Bonding Dude and Poppet (Hershey) - Advice

hi all. I picked Poppet up from Sooz last night and started bonding her with Dude at about 8pm. All seemed ok - there was some humping from Dude and constant buzzing.

I stayed up till 2am with them last night and it was just more of the same. No fur pulling or aggression at all.

it's now 7am and it's still the same going on.

I know this is all good, however i have a concern.

Dude seems totally chilled and quite happy to hump, but Poppet is hardly moving from one area of the pen (the litter tray). Dude is constantly humping and buzzing and he's walking all over trying to get the right position.

I'm worried that she's too scared to move and she's not approached the ood or water bowls herself. (we took one to her when she wasn't moving last night and she had some veg)

Any advice please? I leave for work in an hour and am fairly confident that no harm will come while i'm at work but this is my first bonding and a bit apprehensive!!

thanks

I would place a couple of food bowls in the area you are bonding in or even sprinkle dried food about on the floor which allows them to get easier access to it, the same with any fresh food.

Although you have a rabbit who seems quite nervous and frightened, keep going as before long things will settle and improve. It is less stressful in the long run to do this.

I am bonding 2 pairs of 'difficult' buns at the moment, given what they were like last night I could easily have given up and chosen to separate them. Today things are a little more positive and the chasing is less frequent and requiring less intervention. You will find over the day the humping frequency will become less and she will become more happier with the situation and will eat more. Just keep tempting them with food.

One suggestion- take out the litter tray.

If she is spending al her time here she may start to see it as her area, or refuge and this may lead her to defend it if she feels she has to. This is especially true of litter boxes as rabbits are trained to defecate (and therefor mark) in them.

A better alternative may be a box she can jump onto if she wants to get away.

Good luck with it all xxxx

went home at dinner and had half an hour or so with them. All limbs and vital parts still attached to both - thank god!! :lol:

Much of the same. Took the litter tray out for half an hour and it was ok. they were both happily tucking into some veg each when i left.

Another night of watching them closely though me thinks.

Any other advice/info welcome!!

cheers for replies