Bonding update, plus further advice please!!!!

Hi, thanks for everyone's help on my last thread:
http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=109959

As advised, we cleaned the garage thoroughly with vinegar and have had Gizmo and Wolfie together in there regularly since and all seems well. There have been the odd moments of jumping and fur pulling, but we've let them get on with it and it soon passes and they're ok again.

Gizmo is going for the dominant one and there has been the odd occasion where Wolfie have groomed her, but they both then get a bit jumpy and run away!!! They have been eating together and generally don't seem to fussed by each other's presence which seems good. Gizmo flops out a lot in Wolfie's company, so that also seems good (well to us newbies anyhow, you might say different!)

Anyhoo, we're now at the stage where we're going for the big one - putting them into the same hutch and run together.......this is where we could do with some more advice.....

They've now been in the garage for a good 2-3 hours with us both monitoring them (I'm sitting in there now writing this!) and the hutch and run will be cleaned with vinegar before putting them both in. We are quite happy with this, but are just wondering what to do overnight.

Do we monitor them for the rest of the day and if all is well, just put them to bed and hope they are alright all night, or should we then seperate them back into their respective hutched for the night, but then risk having to start back over?

Thanks again..

From my own personal experience of bonding which is fairly extensive I think that your buns are doing well. Personally I would not push things and would leave them where they are for another day or so before putting them onto new territory. If you are reasonably happy with them, you do not need to stay with them for every minute of the day or night. Just keep an eye on them from a distance, dont just sit and watch them, get on and tidyd the garage and perhaps outside as well. I would leave it until at least tomorrow and then put them into their hutch and monitor them for a while in there. Too many changes of envioroment is also not good for them too quickly.

I would definately not separate them as this is just delaying the process.

Hi:wave:

Don't have any advice I'm afraid but wanted to say GOOD LUCK !! I am bonding too :?

Thanks for the advice and the wish of good luck!! - jrn, are you saying we should leave them in the garage overnight?!

matjoliver said:

are you saying we should leave them in the garage overnight?!

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Personally I would leave them in the garage overnight if they are reasonably happy and then move them first thing in the morning, that way they have had few changes over the past 24 hours which hopefully will leaf them to being more settled.

the least changes the better.

OK, we'll see how the rest of the day is going, the car can sacrifice itself and stay outside for the night and we'll make the garage a bit more cosy ready for the night and give it a go as you suggest... Very nerve racking - we might not sleep too well tonight!!!!!!