and back off.

[DanaNM]

That also sounds really positive, especially given the location change-up!

It’s OK and normal (and not a bad thing) to be a little overly cautious in the beginning phases. When they go nose to nose I like to do lots of petting at first to help them think the other is grooming (and sometimes that will lead to them actually grooming each other). Once they have a few more sessions you will be a better judge of when to intervene.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[GlennTheLionhead]

Very mediocre third date… A bite occurred.

I set them up for a date again in lounge as yesterday went well in there and still neither are outright aggressive, was a nice atmosphere for the first 5 mins, Glenn mounted a few times and ear groomed Bella, and a there was a couple seconds of head to head touching, then Glenn explored elsewhere and a little later came back to Bella. I guess she dislikes him mounting her as when he approached her to mount again she snapped and bit him, I got involved to separate them so it didn’t escalated but I could feel that Bellas mouth had latched onto him. It happened very quickly and Bella was not showing any pre-aggression signs before, so I guess it was a retaliation type of bite. He moved away from her and she calmed down pretty quickly and didn’t go after him. Although it appeared to be a minor squabble… Maybe even just a telling off, Glenn was still very offended by this and pretty much avoided her like the plague the rest of the session. He decided to take a spot on the sofa where Bella wouldn’t go as she’s a nervous nelly.

They were still in eyesight of one another and less than a meter apart but Glenn was on a higher level. Bella relaxed and ended up taking on a  loaf position and Glenn relaxed on the sofa groomed his paws a bit and loafed, this continued for a bit before I coaxed Glenn to the floor with some forage and they both had a munch in close proximity. Glenn went to approach her again but then was deterred after I armed myself with a spay bottle and sive.

I decided to end there while tensions were low as they had a few relaxed moments together right before the end but mainly because Glenn was cueing to me that he had enough.

I was going to do two sessions today but now I am thinking to let Glenn sulk in out for the day.

 

[GlennTheLionhead]

I’ve just found a clump of Glenn’s fur! Looks like it was a fur pull rather than a bite, which I’ve heard isn’t that abnormal during bonding.

Just to clarify I do not intend on posting every day and annoying everyone 😂 I just thought I’d mention this time because of the bite… Which may actually have been a less severe fur pull after all.

[DanaNM]

That all sounds pretty normal! It’s all part of them establishing their relationship. Bella is basically telling Glenn that he isn’t allowed to mount her (at least not without some serious wooing first). I’ve seen this pretty regularly, where in the first date one bun doesn’t mind being mounted, but then once they get a little more comfortable the mounted bun is like “OK that’s enough!”.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[GlennTheLionhead]

Thanks for all your advice! It’s really helped relax me and know that things are going normally!

Even after having bonded a pair previously and one even being the same bunny 😂, there’s still lots to learn!

We had the most wonderful session today, Glenn initiated some grooming, only mounted once so he must have listened to Bella telling off yesterday and they had snuggles!

Thanks again for your help 😊

[DanaNM]

That’s really great! You’re welcome!

And I hear ya! I’ve bonded I think 5 pairs now (plus a failed trio and failed quad LOL) and every time is different (even when the same bunnies are involved), and it’s always nice to have an outside perspective!

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[GlennTheLionhead]

Hey! It’s me again posting when I said I wouldn’t 🤣

Slightly different question this time….

I am having some friends over tomorrow night for cheese and wine! But I will not be able to do a bonding session tomorrow so there will be a 1 day break… Also I am going to need to move Bella to another room for the evening until the next day (I’ll put her in the spare room where she stayed for a week to settle in) this is due to spacing issues, the bunnies are currently taking over my entire front room next to my lounge, and it also happens to be the entrance to my house, I don’t want to have to make my guests squeeze through a foot of space to get in and out of the lounge… Which is currently what me and my partner are doing 😂

Anyhow…. What might I expect to experience from the buns on Saturday? Do you think a skipped bonding session and an evening out of sight will cause any big changes I should be prepared for?

Not ideal I know but it will have to happen for the evening unfortunately!

Thanks

[DanaNM]

I don’t think it will be a big deal at all! Skipping a day here or there usually doesn’t cause any issues, I’ve had to do this often. Maybe they will miss each other 😉

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

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