New Bonder! Stress questions

[Jenalynn]

Hello,

I am starting to Bond Sweet Pea 4 year old spayed female with 1 year old neutered male Buzz. They have been next to each other in separate cages for about 3 months. When face to face through the cage – they do nothing but smell eachother and the sweet pea always walks away or lays down right in front of the cage.

I set up a pen in my moms room since they have never been in there before. Sweet Pea is sweet and I can just pick her up and bring her in there….but Buzz hates being handled! He wont walk his way into the room either. He knows right away when I am trying to attempt to pick him up and he gets alllllll crazy and stressed out. Is it worth the stress to finally grab him and bring him in there…. or should I try setting the pen up on my floor and trying it there….both have been on my floor before… but I can put down a fresh blanket –

She was sitting in my lap on the floor and he came up to my lap and they just smelled each other and then he walked away…. 

ANy opinions?

PS Buzz is what the vet called a “high-stressed” rabbit – so I am trying to make this as less stressful as possible

 

 

[Sarita]

Can you put Buzz in a carrier?

It’s hard to really know a reaction based on just that one encounter. You are going to need to actually put them together to see how they will act.

[Jenalynn]

I know I need to put them together- what I am asking is because they don’t seem so vicious at the get-go- do you think it will be okay to put them in the pen in my room on my floor where both have been – or should I absolutely start the bonding in my moms room where they have not been and stress buzz out by putting him in a carrier and transporting him- will that make him more likely to attack her because he is now “pissed off”…..
Buzz goes every 5 weeks to get dentals – so the carrier and any attempt tp pick up automatically gets him thinking he is off to the vet and he gets crazy stressed…
I will put him in the carrier if i have to I just wanted to know if there was anyway around it

[jerseygirl]

You could create a neutral space in your room I guess. Put down a tarp & blanket, pen on top and I would enclose the sides also with bedsheets or something. It would seem more foreign to them that way.

Since you already have a bonding pen set up though, perhaps you can use tunnels or something to make a corridor through to your Moms room so Buzz can hop there himself? If you do put him in a carrier, it’s only going to be a short while, and a bit of stressing will actually aid the bonding process. What about a cardboard box on it’s side. When he ventures into it you can then turn it around and use it like a carrier. If Sweet Pea is non fussed, perhaps try get Buzz to the pen first, let him come out the carrier himself, then bring Sweet Pea in.

[Jenalynn]

WEll I put them together for like 10 seconds in my room and buzz lunged at her he nipped some of her hair… he doesnt bite herskin or try to seriously attack her, but take pieces of her hair… is this normal? I break it up ofcourse before anything else can happen.

I am going to try your ideas Jersey Girl. I really understand now that you do have to be patient or else I will drive myself crazy. If I put them tgoether again and they start fussing…do I just break it up and keep them in there together…. like when is it enough to just stop for the day
Eeek I wish I had a professional here with me lol

[jerseygirl]

Yes – patience and keeping yourself as calm as possible. The bonding info under Bunny Info at top of page covers alot of this, but mainly – start with 10-15 minute sessions. Regular, short sessions are best in the beginning. A little aggression is normal & they do have to work things out to a point. Discourage it swiftly by squirting with spray bottle of a vocal command etc. Pull them apart where needed. If they start to circle one another, trying to nip, intervene very quickly. The main aim is to end sessions on a “good note”. This can vary. At first, it may just be the 2 sitting apart and ignoring each other but this is good compared to aggression. When I did bonding I tried get them to both sitting calmy while I pet them both and ended sessions then.
 

[Karla]

Have faith

Explain what your setup is like – do you have something delicious they can chew, so Buzz may more interested in eating then lunge at her? I’d suggest you try as Jerseygirl suggests and make them sit calmly and then pet them both. Molly was like Buzz when I introduced Jack, but the banana trick really worked wonders. I will recommend this as well.

[Corrie]

I am in the bonding process too and Pellet hates being picked up as well. We ‘herd’ him over to wherever it is we are doing the date, let him settle down for a minute or so and then put Betty in there after.

The first few dates were awful…Pellet attacked Betty and she almost needed stitches! We waited a while and moved house so we decided to go for it again. We started off with cage switching and then snacking in a neutral place. We gave them their greens and kept then about 1-2 ft away from each other. I think this allowed them to develop some trust and kept them both distracted. We are still in the process, but I am amazed with how much progress has been made especially through the stress bonding. We always end things on a positive note.

Good luck!

[i~luv~frappichino&sammy]

my bunnies are like that!they hate being picked up!(sometimes)

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