I STILL need to get Little-Bit a friend. Opinions.

[Binkles]

So, I still have yet to get Little-Bit a friend, mostly due to a ridiculously crazy schedule these past few months (compounded with the fact that starting a bonding venture will be a lot of stress for me). So I’m just getting to the point where I can begin to think bonding and I need an opinion.

I’ll be moving somewhere between June and August, so does anyone think that I have enough time to get a good bond started and would it be a bad thing to move them in the middle of a bond? Does anyone think I should wait until after I move?

I would really like to get started now, as I have the assistance of my mom here, but if it would be bad to throw a move into the middle of a bonding venture I want to wait.

[Barbie]

I got Jeannie Feb 14th, but I’ll be moving in June…. so do I think you have time… well it depends.  I had a really easy bond (less than 2 weeks!) so at this point, they’ve been working out their relationship and cementing their bond for 2 weeks… by June I expect that they’ll be completely bonded (well, they already are… they’ve been living together for 2 weeks) and I think a new setting when I move will actually make them closer to each other.  However, if your bond takes several months, that’s a different story.  My first inclination is to say that even if they’re newly bonded when you move, the move will help them grow closer (neutral territoy!) but I know there are other BBers who are more experienced that can weigh in on this.

Some general advice for bonding… if you decide to get her a buddy now (and I say go for it!) just make sure that you’re determined to get them bonded.  Your attitude about the bonding will wear off on the bunnies, so if you’re determined to prevent them from fighting and can stay calm, you’ll have a better bonding experience.  Also… repetition, repitition, repitition!   Keep the bonding sessions short (especially during the initial sessions… 20-30 minutes), and more is better… the more frequently you can do bonding sessions, the better.  With my two, I did 2 sessions a day most days, after their intial couple meetings.

[Binkles]

Yeah I’ll be REALLY determined. What ever bunny I wind up adopting…I don’t think I would be able to release back to a rescue. I just don’t have the heart to do that at all.

Barbie, our of curiosity how long had you had your first bunny before you got a second one? And what was his/ her disposition? I know it’s really dependent on the bunny, but I’m trying to gather a vague idea of what to expect. From my experiences, I think Little-Bit will turn out to be submissive bun. Though I could be wrong of course because I do treat her like a queen.

[jerseygirl]

My oninion is…absolutely take the plunge now if time is allowing it! Having your Mum’s help will be great, plus you are likely near the vet that Little Bit sees so you have that comfort. i.e You may have concerns with the new bunny and want to see your vet. It just is part & parcel of having a new rabbit that your not familiar with – you worry! So having a vet you are also confident in that you can ring and talk too would be helpful in my view.

As for moving mid way through bonding – I think this is an added bonus. If you were to get a new rabbit in the next month and are still bonding by June-Aug, then a move would be just the think to help at that time. Total neutral territory. It would be like having a wild card up your sleeve.

If however, you achieve a bond before the move then that’s sweet as one less consideration whilst moving. Also, if you have a bonded pair by then, they’ll take comfort from one another during a move and settling into a new home. It will strengthen the bond greatly.

I say go for it!

[Binkles]

Alright, well I’m glad you guys think so. I’ll go ahead and start researching around!

[Barbie]

Posted By Binkles on 03/12/2010 09:39 PM
Yeah I’ll be REALLY determined. What ever bunny I wind up adopting…I don’t think I would be able to release back to a rescue. I just don’t have the heart to do that at all.

Barbie, our of curiosity how long had you had your first bunny before you got a second one? And what was his/ her disposition? I know it’s really dependent on the bunny, but I’m trying to gather a vague idea of what to expect. From my experiences, I think Little-Bit will turn out to be submissive bun. Though I could be wrong of course because I do treat her like a queen.

 

I got Leroy first.  I adopted him Jul 5, 2009, and then got Jeannie on Feb 14, 2010.  Leroy is pretty laid back.  He’s a goof ball and loves snuggles.  When I took him dating, he was the one doing all the grooming (the only bunny he groomed though was Jeannie) so I expected him to be the submissive one.  But when I brought them home, Leroy started getting humpy with Jeannie and would nip her becasue she wasn’t grooming him.  The’yre competely bonded now, and just working things out in their relationship, so now sometimes Jeannie tries to mount Leroy! I can’t tell really who’s the dominant one in their bond, they both groom each other, and they always snuggle together.  It really does just depend on the bunnies and what they work out between themselves.

[Barbie]

Here’s my bonding journal: https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/5…fault.aspx

Maybe it will help.  I was really thorough and posted about every one of their bonding sessions.  There are videos and pictures there too.  Like I said, I had an easy bond though, so maybe reading about some of the tougher bonds will actaully be more help to you.

Good luck!  Keep us posted on what you decide to do!

[Binkles]

Thanks Barbie! I’ll keep that on hand!

My main worry is Little-Bit’s excitability. Little-Bit is the epitome of sweet and giving, but she stresses out easily and gets as high-strung as…well, a bunny. x3 I see lots of Rescue Remedy in her future.

OH YEAH. By the way, would anyone advise against giving her RR when she’s on the first few bunny dates? I just hope to take a little bit of the edge off.

[jerseygirl]

I remember BunnyLiz used it for Hammer when she took him dating. Maybe give before the car ride? I think it’s a good idea that the visiting rabbit has some down-time once arriving too. Just to calm down a bit.

Any candidates yet?

[Binkles]

Well, I called the local animal shelter today and found out that the homebrew rabbit rescue facility (aka, a single woman and some volunteers taking in would-be-euthanized rabbits and keeping them in individual cages in a converted garage) is no longer in business. That saddened me on many levels..

But anyway the shelter said they had one rabbit that they’d gotten in today, a white lop that the woman described as being ‘huge’. xD I don’t think my little girl is quite the fit.

I’m looking at this place -http://www.aarflorida.com/ . They have a few bunnies and they look well cared-for, and the facility looks extremely competent in the way of pet dating. That would be really nice. However I feel I’m having a bit of an internal conflict. Since the bunnies ARE so well cared-for there, I’m kind of wondering if I shouldn’t scour other regular humane societies in the area for bunnies that may not be so well cared-for and may be at risk for euthanization.

Thoughts?

[Barbie]

I went through that too when I was looking for a girlfriend for Leroy. I found Jeannie at my local HRS and fell in love with her, but she had such a nice life in a foster home with a family that loved her that I felt guilty for wanting her when there were bunnies at the local shelter in teeny tiny cages like the one I got Leroy from.

I decided to do what was best for Leroy; however. I took him bunny dating, and he met a couple bunnies in foster homes as well as a couple bunnies from the shelter (my HRS works closely with the local shelters, so one of the HRS volunteers was able to bring a couple shelter bunnies to our date). I know that might not be possible for you to meet bunnies from both the nice facility and the other shelters, but they way I see it – ANY bunny that you adopt is a “rescue”.  When you adopt a bunny from the nice facility, it opens up a spot for a new bunny in the facility.  And of course, adoption is infinitely better than buying from a pet store (

I felt bad for adopting Jeannie, because I knew that her foster family loved her very much, but they said they were happy to see her in a permanent home. Honestly, I don’t feel like I “rescued” her per say, not like I did when I brought Leroy home from that teeny tiny 2×2 cage, since she had a VERY nice life in her foster family. But I’m glad to have her! I don’t think Jeannie’s foster family is fostering another bunny right now, but at least they now have room if they want to foster again. I’m not in a position to foster right now, but I’d love to eventually do that.

 

[Binkles]

You know, that’s a good point. Hmm….maybe I can adopt from the nice rescue facility WITH THE CONDITION that after I’ve adopted they will take in another bunny.

[Barbie]

Well… your heart is in the right place, but the nice rescue place may have too many bunnies and not enough $$ to support all the ones they have currently. Without knowing their financial situation, I don’t think you can demand that they take in another bunny. But if they’re a responsible rescue (and it sounds like it is) then they are definitely doing what they can for the stray/relinquished bunnies in your area.

[TARM]

You don’t have to make that a condition. They probably have a waiting list.

[Binkles]

Ah, this is true unfortunately.

So…the other side of this is that I’m probably going to wind up bunny-dating Little-Bit with unaltered bunnies, which I know makes them generally more aggressive. :/ Of course I’d have them altered before we continued, but I know it takes months for the hormones to calm down.

[Monkeybun]

Well, if you end up with an unaltered one that ahs to mellow for awhile, you could use that time to bond you to the bun

[TARM]

The shelter doesn’t fix them first? A reputable rescue will alter the animals before they put them up for adoption…

[Binkles]

We don’t have a very solid rescue animal advocacy here, just a lot of people who are willing to volunteer hours etc. I know that the humane societies here don’t fix them. Not sure about Alaqua, but I kind of doubt it. I’ll call and ask in the morning.

If it’s unaltered would I really need to wait for their hormones to calm down before I try to bond them?

Edit: Investigating more, it looks like Alqua actually has a really extensive speuter program. All of their cats and dogs are speutered once of age, so maybe they do the same with their bunnies.

[jerseygirl]

Some of them may have been fixed before surrendered too. On the conflict you are having over adopting from regular shelter v’s the AAR place, I ditto Barbie there. You effectively free up a place for them to take in another rabbit often from other kill shelters. You could query them on this, where they normally get the animals in from, just for your own peice of mind.

With the place that closed, do you think the volunteers are still fostering the bunnies and advertising them privately? Just wondering what happened to their rabbits before they closed down – whether they homed them all then closed or there are still some needing homes.

[Binkles]

I kind of fear to tread there, Jersey. I don’t know if I want to know what happened to all of those bunnies…there are never any ads in the newspaper or on Craigslist except for people who are breeding or people who just don’t care.

CRIPES! This is frustrating! Out of the 8 animal shelters in the tri-county area, only three even take bunnies at all! How outrageous is that??! What happens to all of the unwanted bunnies in this area -they just have to be left to die in the Florida heat? Good God..

Anyway, two of them don’t have any bunnies right now and the third, Alaqua does have a few bunnies but they do NOT alter their bunnies. *Sigh* And you’re right, they’re full up. They said that they get calls all the time. (No WONDER. None of the other shelters take bunnies. God..) The woman was very nice though, took down my name, phone number, and email address in the event that someone wants to surrender an already altered bunny.

From what I’ve read, I definitely do NOT want to try bonding Little-Bit to an unaltered/ recently-altered bunny, right? What should I do now?

[jerseygirl]

Frustrating!

I know nothing realistically of geography in your area so forgive me if I’m way off with suggestions.  I saw of this place in Navarre – though it sounds like the one you said closed so….. Anyway it’s called Bunnies for Adoption and the shelter/homeowner is Ann Wetzstein.

I have found some shelters use sites like kijiji. Perhaps as it’s free to post as opposed to Petfinder?  So maybe try some really open type searches on a search engine or within these type sites own search options. Open search meaning not too defining in the search terms. The wider the search parameters, they wider ranging results you get.  Only trouble with this is screening results. Hard to work out which are posted by shelters and which ones aren’t!  Perhaps add “Shelter” to your search terms? 

I don’t know what else to suggest…maybe contacting HRS or other rabbit shelters that aren’t that close and see what they know about your area?

[Binkles]

Ah, I let this post slip a bit.

Jersey- that was the homebrew rabbit shelter that closed and had to send all of their bunnies away.

I’m still looking everywhere. I check Craigslist, Petfinder, and Kijii daily. I’ve also put word into the local animal shelters that I’m looking and have put out ‘Wanted’ ads on Craigslist. (I actually got a reply from someone with a neutered bunny, but he’s been allowed outdoors freely for the past 3 months and I don’t think that it would be good to transition him into a single room.)

(I also got another reply from someone on Craigslist saying that they used to breed and show rabbits trying to convince me that rabbits are not social creatures and that the female will kill the male regardless of spay or neuter. xD LOL!!! I told her that was the difference between breeding/ showing rabbits and keeping them as companion animals.)

[Elrohwen]

I hope you’re able to find someone for her soon!

I wanted to recommend going to meet anybunny who is neutered. Just because that one boy has had access to the outdoors doesn’t mean he won’t make a nice bunny for you, know what I mean? Since you have such limited options I wouldn’t count anybunny out until Little-Bit has met him and given her opinion.

[Binkles]

Oh I totally agree with that. The reason I didn’t think that specific one was more of a matter of principle than anything. He has a good life (in perspective) running around in a small neighborhood being fed and love on by neighbours and having his owner take him inside at night/ in extreme weather. I don’t think that in this particular circumstance it would be right for me to take a bunny who is used to having limitless run space and confine him to a 20ft x 20ft room. :\

I DO, however, have another possible hit! I shall have to call them tomorrow. This person rescued a rabbit from a neighbour who kept him outside in a cage all the time. She had him neutered and he lives inside her home now. She’s just too busy too busy to give him the attention he needs.

[Binkles]

Well, Peter turned out to be too big for Little-Bit. Normally I wouldn’t consider size as a factor, but Bitty is just so aloof when it comes to not knowing other things can crush her. (ie, humans while they’re walking..)

[Elrohwen]

But how did they act around each other? My bun also tends to shut down around new bunnies, but it has nothing to do with their size and everything to do with him just being anxious.

I honestly don’t think that he could possibly be too big for her.

[Monkeybun]

Just imagine monkey meeting all those big boys she met last winter…

[Elrohwen]

Yeah, I’m pretty sure every bunn currently in the shelter is bigger than Otto (except the one that’s Monkey sized). Haha

[Binkles]

You guys really think so? I’d just be afraid that he’d like…accidentally crush her. =x Little-Bit really doesn’t seem to think that large things can hurt her. Or what about when they’re working out dominance issues? I’d just really be afraid that she could get hurt.

I didn’t actually go to see the bunny, I just spoke with the owner over the phone. She said he’s about as big as a normal-sized cat. (Little-Bit is a dwarf/ lionhead) But if you guys think it would be a safe possibility perhaps I’ll give it a shot after all. Is it common for accidents to occur in pairs that are so juxtaposed?

[Monkeybun]

How big is the other bun, and how big is Little-Bit?

I know Save a Bunny has a dutch/flemmie pair. its cute

[Binkles]

Yeah, I know you of all people probably have done enough research on this Monkeybun. xD The woman said that the bunny is about the size of a normal cat and around 8-10lbs. Little-Bit is reguar dwarf-sized, and she’s slender 2-3lbs at the most.

[Elrohwen]

I have never heard of a smaller bunny getting hurt from a larger one. Petzy has her Deirdra bonded with her little mini rexes. And I’ve seen flemmies paired with little buns.

Also, females are often the dominant ones, and big buns are known to be more laid back, so I think it’s likely that Little-bit would be the one doing the humping, rather than the other way around.

And even if the big bun did hump her, he’s not going to hurt her.

Definitely go and meet him!

[TARM]

Take her dating and let her pick. Takes the worry factor out of it for you. :0)

[Binkles]

But…don’t bunnies get into tuffles every now and then? I would think that if they ever got into a fight she wouldn’t stand a chance?

Don’t get me wrong. I would VERY much like to try this out. I’m just a worried mom. xD

[TARM]

I’ve only had bunnies for two years but so far mine haven’t. And I haven’t seen any at the rescue either.

[Elrohwen]

As far as real bunny fights – you’ll be breaking those up before they go anywhere.

As for occasionally chasing, or nipping, or whatever, it doesn’t matter at all who is the bigger bunny. Often the little bunnies boss the bigger ones around. They’re not like people who think about who is bigger to win the fight. Think more like dogs – little dogs will go after big dogs and beat them up while the big dogs just roll over like babies. Happens all the time. It’s far more about personalities than size with bunnies. And when they do have mild scuffles, it’s not about who is stronger, it’s only about who is dominant.

[Elrohwen]

I agree with TARM – try dating and see who she likes. It’s totally fine if you don’t get him because she doesn’t like him, or even because you think he’ll be difficult to live with. But size is absolutely not a reason not to try him out with her and see how they do.

[Binkles]

Well if you guys really think that there is no greater risk with trying to bond her to a large bunny than there is with a smaller one, I suppose I’ll give it a shot. I’ll have to call the woman back and explain to her that my bunny friends corrected me, lol.

[Monkeybun]

If size mattered, little Monkey would never get a friend

[Binkles]

Monkey is such a good sport! <3

Alright I called the lady yesterday afternoon and let her know that I had been corrected. She is going to bring Peter over next week to make sure that they won’t absolutely hate each other before I commit to adopting. I still don’t know what kind of a bunny he is or what colour (I just know he’s big), and honestly I don’t care. I’ve never been one to want to take those kinds of things into consideration. I kind of want it to be a surprise.

ALSO, I created a forum thread about this on BunSpace and got a lot of good replies there as well. (And cute.) So if anyone has the same kinds of concerns about small x large buns in the future, here’s the link: http://www.bunspace.com/forum/thread?tid=9080&posts_tgp_no=last

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