Taking the Plunge – Adding Bun #2

[MayaConsuelo]

I haven’t been on here in awhile… I had moved to NYC in 2011 and was trapped in a studio apartment with my husband, cat, and rabbit. We finally got a bigger place last year and after settling in, we’re ready to add another rabbit!

 

I already read the bonding FAQ page, and we’re taking Mr. Bun-Bun to Petco for a speed-dating session with some lady rabbits this Sunday. I’m crossing my fingers for an instant love connection and an easy bond! But he’s never been around another rabbit since he was little obviously, so who knows how he’ll react. 

 

I’m not sure if we should even observe the speed-dating, should we give them space? Anyway I’m pretty excited, tonight I’m going to deep-clean his cage and wipe down the entire bedroom floor with vinegar (his condo is in our bedroom, and I’m going to set up an ex-pen next to his condo for the new bun.)

 

I’ll be back to post more once I find out who we get to take home!!

[LongEaredLions]

How exciting!
It is a good idea for someone to watch the date just in case a serious fight breaks out.
I can’t wait!

[MayaConsuelo]

OK… I don’t have too many pictures of the new bunny yet, but she is an approximately 2-year-old REW New Zealand mix. She’s around 7 pounds so quite a bit larger than Mr. Bun-Bun who weighs 4 pounds. Her eyes are actually light blue, but with the red albino overlay. She seems much more chill than my spazzy little guy and everyone at the adoption said she is a super sweet bunny and very affectionate with people, so they were happy to see her go!

On the first pass he gave her a little scratch above her eye. He kind of flipped out and was charging at her side. However she was the first rabbit he was introduced to, and he hasn’t been around another rabbit in his 5 year life. He met two other candidates who were also mini buns and seemed a little more jittery. He did all right with all three, all things considered. No fights broke out but he did the little sideways territorial jump a couple times.

When he was reintroduced to our new bunny (Blixa) they did better, came nose to nose a couple times, both approached and backed away, nothing too outwardly hostile. Obviously they didn’t just lay down cuddling together. The adoption volunteers said he is a tough bunny and the bonding sessions might be difficult, and we should start with 30 seconds at a time only.

How many times per day should I try it? We don’t really have neutral space – I could use the futon (they could jump off though), I’ve read about the bathtub method but that seems like kind of a small space to throw them into. We’re going to order another exercise pen but I don’t want to wait until it arrives to start bonding. Their pens are set up next to each other with a several inch gap so they can’t touch, and they’ve spent a lot of time staring at each other with no aggression. But this morning Mr. Bun-Bun touched noses with Blixa through the bars while he was out, again no aggression and I was happy until I saw that he peed right in front of her pen, so obviously some territorial behavior going on.

Phew! This is making me nervous. I’m happy to have taken a bunny out of a crap life though (apparently she was being fostered at a pet store where her living area was quite small, and she had been there since spring.)

[JackRabbit]

Congrats on getting your new girl and love the name too!

[MayaConsuelo]

OMG – I found out my new bunny Blixa was found sitting beside the garbage behind a building the Bronx!!!!

She is one hell of a lucky bun.

Today was day one of bonding. They have litter pans near one another (at eye level) in their separate pens. So they’ve been sitting peacefully just a foot apart for extended periods of time, and spend a lot of time attempting to touch noses. I think it’s a good sign that Mr. Bun-Bun has still shown no outward hostility at this infringement on his territory (which is obviously the whole apartment!!)

Today was bonding day #1. We’re using the futon for now (no extra exercise pen yet). My husband put Blixa on one end and I put Bun-Bun on the other. They eyed each other for maybe 10 seconds, then Blixa came over. She was rewarded with a little nip to the face, and she nipped Bun-Bun back. At this point I broke them apart. I know that little nips aren’t dangerous, and some people say you shouldn’t intervene in their interactions unless they’re actually showing signs of a fight, but I’ve never done this before and didn’t want it to escalate. I split them apart easily and they sat on opposite ends once again watching each other. Then Blixa came over again, my husband and I were each semi-controlling the buns with a light hand to the head. The rabbits hunkered down and touched noses, I had my hand partially between their faces in case they tried to bite, but neither one moved. After about 10 seconds of nose to nose we ended the session.

That sounds like a promising start, right?

[Sarita]

Oh, wow, she is so lucky someone found her and now she has a great home…it’s sad how people just toss out animals like they are trash :~(

It does sound promising. I would try not to interfere too much with their interactions – I know it’s stressful and hard not to though.

[MayaConsuelo]

On the advice of one of the rabbit adoption volunteers, I’m going to try the next few sessions with no contact allowed – just them near each other with my husband and I keeping the rabbits from getting too close. I’ve had no fighting, only little nips, and I don’t want it to progress to a fight. Also Blixa the new bunny is getting bolder as she becomes more comfortable, and is obviously trying to assert some claim to the apartment. Last night we expanded her exercise pen to make it larger (which made the walls more moveable) – she was trying to push the pen wall closer to Bun-Bun’s condo so she could reach her nose through and try to nip him. Now I have five pound weights separating them – good luck trying to move those!

Last night even though we tried no contact, the bunnies were too agitated. Blixa immediately slipped out of my husband’s grasp and nipped a tuft of fur from Bun-Bun. He’s shedding anyway, so no harm done, but I definitely do not want them becoming more aggressive! I think it’s going to be very slow going. From now on I’m going to make sure Blixa is in the bonding area for a few minutes getting head pets to calm down first.

It feels like they’re never going to be friends! But I know it’s only been 3 days. I realize it could take months. My husband might be out of town for half a week, is it OK to completely suspend bonding sessions? I’m still switching towels from their cages, etc. I just don’t want to try to wrangle two rabbits on my own, I’m not used to it!

[hersheyforever]

can you please tell me if Mr. Bun Bun’s personality changed towards you and/or your husband?? Was he affectionate towards you both, or one of you, and if so, did that change at all since getting Blixa? I ask because I have a decision to make by tomorrow if we are to bring home a baby boy bun to a not long spayed girl who is our darling, loving princess….. and I don’t want to lose her affection, it’s too precious, but also think and almost resent that it might be best for her…… or so ive read…..
I do hope all is well now with your two buns. Sounds promising, and you are being so patient, its lovely to hear its not going horribly. 🙂

[MayaConsuelo]

Awww… a new baby bunny… I’ve never had a baby one before.
First of all let me say that my rabbits are NOT at all bonded yet. They’re both vying for “top rabbit” position. We’re holding them during bonding sessions in case somebody wants to lunge (we also need another ex-pen to do it properly.) I’m switching the litterboxes, they’re allowed to eat together with a cage separating them, so basically we’re just focusing on them getting used to one another with not much actual interaction. They still occasionally lunge through the bars and grunt (though nothing terribly aggressive, more sort of assertive.)

Mr. Bun-Bun has seemed to calm down a little, he used to be incredibly sassy and now he seems a bit calmer and better-behaved, if that makes any sense? He is bonded very closely to me and that hasn’t changed at all (the volunteers said that it wouldn’t change, after all we’ve been together for 4 years.) And now we have another bunny to love! She is a sneaky bun and loves to snuggle. So yes, we’re lucky to have two affectionate bunnies, and I think once they’re bonded that’s not going to change at all.

Your situation may be different regarding bonding – I know you’re not supposed to put an unspayed rabbit with a spayed one (just because of unpredictable hormones) – so they may have to be completely separate until the new rabbit is old enough to be neutered. But somebody else here is probably better able to answer that question.

I absolutely don’t regret having two bunnies now! It is more work for now, simply because they can’t be out at the same time. But with patience I’m hoping they bond successfully and eventually can both be bouncing around the apartment!

[Author]

Messages