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Bunny frozen in fear

becca114

Young Bun
Well everyday I have been bringing my rabbits into the kitchen for about an hour for their bonding session. Its going very well in the sense that there is no biting, chasing mounting etc. The problem is that my male rabbit seems to be absolutely petrified. Most of the time he hides in the corner and makes himself as small as possible and hardly moves. My female rabbit is much more confident now(although she was a bit nervous at first) and she hops over and sits next to him and grooms is face. Eddie(the male) Just sits there as stiff as a board. What can I do?
 
To me there bonded as there is grooming and sitting next to each other and also once there doing this they cant be seperated:D an hour a day will just slow the prosess
 
Ok, you need to watch him very carefully... is he pulling his nose up in a very small V??? Is het panting a bit? Then you should seperate them... because it is possibly to much stress for him... Is his health ok? Not to fat? Good condition? Is he able to go trough the bonding process, meaning chasing etc...?

We had a (to fat) female developing stasis and going into chock because of bonding. There was no biting involved either. She just wasn't fit for it, after a solitary 2 years in a cage with her previous owners. We barely saved her live.

So keep an Eye on your 2!!!
 
No he doesn't pull his nose up. I don't think that it has much to do with the actual bonding process. He has always had a nervous temperament, I never pick him up unless i really have to and never bring him inside so I think its just the strange situation that bothers him, he does seem a tiny bit more confident if I sit with him. I think I will have to keep doing this.
When the bonding session is over they go back to their houses which is right in front of each other so they can almost touch each other though the bars so they aren't really completely separated. Do you think I should move on to keeping them in the same house for short periods?
 
I was trying the hour a day route and then decided that it was just better to go for it especially as there was no fighting or mounting. It seemed silly in the end to keep separating them.

I spent all morning in the kitchen on my day off with mounds of hay, play cardboard boxes and a litter tray, (kitchen resembled a stable!) I am sure having distractions helped. Also as Herbie obviously didn't like being on the slippery kitchen floor I put down picnic mats and an old shower curtain. It did the trick and our lone male bonded with two girlies and have been together since. If your little boy is not scared of the girl I would go for it but spending as much time as you can with them for reassurance.

Good luck xxx
 
I was trying the hour a day route and then decided that it was just better to go for it especially as there was no fighting or mounting. It seemed silly in the end to keep separating them.

Good luck xxx

Totally agree with you, the slow method like you describe is far more stressful for both the rabbits and yourself than just getting on with it. I personally always just get on with it. Some people put rabbits side by side, this for some rabbits particuarly those already paired up can be very stressful and fighting between the partition can result in learnt agression between the buns.
 
It sounds to me like you have a potentially very good bond goin on so I would be loathed to part them.

I use my kitchen and have found some rabbits to freak out on the lino so I put paper and towels down for them now.

Give them some more time, I can think of at least 3 pairs where I had a timid partner but after the first night together I would find them side by side in the morning.
 
Ha ha Vanessa, my kitchen is exactly as you described, boxes, hay, toys and a shower curtain on the floor.
I am very pleased to say that Eddie has completely changed this morning, he is confident and moving around now, he must just be getting used to this moving-to-the-kitchen lark. What should my next step be? How should I introduce Lizzie to Eddie's house?

Thanks so much for all your help, I don't know what I would do without you all.
 
Could it be the kitchen floor's too slippery for him?

Was going to ask exactly the same thing, Poppy hates the flooring in our house and did the same thing when I tried bonding them in the hallway.

I also did as you are doing with the slow bonding thing whilst I was waiting for the new hutch to arrive, I shouldn't have bothered. It was on and off for a few days then I just didn't bother until the new hutch was delivered at which point I put them both in it and haven't separated them since.

This is my thread from bonding my two-hope it helps :D

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=100951
 
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I think someone should write an 'idiots guide to bunny bonding', I would definitely buy it.
Do you think I should just move them both to Eddie's hutch now? Should I clean it all out and make it smell a bit different first?
 
I think someone should write an 'idiots guide to bunny bonding', I would definitely buy it.
Do you think I should just move them both to Eddie's hutch now? Should I clean it all out and make it smell a bit different first?

I'd read loads of stuff but its still scary!

Mine was brand new so it was completely scent free but give it a really good scrub with vinegar, you could use a really dilute bleach solution 1part bleach to 10 water as long as its rinsed really well. I did that on the paving slabs and it must've removed all of Charlie's scent because he then pooped all over it and went and wee'd in the corners- little sod :lol:
 
I think someone should write an 'idiots guide to bunny bonding', I would definitely buy it.
Do you think I should just move them both to Eddie's hutch now? Should I clean it all out and make it smell a bit different first?

Is that where they are going to be living? If so then clean it out thoroughly and desmell it first, white vinegar mix is good, let it dry and put new bedding etc, toys and washed bowl in so that it's a neutral place for them to go.
 
I think someone should write an 'idiots guide to bunny bonding', I would definitely buy it.
Do you think I should just move them both to Eddie's hutch now? Should I clean it all out and make it smell a bit different first?

How long have they been in neutral space for?

I tend to wit until I see some evidence of grooming or snuggling before moving them, so normally 36-48 hours after the initial meeting so that they feel at ease with each other.
 
update: they wont be moving in together just yet, There has been some humping, chasing and fur flying this morning, only mildly and they soon settled down. I will put them together again tomorrow and for longer I think, they were together for two hours this morning.

One more question: when I can be sure that they are completely bonded and they move in together into Eddie's hutch, should it be for an hour at first, or should they just stay together?
 
update: they wont be moving in together just yet, There has been some humping, chasing and fur flying this morning, only mildly and they soon settled down. I will put them together again tomorrow and for longer I think, they were together for two hours this morning.

One more question: when I can be sure that they are completely bonded and they move in together into Eddie's hutch, should it be for an hour at first, or should they just stay together?

I was told to let them 'ride' it out and get it out of their system because its normal and they need to establish who's boss.
 
update: they wont be moving in together just yet, There has been some humping, chasing and fur flying this morning, only mildly and they soon settled down. I will put them together again tomorrow and for longer I think, they were together for two hours this morning.

One more question: when I can be sure that they are completely bonded and they move in together into Eddie's hutch, should it be for an hour at first, or should they just stay together?
The humping, chasing and fur-flying looks so dramatic to us, but it's totally normal bunny behaviour and with most bondings this part has to be gone through so that the dominance issue can be settled. I would just go ahead and neutralise the hutch you are going to use and put them together now. Don't seperate them at all, and leave them together all night otherwise you'll be making for a 2 steps forward, one step back situation.
 
They have reached the stage where they are actively working out who is dominant in the relationship, please dont split them at this vital stage.

I would keep them together permenantly now and once they have settled and begun grooming you can prepare the hutch for them.
 
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