Pixel and Zelda Bonding them together

[The Rabbit]

So! She’s here! I went to the house where the rescue buns are kept. First, we tried out a small little girl bun. She seemed to enjoy playing with Pixie and they generally got on rather well. Then they tried him with Sara, a 7 pound bun. I was all set on her. She looked at me, and it was like she could read me. I was really wanting her. They got along, and were generally indifferent. We tried a couple other buns, and no interest. So, we tried out between the first bun and Sara again. I really loved Sara, but in the end the little bun won out. They ate together, snuggled, and *Kissed* each other! I was so pleased! (kind of sad about Sara. I deliberated for 3 hours.) Anyway, my boyfriend and my mother loved her. The woman at the rescue calls her “Baby” but she calls them all baby. She left so we could all talk it over, and when she came back she told us the buns name is “pricilla” (No way.). So, while they lounged, played and ate I bought pellets, and hay. I was so embarrassed when I went to pay for the bun, and my purse was gone. I had packed *everything* and then the purse was gone. I’d written a check and everything. *sigh*. Anyway, on the Car ride home, they sat snuggled together, sniffing and a few (Yay!) Kisses. We had to stop and by a dog exercise gate thing to make a bigger cage for her. It’s truly huge and takes up a lot of room. (Honestly, i’ll just use it for exercise when the bonding is done, I guess). So, Now the little bun (who we are calling either Luna or Zelda,) is in her new cage, and Pixel is in his next to her.

 

They keep trying to touch noses through the bars. I’ll wait awhile before re-introducing them.

 

Luna or Zelda?

She has moon-gray eyes, and gray eyepatches over the eyes. She’s lovely. I honestly love both names. Maybe I could keep and use them both (probably not though…right?)

 

Pics: Luna/Zelda Utterly flopped in her new cage.

I’m watching you flop!

a Fresh litter box, for me? and hays?

 

[Monkeybun]

She’s a cutie! I like both names, but I’m more fond of Luna myself.

And I use the x-pens as cage extensions for my 2. They each have their own right now, their cages are attached to them, and I never lock the cages themselves. It may take up room, but they like the space when they can’t be out running around the entire apartment

[The Rabbit]

Thanks. I’m going to wait until tomorrow for anymore bonding. I thought i’d see how they do together in the x-pen, just to say hello. No luck. Luna is on Oxbow, and i’m supposed to somehow switch her gradually(or switch him gradually) to the others food. not sure how to go about this. anyway, it was AWFUL. The girl bun decided she was hungry, and went for the food. Pixel was also hungry and went for the food. She pushed him out of the way. He hopped off, and suddenly they were attacking each other! I grabbed him, and the x-pen started to fall I bruised myself pretty badly. I think tomorrow I’ll start in the afternoon with the bathtub.

actually, I might even put her in the other cage I had made, and keep this for other times. I’m afraid she’ll jump out though, there isn’t a top. it’s a regular cube one.

[Beka27]

She is beautiful! Thank you for rescuing her!

Zelda is a different name! Luna is such a common rabbit name…. I would definitely want you to have something different!

[The Rabbit]

I think we’ve decided upon Zelda. Zelda is more of a strong name, and she is so far pretty dominant. Last night I put her in the regular cage I made her. She can’t get out. Pixel has been in his cage, and they watched each other. This morning I let him out to see how he’d act, and she charged at him (through her cage) he made this big scared sigh noise and bolted for his bunny cottage. I got him and put him back in his cage. I don’t want him hopping into her cage and getting hurt. 

She also went insane on an empty tissue box I gave her. she was jumping on it and attacking it with claws and teeth!

Later today I’m going to do a bathtub session.  when should I stress bond?

This is such and adventure. She talks! at the last moment the lady there said she was a talker, and then the bun started “speaking”. She sounds almost like a little pig. a little quiet oinking (not like a honking) noise. very cute.

[Beka27]

I don’t remember… did I post the HRN bonding article for you before? It’s a really good one! If not, here it is again:

http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/bond.shtml

[The Rabbit]

I think you did. I actually printed out a copy for everyone in my house prior to getting the bunny so they’d see what it would be about, but I lost the link. I’ll check it back over.

Also, Zelda seems to want to poop(and pee) outside of her box. She had great habits at the shelter. I figure they’d decline a little, but how can I get her to be a little cleaner? Pee covered cardboard is really icky. I put some of her poops back into her box and I saw her use it afterwards.

[Monkeybun]

It’s a new place for her, she may just be marking her territory.

[The Rabbit]

Thanks.

 

 

Bunny Date 1: Monday, May 24, 2010 3:00 PM

 

So. I got the big litterbox, filled with hay and litter. I put it in the bathtub, with a soft towel. Then i got Zelda. She loves litterboxes. She hopped right in and munched hay. Then came Pixel. I had my water bottle at the ready, and they started fighting. There is a buildup of fur in my bathtub right now and two wet bunnies in their cages. Anyway, I sprayed and moved Pixel away. I had to sit there in the tub with them. Just enough room for the litterbox and me. They kept fighting. Zelda sat there frozen. Pixel moved about the box, and that’s where the problems started. He’d move around or on top of her and she’d attack. The only times other than fighting when she responded were when: 1. I called Pixel “Baby.” Which was her old name. She looked up at me and looked interested. 2. I attempted to feed her hay and she started rearranging it angry—pixel attacked. If I didn’t reach to pet them at both times Pixel would attack *Me*. He boxed me really, really, hard. I’m littered with scratches. Then I tried to feed her a piece of hay and he boxed me again.  When Zelda would attack he’d run and hide in my arms. I think mostly the reason why I was in the tub was I felt so bad for them. Next time I’ll stay out, I can’t always be his safety net.

 

This session lasted just under 20 minutes.

 

Ideas and Opinions?

I have pictures, where towards the end they were calmly sitting together. but I need to upload them. Tomorrow morning i’m going to try the X-pen in another room. Is it too soon for stressing? I need to vaccuum my room and that would be perfect.

[Monkeybun]

My sugestion, take out the litterbox. Bunnies WILL fight over litter boxes.

[The Rabbit]

I’ll do that next time too. Thanks for the advice. Actually, I think i’ll try again in a little while.

[The Rabbit]

Okay. So I need some advice here. Last night I set up the x-pen in neutral territory. My boyfriend and I sat at opposite ends. The dynamic was rather interesting. Pixel sat next to me on the right, and Zelda sat next to him on the left. (They did this on their own)They could see each other. I tried putting them together and petting them, but Pixel would always attack before I could even start petting. He was pretty wet from all the spraying we did. Sometimes, it was as if they had planned ahead of time where they were going to meet. They loved to meet on opposite ends of me or my boyfriend and try to squeeze behind us(we wouldn’t let that happen) where they could fight. We spent about an hour in there with them. Most of the time they just stayed on their ends. Pixel’s Tail was raised high the entire time. Zelda’s was down. at one point she hopped over to see him, no tail raised, no ears back and he lunged. I grabbed him while my boyfriend sprayed.

He also snuck up behind her and bit her on her behind a couple of times.

how can I minimize fighting? he also seems *really* jealous if I try to pet Zelda. I try to pet them at the same time to minimize this, but sometimes he’ll look over and see (when i’m petting at the same time) and he’ll box me.

Thanks for any help.

[The Rabbit]

YES! Today, we made progress! Last night we switched cages. They were very confused at first but quickly settled down, so today we did another session.

Session 3 Tuesday, May 25, 2010.

We put them in the bathtub this time, as the x-pen is around the cage pixel slept in last night(to keep him from jumping out. Zelly won’t but he will). It went really, really well. there were maybe three fights (and Pixel bit her once or twice) but they mostly solved them on their own. The time was spent with Zelda putting her head down in front of Pixel, and calm sniffing and sitting. At one point they sat side by side! At the very very end Pixel kissed her ears. When I lifted Pixel out, Zelda got upset. And then when i got Zelda in the room Pixel looked up at her and did a big Binky! Everything is going well!

[The Rabbit]

Even more progress! Tonight, Pixel and Zelda Cuddled! Zelda was clearly enamored with him. She bites him if he moves away when she tries to snuggle him, or thumps in his face. So she was chasing him in the x-pen. as usual, Pixel was running away. then she cornered him, and forced him to snuggle her! He complied, but seemed scared out of his mind(I think he thought if he moved she’d bight him, and rightly so.) She was happy as pie, snuggling up to him. She even started to fall asleep at one point and was really calm. Eventually Pixel started to calm down too. Then he moved to go hop somewhere else and she bit/clawed him. so after they calmed down from that I sat him in the same corner, and put her on my lap. She hopped over to him and the same thing ensued. Pixel even stopped burying his head in her side and sat and looked around. It was great! Then to end on a good note I took Zelda back to her cage (we switched them again). She protested the loss of pixel, moving to get out of my arms and making annoyed noises. Pixel even flicked his feet at me when I took her away.

This is so exciting!

[The Rabbit]

Things have been going really well. Last night I had an interesting thing happen. I did some washer stress bonding, then put them in the tub. I saw a video where they recommended sprinkling pellets throughout the bathtub, so I did that too. all was going really, really, well. I guess I was super tired though, because I sat in the tub with them for a moment (to lessen their space). I woke up a couple hours later with them sitting on my stomach! Whoops! Luckily though, nothing happened, and I had the bathub door thing and the bathroom doors shut. They did well, though so i’m pleased!

[Author]

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