Need advice

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’ve had my unbonded trio for a couple of years now.  I keep putting off starting the bonding process because of 2 reasons:

1. Worried they hurt each other

2. Worried they will get too stressed out

I really need some advice on my situation so please bear with me while I explain things.

Lately I’ve really been feeling a lot of guilt that they might be a lot happier with a buddy. I’d like to bond my two youngest, Olivia (altered female) and Bindi Loo (altered male). And then eventually add Stormy (altered male, approx 6 years old) to the mix.

Here’s a little about  each bun: Oliva comes from unknown background. She’s VERY stressed out about everything, always honking and hitting, very territiorial but can be very loving with me too. Bindi Loo is my REW lop. He’s pretty easy-going. Not much bothers him. Olivia and Bindi are in seperate cages both on the floor.  There cages meet  at two diagonal corners, about 1.5 feet apart so they can watch each other. A few times Bindi has gotten out and gone over to Olivia’s cage. He’s very interested in her.  She freaks out and honks at him and tries desperately to break out of the bars.

A while ago, I put there cages side by side, just far enough so they couldn’t bite through the bars. They were both really interested and then seemed okay with it. I left it like that for a couple of days and then Bindi became very ill with gi problems. I took them apart, thinking maybe it was due to stress, which surprised me because Bindi is not really the stress type. But I wasn’t sure so I separated them.

Stormy has been on his own for about 6 years and he has pretty much the same personality as Olivia. Stressed out, quite territorial but he’s quieted down a lot with getting older. What about bonding an older bunny?

So, I think it’s best to try to bond Olivia and Bindi first? Any suggestions? I’m super paranoid about them getting ill from stress or hurting each other because Olivia can be quite an aggressive little monster with me, I assume she will be the same with another bunny.

I want to bond them all as soon as I can now because I want to get Olivia and Storm in a bigger environment. I feel their cages are too small and I want them to have more space. If I bond them, I can make one huge cube condo.

They all know each other’s smell because they all run in the living room at night and often find each other’s uh oh poos. Ever see the weird look they get on their face when they are sniffing someone else’s poo? It’s funny. Anyways,

Any thoughts on this would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks.

[Sarita]

I think you should start with the Stormy and Olivia. Sometimes the older rabbits are more mellow and easier to bond and less hormonal than the younger rabbits.

Olivia sounds like a typical female to me – seems like they are less likely to be mellow and tend to be more high strung and bossy.

I think too you are going to have to really get dedicated to doing it and not worry so much.

[Sarita]

Also stress is a part of bonding so yes, there is definitely going to be stressed involved no matter what the case is unless it’s just a naturally easy bond.

[Beka27]

I’m honestly surprised you’ve had them separate this long. It would be beneficial for all of them to be with a mate. Just take it one step at a time.

[Deleted User]

It is a catch, you know your rabbits would thrive with a companion, yet their delicate health would make stress bonding hard on some of them. It is very much going to be up to your attitude about it. Your rabbits are fine-tuned to how you feel and if you are fretting very much — they will suffer from it. Age is not an important factor, in my opinion, so I would match each bun with one other and try out different pairings. Then you can pick the one pair you want to work on first. You can keep stress sessions very short to ease yourself and the bunnies into a bonding routine.

There may be small injuries, this possibility exists, but if you are on top of things during the sessions, those should never be more than minor. My quartet has been bonded for 5 months now, and the other day Deirdra decided to bite Neigey’s ear during their dinner. It left a nick. Then they went on with their business.

Now that I scared you half-off, I will post a photo that I hope will inspire you to get bonding!

 

[Sarita]

What a great photo Petzy! Love it.

[LittlePuffyTail]

Thanks for all the input! And the pic that does very much inspire me!

Sarita- I’ve never really put much thought about bonding Stormy and Olivia. I just figured it would be better to put 1 stress with 1 mellow instead of double the stress. But I will definetly consider it now, I always take what you say very seriously.

What would you guys suggest: should I try Olivia with sessions with both boys and see who gets on better? And is putting cages side by side a good first step? If not, what step should I start with?

[Sarita]

I think that trying her with each would be a good idea in a neutral space. Don’t do it both in one day though do it on separate days. I don’t think putting cages next to each other helps a whole lot but it sure won’t hurt.

[Deleted User]

Posted By LittlePuffyTail on 06/02/2010 09:03 AM

  is putting cages side by side a good first step?

 

Would this be in their regular room where they also exercise? If yes, I would not park their cages side-by-side. Think in territorial terms. If you had a neutral room in your house then I would move those two buns you are bonding at a time, beside one another. Just don’t do it if it is in a place they have already marked as theirs individually.

[LittlePuffyTail]

All the cages are in the rabbit room. That’s the only room I can keep their cages in. They only get free run in the living room.

I’m going to spend a few hours reading through all the bonding sessions in the forum in preparation.

[Elrohwen]

I would also suggest trying the boys together. Like Petzy said, introduce each possibly pair and start with whichever one seems easiest.

[Author]

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