Living side by side? And bonding a senior?

[LittlePuffyTail]

For those of you with experience bonding, do you think living side by side benefits the bonding sessions or no? I’m planning on moving Stormy and Bindi side by side next weekend. They are in the same room right now but can’t see each other. Our bonding sessions have been really stale of late and I’m hoping this will help.

Also, I’ve been worried about the whole bonding process with regards to Stormy. It’s taking forever and I’m worrying about the stress it may be putting on him as he’s a senior. Any thoughts on this?

[Deleted User]

Stress is very bad indeed… do you use a lot of stress during the sessions or are you worried accepting another rabbit is too much stress of itself? The second I would not worry about, but using stress techniques during the sessions can affect a rabbit’s health.

The side-by-side housing I have mixed feelings about. But they are just my feelings. I find it can escalate aggression, however, you can easiily tell: if there is much boxing at the bars and attempts to bite — I opt to block their view to each other. If they are peaceable, there is no reason to block their view on each other and it can speed up the bonding and is a good idea. This is just my opinion though.

[Karla]

Due to too much aggression, I have put my bonding on hold. It was not leading anywhere. Instead I took them apart for a month. After a month, I put their cages next to each other every night, so they could get used to each other. During the day, they had out-time in different rooms. After 2 weeks of living side-by-side during nighttime, I moved on to the next step: one is out while the other is in a cage in the same room. The first 2 days, Freddie would try to attack Karl through the bars, if he got too close, but now both of them actually sit or lie right next to the other’s cage, and nothing happens. They are still caged together side-by-side at night.

I intend to keep them caged lke this for the next two weeks and then begin the actual bonding sessions again. I think in my case, living side-by-side has helped.

[LittlePuffyTail]

Petzy- no I haven’t been using the stress bonding techniques very much. Like you said, I’m just worried about the stress caused by the daily sessions but I think they are pretty used to each other now even though they won’t accept each other. I’m going to put their cages together but Stormy’s will be just putting his cage on the floor in an x-pen close to Bindi so if it gets real aggressive I can just move him back. That’s why I wanted to do something that wouldn’t take hours to build, in case one of them seems really stressed or angry.

I’m really going to push myself with the bonding this week. I just took a 2 week break where I was away on vacation and then my bf was gone for work (I often need help so I don’t like to do it when I’m alone). I’ve been working on the boys since July and it’s not progressing. I’m gonna spend a morning reading through all the bonding journals and stuff, including yours, Petzy. I will update soon in my journal with video.

As always thanks for the input, Petzy and Karla.

[Karla]

I hope the bonding sessions will go well. I know the frustration so much. I got Freddie in mid-May and he and Karl are still not bonded. And all this cage-time is so frustrating, because I don’t want my bunnies to be cage bunnies, but free roaming.

But I do believe that side-by-side-living is the key to succes here. This video is taken just now

And no, nothing happens. That is the great thing about it! Karl is caged and Freddie – the lop – just hops around the cage. This had not been possible just 2-3 weeks ago. Freddie would have tried to attack Karl, and Karl would eventually try to fight back through the bars. My bonding sessions have been impossible, because there have been actual fighting every time. I truly hope and believe that 2 more weeks with this arrangement and the sessions might be more positive.

[Beka27]

I really hope you can get them over this hump LPT. I’m looking forward to reading your updates.

[LittlePuffyTail]

Karla- I can’t see your video. I think it’s telling me that it’s private?

[Karla]

LPT: It should be fixed now. As I said, nothing much goes on, but that is actually meant as an encouragement to you. I think we deal with the same aggressions and fights, and although I cannot tell if it will work the same way with yours, you can see on this video that it has lessened the aggressions that they have lived side by side. At least, now they are getting used to each other’s smells and movements slowly before I can let them meet again.

[LittlePuffyTail]

Who wants to fight where there are good eats available? Cute video.

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