Currently bonding - need some guidance please UD we have grooming!

Bailey and his new girlfriend have been together for a little under 24 hours now. They were introduced at the rescue, where they got on fine, so after about an hour and a half or so they were brought home together in a neutral carrier. They seemed ok on the way back, stressed, but huddled together. When we got them back it was about 4.30, so they were quite quiet. They had a bit of a scrap when it got later - my hand bore the only violence, probably because they weren't expecting it :roll: I have a thick glove now! Since then there has been fur pulling (mainly hers) and quite a lot of honking and mounting (all him). He is trying to make her groom him, but she isn't playing ball! I'm worried she will get sick of him and go for him, although she seems to just being running away now, whereas before she was batting at him a bit. I'm not really sure what to do now, to help them along. Would time out the cage help? Any advice would be much appreciated! :wave:

they are somewhere neutral aren't they? I believe they need to be left a couple of days somewhere neutral if they're not instantly in love - hope it goes OK

elve said:

they are somewhere neutral aren't they? I believe they need to be left a couple of days somewhere neutral if they're not instantly in love - hope it goes OK

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Thanks Yes they are somewhere neutral. His old cage wasn't big enough for two, so they are in a bigger, new one which he hasn't seen before. I even put it in a room that he doesn't go in, incase that made a difference too! I don't think hes being territorial, because I can stroke her and he doesn't mind and vice versa. I think they are in dispute over who gets to be the boss!

I think you're probably right - OK so long as one of them runs away. I've never heard of bonding being done in a cage before though - I wouldn't think it's big enough - but I know they don't want too much space either :roll: I wonder why I never bond my bunnies I would bond them in a smallish room, with plenty of distractions like dishes of food, boxes of hay etc, little things for them to jump on. Then if they were happy after a couple of days I'd put them in a cage together, mainly because it's hard to split up a serious fight if they're in a cage. Also have read that you mustn't stroke them when they're bonding as it confuses the scents.

elve said:

I think you're probably right - OK so long as one of them runs away. I've never heard of bonding being done in a cage before though - I wouldn't think it's big enough - but I know they don't want too much space either :roll: I wonder why I never bond my bunnies I would bond them in a smallish room, with plenty of distractions like dishes of food, boxes of hay etc, little things for them to jump on. Then if they were happy after a couple of days I'd put them in a cage together, mainly because it's hard to split up a serious fight if they're in a cage. Also have read that you mustn't stroke them when they're bonding as it confuses the scents.

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Ooo ok, didn't know that about the not stroking I shall have to restrain myself :lol: They're just so cute :lol: I didn't know exactly how much space to give them either. Unfortunately he has access to every room in the house except this one. This room is large and has lots of cables and tons of holes to escape down and furniture to get behind. The only other room I could really put them in is the hall, which is totally impractical I know everyone suggests the bathroom, but mine really is teeny and he runs around in there at night while I'm in there. They have settled down a bit now, but if they get all feisty again later I might try them in the hall and see how it goes. Thank you for the help :wave:

Have you got a moveable run from the garden you could put up in this room? Only from the other bonding threads I gather they usually are quiet in the day (my rabbits sleep all day) then things kick off at around 1am - which is why you need to be able to sleep near them and split them up quickly if that happens.

Unfortunately I don't have a run as I don't have a garden. I had read that there were more likely to be problems later at night. I stayed up and I think I went to sleep at 6am ish, on the floor, next to the cage, wearing the glove :shock: :lol: :lol:

She is grooming him! Apparently his head is very dirty :lol:

~bailey~ said:

Unfortunately I don't have a run as I don't have a garden. I had read that there were more likely to be problems later at night. I stayed up and I think I went to sleep at 6am ish, on the floor, next to the cage, wearing the glove :shock: :lol: :lol:

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:lol: Awww you poor thing - dedicated bunny owner badge on it's way to you! Glad they are grooming - looks like the wedding is definitely ON

I tried them in the hall together and they were much better there Unfortunately they can't stay in there permanently for the next few days, as they would do a runner everytime we went outside! But I think getting rid of some excess energy helped them I am going to move them back out there tomorrow for a bit for another run around. She is being sooo patient with him (he is still humping her a bit - I keep telling him that she has accepted that he is in charge, but to no avail :lol, but he has calmed down a bit too and they've been lying together on and off. So its looking ok so far, phew :wave: