What’s the most difficult part?

[LittlePuffyTail]

For those of you who have successfully bonded bunnies, what would you say was the most difficult/frustrating part?

I’m curious and I feel we need more action in the bonding forum.

[Beka27]

For me, the most (mentally) difficult part was towards the end when you have to just… leave them together and trust that they won’t kill each other.

[Elrohwen]

That’s a good question! In a way I agree with Beka – leaving them alone was tough. I wasn’t working at the time though, so I could be with them all day which made it easier. They did fight once around 5am, so after that they slept in a small cage in our bedroom where they couldn’t chase (which was awful because they made so much noise just by hopping around all night). That part would’ve been far worse for me if I had been out of the house 10 hours a day.

The worst thing for me was probably the anxiety about what they would do. I had never bonded bunnies before or seen them interact with each other, so those initial bathtub sessions were pretty anxiety producing for me. I think I pushed them apart too often when I should’ve let them work it out (they weren’t really fighting or anything) but I was nervous so I would push them apart whenever one would get humpy.

[Stickerbunny]

Mine bonded really easily, so I didn’t have a very difficult part but… the most frustrating part was waiting for Powder to stop his mounting. He was excessive and poor Stickers would get so stressed out, I felt bad for her. She would make a whining/crying noise if he caught her and I had to pull him off her. After that, they had no problems and there was never aggression. But it’s hard to watch your baby so upset and know you’re the one forcing them into that situation!

[Elrohwen]

Sticker, I had a similar situation. Hannah wouldn’t stop humping Otto and it made him so upset. He’s my little baby and it was hard to watch this new bunny make him stressed out.

[Monkeybun]

The difficult part for me was trying to not interfere with them if they got a little huffy, but not fighting. They needed to sort it out themselves, me stopping them each time would not help It took a lot of willpower to not snatch up a bunny if the other even slightly flattened the ears.

[kralspace]

Dittos, the part when you’re so close, but they just keep on with the minor, mom-its-looking-at-me stuff. Just enough so you don’t trust them totally together.

I had that with Daisy/Lola and I finally let them run in the living room with me all one weekend and every time the spat started, I’d let my totally blind, deaf, wouldn’t hurt a fly dog, Floppie, just wander through the room and those two bunnies would run behind the wood stove and try to crawl into each other’s skin to hide under each other.

They’d huddle together like they thought Flop was going to eat them alive and she never even got closer than 10 feet, but it only took about 3 times and they were tight for life…lol

[LittlePuffyTail]

I think I pushed them apart too often when I should’ve let them work it out (they weren’t really fighting or anything) but I was nervous so I would push them apart whenever one would get humpy.

I was the same way with my boys at the beginning.

I’m going to update my ongoing bonding thread about the current situation with my boys because I need some advice.

[TriBun]

The worst part for me was the loss of litter habits. It seems like an all out poop and pee war! Even down to the land mines you’re constantly stepping on.

[MoveDiagonally]

Leaving them alone the first night was the hardest for me. I think I checked on them every hour (the bun room is right across from my bedroom). My husband witnessed the only scuffle between them and it sort of traumatized him. I walked in after the fact and saw him holding Dexter and giving him a “talk” about his behavior. Lol. He had some trouble not breaking up minor dominance non fights after that.

Dexter and Penny were a super easy bond. It was emotionally hard on my husband and I because it was our first bond. We over worried and fretted more than we should have. It’s been really rewarding and they are so very cute together.

[LittlePuffyTail]

I walked in after the fact and saw him holding Dexter and giving him a “talk” about his behavior.

I pictured this and it made me laugh.

[jerseygirl]

what would you say was the most difficult/frustrating part?

Getting started.

[mocha200]

The hardest part for me was going from the bath tub to a pen and a pen to cementing. The cementing part was easy for me, my bunnies pretty much kissed and “made out” the whole time. LOL

[bullrider76543]

Bonding Mr. Hopper and Nibblette was amazingly easy, and who knows why. Mr. Hopper was already fixed and was a year old, Nibblette was only about 5 weeks and it was love at first site. Now once in a while they nibble at each other, but nothing serious thank god. Now we are thinking of adopting from a rescue center and adding a flemish giant to our family. But I am worried about bonding them, should I get another male or female? And what do I do if the new bun isn’t accepted?

[peppypoo]

Peppy and Milo were a pretty easy bond…Milo is a rather more submissive bunny and Peppy pretty much just loves anyone and anybun…once she asserts her dominance. That was the only little problem…getting Peppy to stop tearing out fur from Milo while she mounted him. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Milo mount Peppy, haha.

bullrider – if you’re interested in another bunny, your best bet is to take your current ones to the shelter with you and go on “bunny dates” to see which bunnies they get along with. When it comes down to it, you’ve gotta let your bunnies pick who they want! Be aware though that introducing a new bunny to the pair can sometimes strain the existing bond, though a bunny trio can definitely be achieved.

[bullrider76543]

Thank you for the advice, and that is a great idea about the dating lol. I was just curious because I have always wanted a flemish giant but was unable to get one

[RabbitPam]

“…but they just keep on with the minor, mom-its-looking-at-me stuff ”

kralspace, that just cracked me up! Mom, it’s looking at me again……

[Stickerbunny]

Haha, your husband gave the bunny a “talk” – I would have loved to see that, bet it was cute.

[Sam and Lady's Human]

So far the most difficult part is being patient. I am just dying to put the bunnies together and make them like each other, but I obviously cant. Right now they are just in pens next to each other. And that stage will be another, oh, 3 months. Blah.

[bunnyfriend]

Posted By Sam and Lady’s Human on 10/23/2011 09:08 AM
So far the most difficult part is being patient. I am just dying to put the bunnies together and make them like each other, but I obviously cant. Right now they are just in pens next to each other. And that stage will be another, oh, 3 months. Blah.

I agree. Wilbur and Totoro are in seperate rooms right now, they haven’t seen each other. I just want to fast foward until Wilbur is fully recovered from her spay! I’m afraid of Wilbur rejecting Totoro, he’s so easy going and she’s really picky.

[Nova]

I haven’t yet bonded any buns. I’ve always had either one at a time living at home with my parents, but now that I’m an adult and a home owner, I adopted two rabbits as babies and they just bonded since baby-hood – but the one died. I’m going to try to bond the new rescued baby together with my Phenom, but they both need fixed first —- scary moment when they both jumped out of their cage and immediately attacked each other. My Phenom has a swollen lip and a cut. She sees the vet tomorrow.

So fixing them is essential to bond them….. keep them away from each other at all costs til then :\

[luvmyhunybuny]

All of it!! No, I think the most difficult part is being patient. I keep saying “can’t we all just get along” when there is a scuffle. I also tend to jump in and break up any scuffles that may occur in fear that they will seriously hurt each other.

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