husbun and husband bonding issues

[snickers]

Why can’t the men in my life get along? I’ve had BowTie for 3 months now, we’re bonded. He follows me around the house, he hops up on the couch with me, etc… Enter in: returning husband from 3 months of military training. They met. Bowtie peed in the corner. He runs away, thumps at him. Then the other day, my husband forgot to close our bedroom door all the way, and since bunnies seem to know how to open ajar doors, he found himself in our walkin closest. 20 minutes later I find him in the corner with 3 pee markings and a hoard of poo scattered around the closest. I mean mountains of poop… all around my husband’s shoes.  (I laughed really hard)

I know he’s marking his territory, telling my husband to stay away, but I don’t know how to get the two of them to ‘bond’. My husband is trying, he feeds him carrots, lays on the floor until bowtie approaches him, etc., but still he thumps. any suggestions for husband and husbun bonding techniques? 

[Elrohwen]

Aww, poor hubby! I was going to suggest lying on the floor with treats, but it sounds like he’s already doing that.

Is he around to feed Bowtie every day? If he does all of the feeding for a while your bun might associate him with good things and look forward to seeing him.

[Sarita]

It could be partly due to a change in Bowtie’s routine – rabbits really like routine and now with your husband it’s been disrupted – neither’s fault, that’s just how it is.

I agree with Elrohwen too – see if your husband will help with feeding him for some positive reinforcement. And just give both time to learn about each other and adjust to their new routine.

[snickers]

I was trying to get my hubby to feed the bunny his 2 meals aday, but I think since he’s working 10-14 hour days he’s forgotten a couple times, so when I get up I see that the bunny is VERY ready to eat. ;o) I guess we’ll just have to wait until after the holidays slow down to get them properly bonded. It just takes time. But it was soooo easy for Bowtie to bond with me, within 2 weeks he was all over me. sigh.

[Sarita]

Yeah, that makes it hard – I would definitely then continue the feeding routine with you – just give it time at this point. It’s all new to Bowtie with your husband there.

[Monkeybun]

My hubby has been bonding with Monkey more now that I let him do half the feeding, and half the box cleaning, so his scent is all over the place. Monkey has gotten more used to him with his scent all over her pen and litter box

[Beka27]

That’s great that he’s home now! (Not so great for Bowtie, I guess… lol!)

I agree, just give it time… if he was able to get accustomed to you so quickly, I am sure he’ll come around if your husband is patient.

[Elrohwen]

Could you let him feed at night? We feed our bun right before we go to bed (it gives him a reason to go back to his cage for the night). That way you’d be there to make sure your husband remembers to do it and supervise.

Otherwise, I would just have your husband sit on the floor while you watch tv or something and have a constant supply of pellets. If Bowtie gets close, have hubby give him a pellet. I’m sure he won’t come very close at first, but after doing this for a few nights I’m sure Bowtie will get curious and want to see who this guy is.

[Balefulregards]

Oh, I shouldn’t laugh – somewhere on these forums is my thread on when Coco decided that My Husband was the enemy and took to peeing on his side of the bed and/or pillow – EVERY DAY for about three weeks. I scrubbed with vinegar and baking soda , nothing helped.

I just told Terrance he needed to acknowledge her Diva status – she would not be ignored like a dog or cat – let him become treat giver – and now, he is the second coming of the Rabbit Savior. I – the feeder and shopper and chopper and clearner? Practically dead to her – unless he is not around.

He needs to think like a rabbit – how can he Woo Bowtie?

[hooty22]

I know what you are going through. My boyf and I were long distance for over a year. He’d come down to visit for 4-5 days every couple of weeks. Felony HATED him. Fel bit my boyf the first time he met him, he’d pooped in every corner of the apartment when the boyf was here, and for a week after he left. Now that we live together, my boys are BFFs. My boyf will sit on the couch noshing on an apple, say ‘Hey, Fel, come up here’. He’ll jump up on the couch and they’ll share an apple together.

Maybe your husband needs to wear one of your shirts or something that has your smell and lay on the floor covered in papaya tablets, pellets and raisins for a week or two….

[Beka27]

Haha… would your husband be willing to wear one of your shirts… ;o)

[bunnytowne]

Same problem here Cotton absolutely does not like my hubby.   I had Cotton 6 months b4 hubby came back from his trip to Arkansas.   Cotton did not like that at all.    I think he still poops on me cuz he is marking me as his not hubby’s  lol.    Poor Boo.

Hubby has tried to give Cotton treats  but Cotton won’t take them.  He hops off.  Only once has he ever taken a treat from hubby.  Once I tell you.

[snickers]

well my hubby isn’t the ‘second coming of the bunny savior’ quite yet ;o) , and I’m not quite sure if he’d be willing to wear one of my shirts (can’t imagine why he wouldn’t go for it). ;o) But the bunny has now taken to peeing on furniture, ya know my husband’s side of the bed, his reading chair, and the side of the couch he always sits on. Bowtie NEVER did this before. So I’m enforcing ‘boy bonding time’ everyday. and we now have strict watching rules while the bun has free roam of the house.

[BinkyBunny]

Well, geesh – What a homecoming…BowTie sure knows how to make someone feel welcome. HAHA. Vivian would get very grumpy with Steve. He could just walk into the bunnyroom and her ears would go down and she shot darts from her eyes. But when I had to leave for a few weeks to help my folks, he had to take care of her and Jack. It took about a week for them to get used to him being the main caretaker- the first week, they marked all over their room and just plain ick mess. But after they accepted him, everything went back to normal. Plus, he could pet her without a problem.

So I think what you are doing to solve the problem is good. I bet that will really help. Keep us updated.

[Beka27]

Posted By snickers on 12/20/2009 06:21 PM
So I’m enforcing ‘boy bonding time’ everyday.

 

I’ve heard that if you put them together in the bathtub…  LMAO! 

Sorry.  I’m no help, just being a smart alleck! 

Can you give Bowtie one of your husband’s strongly scented shirts (an old one that is okay to throw away)?

[snickers]

hehee…. I thought about putting them both in the back seat of my car in a small box and taking with for a stressful car ride. ;o)

[Beka27]

ROTFLMAO!!!!! Your poor husband!

[Sage Cat]

It does sound like Bowtie’s routine was interrupted. Poor little guy thought he had you all to himself.
I had J give the bunnies a treat (something they really like) every evening when he got home from work.

[RabbitPam]

LOL Beka.
Actually, I was thinking of giving him one of your husband’s shirts as well, like on the floor, but hide some favorite treats in it, under it. Then Bowtie can find treats wrapped in his scent. Maybe he’ll associate the scent with treats. Then hubby can hide a treat or two in his hands and pockets, so he is the treat delivery man.

Bowtie is simply saying that you are already spoken for, by him, and another man is one too many.

[hooty22]

Be careful though, Bowtie might end up love him more than you. 😉 There are days that I can tell that Felony is peeved that I came home and interupted ‘bro time’.

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