Karl got a girlfriend today – now with pictures. Are they bonded??

[Karla]

So, Karl got a girlfriend today. It’s been 6 weeks since he was spayed, so we had invited a sweet (but extremely fat) 3-yr old dutch rabbit on a nice bunny date. She is not spayed, and I guess that is why Karl likes her so much – he is completely in love with her. It looks funny cause she is twice his size. He tried to hump her all the time, and although she gave off a thick yellow secrete and made quite a few noises simarly to the ones he used to make when humping his toy, she didn’t seem to happy about it. But eventually she relaxed, and after I put her in a cage, she was happy to stick her nose out to him. I think they even licked once.

Karl is completely mezmerised and just sits outside her cage starring at her. He has been like this for 2 hours now. It is so funny. He seems so in love and is really gentle towards her.

But anyway, she is getting spayed on Monday. I am just a bit concerned, because she is really fat, and I think I read somewhere that it is a tricky operation, when the female has too much fat around her wound. Anyone with experience in this?? The family I got her from is of course really anxious about the operation, and I have promised not to jeopardize her health.

Should I wait until she has lost some weight? She has been fed ½ banana, ½ apple, lots of treats and as many pellets as she could eat each day, and she has had no time outside her cage, so I guess, it should be easy for her to loose some weight quickly by just changing her food and giving her exercise time.

 

[RabbitPam]

They sound like they may make a good pair, but I’m a bit confused as to who owns her at the moment. If it’s a date, then is she still with the other family? Are they paying for the spay? If so, then I think you could wait for about 3 more weeks after the surgery to give her time to fully recover. She will need to limit her activity, and if there’s a complication that’s a lot to take on with a new bunny. Especially since they are responsible for her poor diet.

Way, way too much banana and apple and treats as you mentioned. She will slim down once you get her on a better diet, but she may always have a very sweet tooth. I’d suggest scheduling another bunny date for these two in a month, and see where things are then. Any chance of having him date a few others in the meantime so you have a choice?

[Karla]

I own her now. They went on the date, and as it went fine, I got her straight away. So I am paying for the spay, but the family is really sad about giving her away, so they are still very much in over it and wants to know that she is okay, which I understand. And they are not too keen on getting her spayed.

But oh my god, she is fat. I have never seen a rabbit like this. And unfortunately, I have realised she is not litter trained at all.

But you are saying she should have 3 weeks of rest after the spay before the bonding can begin? That’s a looong time. Especially because I would really like her to come out of the cage and get some exercise.
Karl is a free-roamer, so the way it is happening now, is that she is in a cage and Karl can run up to her cage and ‘chat’ whenever he feels like it. He has no interest to leave the bedroom now, so although he is not glued to the cage today, he still hangs around nearby.He still stares at her, which is so funny, but she seems fine with it. They stick their noses together as much as they can through the bars and they look fine and just curious – but of course, the real introduction hasn’t even started yet!

[Karla]

Just want to make you in on my plan so you can tell me know if I am way off:

Week 1: Molly is spayed and stays in her cage getting litter trained and relaxing
Week 2: IF she is litter trained in the cage, she is allowed out for a few runs while Karl is in another room. I change cages between them every day.
Week 3: The introduction begins. Still changing cages every day.

Molly has been given a stunt double (Karl’s favourite teddy which he spends time grooming), but she doesn’t really care about it. She sleeps next to it, but I don’t think it is an intended action.

[amandafaith90]

 Waiting the three weeks, although it is a long time, is really for your girly bun’s health in the long one. If Karl humps the little dutch baby while she’s still healing, it can cause her severe internal injuries. I’d say you’d be better off asking your vet how long she needs to rest before playing with her boy toy. If the problem is with Karl being free roam, then just put her in your bathroom with towels down, or something along the same lines as that. Then she can’t hurt herself by doing to much too soon in a smaller space then say, a living room or something, Karl doesn’t become an issue, plus if she isn’t litter box trained it’ll make cleanup a lot easier. I feel like a week isn’t long enough for her to fully heal.

[Karla]

It would be two weeks though…but I get your point. Patience is the key (And ps, you had me laughing with your “little dutch baby” – I really ought to flash some pictures of her, though it is not very nice of me to do so)

But right now I am still worried about her obesity and the surgery – a spay is never fun and then when she is soooo fat, oh, I am nervous for her.

EDIT: just have to mention – Karl is a small dwarf about 1.7 kg (3,7 pounds) and she is probably 4 kg (8 pound), so I really don’t know how much damage he could do if he humped her once? Not that I will let him do it, but I am just thinking that she will hardly notice him)

[Karla]

Spamming my own thread – nice. Amanda: do you think I could take her out on walks with her leash on? Would that be okay?

[amandafaith90]

Hahaha….that’s funny. I was actually thinking, “wait….she’s obese…” as I was writing it. I’d love to see some pics of your bun babes!  

 

As for the leash, leashes are always kind of a risk because you don’t really know how the bunny will react to it- if she struggles against the leash and she’s still healing from surgery, it could be bad news. If you try out the leash before her surgery a few times and she seems okay with it, I’d say it might be a good way to restrict movement. Since she’ll be on pain meds, she’ll be (hopefully) mostly pain free and may not realize it if she overdoes something because she won’t have pain as an indicator, making the leash/restricted movement on your part a good idea. I would still ask your vet about it. You’re thinking of the leash for inside playtime, right? I figure you are, but as a disclaimer I am going to say that in no way should your girly be outside on a leash after surgery, because if she got scared and tried to bolt, it wouldn’t be good in the slightest.

Just a quick question- why did the other family give you the bunny if they love her? Just because they wanted her to be bonded to Karl, or they weren’t taking good care of her (which they weren’t, if she was getting half an apple and banana a day and “aren’t crazy” about her getting spayed- sheesh!) or for some other reason? I’m glad she’s in your bunny capable hands now. Just curious.

[Sarita]

I would not take her out on a leash – there is another member who’s bunny went out on a leash and broke her leg – not a good thing at all. Just as amanda mentioned above :~)

[Karla]

Okay, no time out on the leash then. Oh, it is just so complicated. She is peeing everywhere all the time. I am not sure if it is because she is not litter trained at all or if it is because Karl is around.

I am starting to think more and more, that perhaps she should not be spayed tomorrow. Really, she is so fat, and I think her heart and organs must be under pressure – and combining this with surgery, doesn’t sound too good. But I will see what the vet says. In that case, I can try to bond them while she is on her diet and getting ready for the spay. But I am not sure if she ever learns to be litter trained before she is spayed…catch 22.

Amanda: the family felt sorry for her as they never take her out of the cage, and they didn’t take the time to pet her = I guess they compensated by giving her apples and bananas instead. All in good intention as I know the really love her. So they want her to have company and have a life outside her cage and advertised her on the web where I found her (only saw her face so had no idea she was this fat). But they still want her back if this doesn’t work out.

[Karla]

Okay, two pictures of them. One of Karl licking her while she is in her cage. Second picture is both of them outside – Karl licking again. They are outside now and he is humping her constantly. She seems to enjoy it ’cause she runs over to him and lay down and lifts her tail. If he ignores her, she bites him in the back Right now they are lying next to each other with their heads together.

Are they bonded? I mean, do you think they will stay like this even when she is spayed??

[KatnipCrzy]

I would not consider them bonded until after she is spayed.  It sounds at though her behavior right now is driven by hormones and that could change as her horomone levels change as an intact female and it could also change after she is spayed.

It is nice that they seem to be getting along and are grooming- it sounds as though you will have positive interactions between them to base a good bonding relationship between them.

You have not had her long so it would be best to err on the side of caution and not consider them bonded and safe together yet.  I know that bunnies can be bonded and 1 can be intact and 1 altered- but I think it is too soon to tell with them for sure.

[QueenThumper]

They’re so cute together! <3 But like everyone else says, her feelings may be hormone driven right now…

I’ve read that bonded pairs can be unbonded after one leaves and comes back from the hospital because of the strange smells, so it is best to have the bonded mate at the hospital for moral support during the process. If the vet says it’s OK to spay even though she is overweight, then it probably is. The vets might get a lot of obese rescued animals they have to spay.

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