re-bonding

[Rumdrink]

Hi all!  Thank you all for all your great advice on this forum!  Here’s the dish….

Buster (full breed Polish) and Hermione (mix breed English Angora and rescue rabbit) are both 7 years old this year and been together since they were both less than 1 year old.  They initially bonded before he was neutered (very smoothly, may I add, he sprayed her and that was that = love).  There have been a few spits and spats over the years (he worked in show-biz as a magic bunny, now retired), but generally they have been in love.  She has been in ICU 3 times total for GI stasis and pulled through each time, no problems with the love between them when she got back from vet.  For the first time, he went to the vet (overgrown molars), went to OR, now home.  He and her have both been confined to their individual cages while he’s recovering and beginning to eat again without pain.  He’s been looking at her through the cage bars longingly.  She could care less.  Me and hubby are switching potty-boxes, rubbing scents…it is obvious he misses her a great deal, she remains in her own world.  Since he seems to have recovered, we decided to let them into their playpen, on their “usual” schedule they have had for the past 7 years….holy cow talk about fur flying!  He tried to kiss her and she ripped his fur out and nipped at this face, flank, and any other place that got near her.  We pressed her face/chin to the ground in submissive pose with a loud NO! and got him away from her unharmed.  We waited a day, placed the bottom of one of our carrier cages in the tub and simulated a car ride by gently shaking it side-to-side.  For the most part, Buster sought solce with Hermione, she could care less.  She sniffed him and few times, groomed herself, kissed his ear once, shoved all 8lbs of herself underneath his little 3lbs body (per their old usual).  He didn’t groom her though the way he used to.  Just hopped (slid) away,  groomed himself and squished himself into a corner.  Hubby and I carried the box (now lidded) into the living room to just watch them.  Overall, he sulked in the corner, she alternatingly ignored him and nipped his face (she nipped or looked aggressive and we shook the box and she’d stop and wink).  This all lasted maybe 1hr total.

Now what?  Just keep at it?  Will we somehow “know” when they are in love again?

You all probably know our fear is they won’t re-bond the way they were.  It’s almost like Hermione has gone senile! 

Thanks!

Kat

[BinkyBunny]

OH, the dreaded vet visit and the new bunny is not so easily recognized. Some bunnies this doesn’t affect while others, like hermione, will be affected by it. I would say keep like you are doing with car rides, and find any neutral territory you have. What you can also do is try and make sure they smell like each. Comb her and then take the fur out of the comb and rub it all over him. You can also try the “stunt double” where you get a toy bunny, rub it all over him, and put it with her. She may beat it up at first, but then may settle down and cuddle with it, and the hope is that once she cuddles with it, she will be more likely to be settled down with the “real” bunny.

Sure won’t hurt to try.

Keep us updated.

[PEPPA GEORGIE]

Arrr bless, i have never had this with a rabbit but not had one in and one out of vet before but my mum had it really bad with her cats and it really upset her and them, the one that came back obviously smelt different and her sister went mad and attacked her and growled at her, it was really horrible, but if it helps they are back in love again now, i think it took about a week for total normality to return…xx Good luck

[Rumdrink]

Tried the “stunt bunny” with Buster’s scent on one of their favorite bunny stuffed animals.  Ms. Hermione snarfl’d at my hands and the stuffed bun, as well as lunged and nipped at it.  I told her no, put her chin down and she gave up.  After a bit of giving the stuffed bunny the “left eye” then the “right eye” she did start to groom the bun.  She looked up to me afterwards with her nose up like, “I did good right? You’ll pet my snout now?”  I did and she seemed calmer; even went back to grooming stuffed bun (after the eyeball routine) and flopped next to him.  Did that 2x today before work.  His potty-box did not get snarfl’d at when I put it in her cage today either.  She looked at me like, “what the….? That’s not my butt-scent, but, Ok, I’ll sit in it anyway and eat my hay.” 

Unfortunately, work this month consists of every other day 20 and then 30 hour shifts, I’m lucky both snouts get mommy time at all.  Will try the shaking-the-cage-bottom-in-the-tub trick again tomorrow.  Should I snout pet reward her when she is a good girl during bonding sessions with Buster?  I didn’t do that a lot last time, figuring Buster would step up to the plate (NOT!).

I can’t tell you how difficult this is “re-bonding” after 7 years of inseparable love.  It tears me apart seeing them thump, nip and snarf at one another.

I’ll keep posting progress. 

Kat

[Rumdrink]

Stunt bunny working well with Hermione, not with Buster.  He refuses to groom the stand in, only mushes his face up to it’s face and closes his eyes.  I took the chance anyway and tubbie-timed them.  She did well, groomed him, then looked at hubby and I like, “snout pet now?”  We petted her and then she offered herself to Buster for grooming.  Which he didn’t do!  He only smushed his face against hers.  My husband and I, knowing the way Hermione is (Ms. “give-me-pets-on-my-snout-right-now-before-I-nip-you”), just kept intermittently petting her for positive reinforcement for presenting herself for grooming and not nipping.  Thankfully she didn’t nip the whole time.  We ended the session after about 45 min of repeating all the above over and over.  They are both in separate cages, he keeps looking at her through the bars with the old stink eye.  Will keep working with the stunt buns with both of them and tubby them again tomorrow.  He’s never had a problem grooming her, he’s a very loving bun.  I’m not sure if he’s still mad about the nips a few days ago and just doesn’t trust her yet (?).

K

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