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Opinions on Bonding Stratagies

Jack's-Jane

Wise Old Thumper
As many folk know I am a wuss at bonding and only really bond Buns who show a bit of chasing/humping/fur pulling.
Over the past year I have read many posts of Buns being bonded using more 'forceful' means such as putting them in a Pet Carrier together or putting them in the bath.
Instinctively I just dont feel happy with either of those methods :? I hate seeing frightened Rabbits :cry:
Also, I have know some people continue to attempt a bonding even if a fight has occured and one Bun has had a significant injury.

So, am I wrong in my thinking re bonding :? Is it OK for the Bun (s) to be affraid for a while if they eventually accept each other.
 
As many folk know I am a wuss at bonding and only really bond Buns who show a bit of chasing/humping/fur pulling.
Over the past year I have read many posts of Buns being bonded using more 'forceful' means such as putting them in a Pet Carrier together or putting them in the bath.
Instinctively I just dont feel happy with either of those methods :? I hate seeing frightened Rabbits :cry:
Also, I have know some people continue to attempt a bonding even if a fight has occured and one Bun has had a significant injury.

So, am I wrong in my thinking re bonding :? Is it OK for the Bun (s) to be affraid for a while if they eventually accept each other.

My 4 are in the bath currently, they aren't at all afraid, just annoyed at not being allowed out to 'play'. Its the only way i can get them close enough to get used each others smell. (adding Speedy to the group at the mo)
 
When I was bonding Lucifer & Nyx the first lived in the same room for 2 months; then lived side-by-side in a dog cage (it had a proper divider in it) for another 3/4 weeks.

Bonding started in the bath, I'd put towels down. After 20 mins they came out of there & into the bathroom for a couple of hours; then they went in my spare room al that night & the next day. The third day O/H & I went to his parents (approx. 1 hour car ride) and by the time we'd got there & let them explore they were more than happy to snuggle together when we got home.
 
I'm a bit of a wuss too Jane :lol:

I don't think using something like the bath is necessarily wrong - it can be a useful neutral space and somewhere where the buns are less likely to be able to injure each other. And I've found that pet carriers are a useful way of consolidating a bond, but I wouldn't use it to force buns together.

For me I guess it depends on how afraid and for how long, and whether there are signs that things are likely to work out. As there are plenty of buns out there needing homes I'd be more inclined to give it a reasonable go but if it is clear that one or more of the buns are exceptionally frightened or unhappy, or there has been any injury, I wouldn't push that particular bonding and would try another. I think it's one of the reasons that I'm happier for rescues to at least start the bonding 'on site' as there is less risk of getting attached to a bun which you then can't keep (or end up keeping it, but as a single bun).
 
I've seen the use of pet carriers in use, and have been impressed how often it works.
Personally I'm a wuss too, and if at any point during bonding there was anything more than a bit chasing I'd probably give up:oops:. Once buns had fought I'd never feel happy leaving them alone, so wouldn't bother trying to get them to bond.

My first two were bonded after living alongside each other for several months whilst BB got over her disasterous spay. All the others have come ready bonded from the rescue, so I've never had to really deal with some of the difficult bonding issues I've read about.
 
I gave up with Sunnie and my other three after 6 weeks, because Sunnie was clearly being bullied and scared, and there was no improvement. Now she is bonded with Cloud and seems very happy. It really depends on the character of the bunnies. Some may only be scared for a short time, and if there are no major injuries, I would continue with the bonding. Or rather, I would take them to Janice and let her work her magic. :D
 
I was lucky, my 2 bonded more or less instantly, no fighting at all just a bit of initial humping.

If I'd seen any aggresive behaviour I wouldn't have carried on :oops:
 
When I've bonded a two I haven't had much trouble only humping and a bit of chasing.. When I bonded Thomas into my bonded pair I think I carried on when a lot would of stopped.
Furby wasn't nice with Thomas at all :( she would fight him whenever he went near her, I took them for rides in the car but wouldn't put them in a carrier I used an indoor cage, hubby sat in the back with them and was ready to seperate if it kicked off.. I was ready to seperate the only thing that kept me going was that Thomas really didn't seem frightened at all, he loved Fudge and Fudge loved him he just had to win Furby round.

They all live outdoors now :D and all seem happy..
 
I'm a coward, and do not like the fights. Having said that I have watched the bonding threads with interest and have taken a great deal of encouragement from both Janice and Chloe ( Chloaster ) who I consider to be absolute masters of their art!:D. I am persevering with Maddie and Flynn and had it not been for their many wise words, I may have been a chicken and given up already, as there has been some flying fur. BUT, that's all it has been and although I'm not out of the woods yet, it does seem to be getting better by the day. Flynn is a completely different character to Alfie and there has been mutual grooming, all be it sometimes with an artificial helping hand ( pureed apple and tea tree cream of all things:shock: - don't ask)!:lol: No one is distressed or unhappy, Flynn had a sulk on for a couple of days when I had to move them, but I am more confident to keep going this time, thanks to this forum and it's many wise words.:D
 
I guess you have to compare the stress caused by the bonding with the stress of moving back into a rescue or another home. Personally I think I would give it a fair few go's because it would be a shame having to be seperated from one of my bunnies. :oops: But of course not if anything unusual happend such as continuous fighting/biting. But I'm not really confident at all when it comes to bonding, and get easily scared when bunnies chase etc, so I can't say for sure how I would react.

A little car ride, or travelling to a neutral home etc I'm sure are effective methods to use. I wouldn't have any second thougths by using one of them. I took my two to my moms house for bonding even if it meant they would be a bit scared. I think it's worth it. :D
 
I used to be a cynic at bonding using a carrier but have had a 100% success rate using it after a spate of failed bonding using my 'old' methods. I find it particularly useful with difficult rabbits or those who are being 'rebonded'.

Personally I hate the use of the bath tub but not out so much out of fear but rather the risk of somebun getting hurt. I have horrid visions of smashed limbs from slipping down the side of the bath or trying to run away.

I dont consider myself a bonding 'wuss' but I also like to think I know when enough is enough.
 
I actually found it very stressful and was only able to manage for 24 hours. My two had been with another forum member to bond a third into the group. They were all fine when they were away but as soon as they came home, my territorial bun and the newbie had some really bad fights and injuries were sustained. I felt the stress the bunnies were experiencing was quite considerable and none looked happy and even in neutral territory there was fighting. As the injuries required vet treatment I felt it was not fair on any of them to try to continue and force the bond. In some ways I did feel quite guilty for not continuing as the newbie had to be returned to her fosterer but I couldnt handle it when the buns were getting injured.:(
 
I think it depends on how you use the bath :D I wouldnt just put two bunnies in there and not let them out until they got on :shock: :lol: Trip and Scarlett met in the bath, and I was actually sat in the bath with them. I put towels down and a few pellets, they sniffed each other and ate their pellets :D They were in the bath about 5 minutes while my brother got ready and then we went for a car ride for about half an hour. They were in a large basket with lots of blankets and stuff and my brother sat in the back of the car watching them. By the time we got back to the house and put them in the hutch and run they seemed comfortable with each other and I never saw any chasing or fighting with them at all :D

Buu and Beau I didnt put in the bath because we were ready to go when I got them out so we went in the car for about half an hour with my brother in the back same as Trip and Scarlett. Buu and Beau arent together now and I have tried more than once with bonding but dont really feel like I was forcing them because they did look very happy together and would snuggle and groom each other :( They were still chasing and fur pulling though and I have no neutral territory now and no time off work to supervise :shock: If either had been hurt I would have stopped straight away but while they were still chasing even though they were grooming each other I wasnt comfortable leaving them unsupervised and just wouldnt risk it. I feel terrible because mostly bonding looked really promising with them and they did enjoy cuddling up together, but for now they are just going to live side by side until I decide what Im going to do so at least they can still interact with each other :D
 
I've only used the bath for bonding Trixie and Skitts with Cortez (aka Casper) - that was because I anticipated trouble... they really weren't scared - they were eating and behaving pretty normally (considering they were in a bath of hay!)... I think the complete change of scenery throws them a bit, so they're less likely to to defend somewhere that they don't understand, and I also felt that the area was perfect - enough room to get away from each other, but not enough room to start defending corners etc.. I also found it useful cos I had load of towels on hand to chuck on them if they fought (which they didn't). I liked the bath & would use it again :D
 
I wouldn't dare try and opted for a 2 hour drive to Angie in Barnsley to meet up with Jem and I left Flopsy there. Cost me more in petrol doing 4 trips but well worth it. Tracey had them and I think Flopsy helped himself:oops:
 
Hmmmmm :? well maybe I make bonding even harder for myself as I just hate seeing a previously chilled Bun stressed :cry:
I was so glad that bonding Bobbie and Brian was easy as I really could not have coped with seeing Bobs distressed in any way.

I think I might feel able to use the Pet Carrier technique in future but I still dont like the idea of using the bath :?

Thanks for all your input to this thread :D

Janex
 
Well, I have only got into rabbit keeping this year so am by no means an expert- and I used the 'bath' method to bond my PAH bun (yes I got her naively- wouldn't do that now) with 2 rescue buns I got about 3 months later.
I was told at PAH that Daisy was aggressive towards other rabbits and could never live with others. I felt sorry for her sentenced to a solitary life and that's why I got a bonded pair already so if it didn't work the other 2 still had each other. Daisy got spayed and then a few weeks later I attempted the 'bath' method of bonding- it only took 3 times and they have been bonded now for about 3 months- I still have 2 hutches but they choose who sleeps where overnight
They were nervous in the bath- for a short time- but I think the payoff was great for Daisy- she now has 2 sisters- and it doesn't seem to have had a negative impact on the relationship between the other 2- they were only bonded in July themselves.
Maybe I was just lucky.
 
I'm a bonding wuss too :wave:

I only really bond rabbits that hit it off straight away. Luckily I'm blessed mostly with easy going rabbits (touch wood). :D

Plus IMO rabbits are happiest in pairs. I've done trios, but there always seems to be somebun at the bottom of the heirachy in a trio, even if the signs aren't that obvious. :(

Good luck

Amy
 
im also a wuss when it comes to bonding :oops: i freak at the slightest scuffle lol

in my opinion i feel that sopmetimes people force a bond with some rabbits whether this is right or wrong i dont know but in my opinion unless the rabbits love each other and show friendship with one an other then the bond shouldnt be made (only my opinion) because i feel a forced bond is just the rabbits tolerating each other but theres no real friendship so i dont feel they will be any happier :?
 
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