• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

first evening of putting buns together!!! scary!!! UPDATE

Beatrix Potter

Mama Doe
I finally managed to put spudsey and squirrel in the same area last night! OH MY GOD!!!! I was sooo nervous! Didn't help that when I wnet to pick Spudsey up to put her in there she bit myhand!!!! think she could smell Squirrel on me and wasn't too happy normally she sniffs my hand because she can smell him but think picking her up was too much.

Anyway she kept going in to see him but he just kept chasing her it was horrible! At one point I couldn't even see her I didn't know if they were harming each other or what!? she did keep running away but kept coming back for more! Though she did get a bit excited showing off her moves near him and he did his first ever binky!!!! Since I've had him anyway!

Trying again tonight....
 
Last edited:
Anyway she kept going in to see him but he just kept chasing her it was horrible! At one point I couldn't even see her I didn't know if they were harming each other or what!? she did keep running away but kept coming back for more! Though she did get a bit excited showing off her moves near him and he did his first ever binky!!!! Since I've had him anyway!

Trying again tonight....

When you are pairing these 2 buns up are you giving them a large space or a smallish area? It is best when pairing up rabbits to have them in an enclosed space rather than a large space where they can escape from each other and where you cannot reach them if they require separating.

I would also suggest pairing them up when you have a lot of time such as a weekend to do this, it is far less stressful on rabbits to do it in one go rather than a little bit here and there.
 
Good luck :D I get very nervous when bonding especially my first bond..
Hope everything goes okay and please take some piccies..
 
When you are pairing these 2 buns up are you giving them a large space or a smallish area? It is best when pairing up rabbits to have them in an enclosed space rather than a large space where they can escape from each other and where you cannot reach them if they require separating.

I would also suggest pairing them up when you have a lot of time such as a weekend to do this, it is far less stressful on rabbits to do it in one go rather than a little bit here and there.

Hello

I'm actually using my porchway and the understairs cupboard. do you think I'm best off using just the porch way? If so this is fine, I can get into the cupboard but I have to crawl half way!

I'm hearing different opinions about pairing...they have been dating on and off through some mesh with one in my lounge and one in my kitchen for a while now. I read that if I can do an hour everyday or so together in their neutral space this should be ok? then when they seem bonded (think if they start grooming each other) then leave them in their new area.

What should I do when Squirrel starts jumping on Spudsey!? He is much bigger than her being a wild bunny and hand reared she is tiny compared to him so this is a concern...Hes just a very randy rabbit!!!

Thank you
Suzanne
 
I bond most of the rabbits for ARC which is quite a number. I go for the 'faster method' of bonding which to me is far less stressful for the buns and also for yourself.

Bonding to me only happens when rabbits are put together without any thing to separate them and I always do this in one session, usually this is over a period of a few days where I have earmarked this for a session. This is always done on neutral territory.

I would not use your cupboard if you have difficulty in accessing it, for the safety of your rabbits and also yourself. I would use one area, your porch should be fine for this. I often use my hallway as it is not too big.

I'm hearing different opinions about pairing...they have been dating on and off through some mesh with one in my lounge and one in my kitchen for a while now. I read that if I can do an hour everyday or so together in their neutral space this should be ok? then when they seem bonded (think if they start grooming each other) then leave them in their new area.

I am a little confused about what you mean by neutral space in the above quote, as to me neutral space is an area where neither of them have been by themselves.

When one jumps on the other to 'mate', I would suggest that you dont do anything apart from watch. The only thing you should do when bonding rabbits is to ensure that they have food and water which is topped up and separate them if they are locked onto one and other. Apart from that you should stand back and observe. By interacting with the rabbits you delay the bonding process.

I hope that this helps and does'nt sound too harsh.
 
thanks for that..their neutral space is the porch/cupboard. spudsey has been here before but months ago when I first had her with the rest of her siblings. I will put them in the porch again tonight, unforutnately i am unable to spend a whole weekend doing it as with my partners dad in hospital and him in Wales most of the week i only get to see him at the weekend :(
 
no not harsh at all I'm just worried as spudsey is so tiny and i feel bad when squirrel jumps on her! :oops:

barney scent marked nettle alot when they first go together with his chin and coz nettle was so small he was squished like a dough ball - but he seemed quite happy with it and then barney got over it and it stopped. Am sure once Squirrel has done it for a bit and they have established the relationship etc he will get bored.
 
Hi Rachel!

I'd forgotton you had managed to get your little wild one with a bigger domestic bun!

I will try again tonight though I'm that nervous I'm wishing I'd 'hired' a 'professional bonder'!! Unfortunately I can't spend a whole weekend or so doing it...so I'm having to do this in sessions!

How long did it take to bond your two?
 
Do you have a rescue near you who could bond them for you?

There are a few rescues about that I could ask I suppose..hadn't really thought about it before I didn't realise how scary it would be bonding them!!!

I'm just a panicker! I'm sure they won't hurt each other or anything, they both seen quite keen on each other even after Squirrel kept jumping on Spudsey she still returned!
 
not long actually - prob helped by Nettle being babyish and Barney being easy going but at the same time he hadn't been neutered yet. I was nervous as Barney was HUGE and Nettle was tiny but once the initial scenting and farting around was over they settled down really well. So prob only a day or 2.

My friend's sis had probs with non stop humping and kept separating again every time she tried to bond them them and was going to try and get 2 more buns so she would have 2 pairs as she thought that was her only option. I said try waiting a bit longer and see if they get over the humping and they did and now love each other and dominance is established so no more humping needed.

If Spudsey is still returning and they are being nice to each other (ie not biting etc)i reckon it should be pretty fast bonding and as long as both are looking ok then let them carry on and it will settle sooner than you think. Nettle always looked quite happy being squashed as kept going back to Barney so i just let them get on with it and it worked even though it looked bad being flattened by a fat head!:D
 
There are a few rescues about that I could ask I suppose..hadn't really thought about it before I didn't realise how scary it would be bonding them!!!

I'm just a panicker! I'm sure they won't hurt each other or anything, they both seen quite keen on each other even after Squirrel kept jumping on Spudsey she still returned!

I think that it sounds like it is going really well so don't think you need it!:D
 
Second night of bonding last night...bunnies spent over an hour and a half together. Definitely interested in each other with both doing lots of binkies! Spudsey kept going up to Squirrel to check him out but everytime she did he pounced! But shes so small and quick that she just leaped over his head! :lol:
 
Back
Top