Question re rescues and bonding U/D brill news!

As you are probably bored to tears of hearing about, I am trying to get Arthur a bunwife.

I reserved one but she was accidently rehomed to someone else :roll:

So now I have another on reserve and was hoping to get them bonded next week as per text from Rescue saying she thinks she can take Arthur in next week. Its been three weeks now that I've had this bun reserved and I know she is lonely and I know my Arthur is lonely. Today I had a text saying that the rescue has 6 people waiting for bonding and will chase them all today to see if they are ready. Just doesn't seem fair.

Is it normal to wait this long? Bearing in mind its been about 5weeks now since reserving first bun.

I am waiting for the rescue to have the time and room to bond.

Am I being unsympathtic to the rescue?

I've had someone waiting for a pair since November, if that makes you feel any better?

Yeah it does Soz thank you. I just frustrated that I am offering a very loving and gaining knowledge forever home, and that my bun is lonely.

Perhaps I am just part of the want it now culture and want it now! - but for the best reasons though.

xx

I think its normal to get all excited and wnat it asap. If I make my mind up about anything I hate waiting.....as I end up with days and days of butterflies

I would love to tell you that this is not the norm, however depending on how many people are involved with a rescue, the turnover of rabbits and how many people actually do the bonding will make the difference on how long you will wait.

ARC is a lot of ways is fortunate as we have lots of different people who foster for us, however when it comes to acutal bonding there are very few people. Like most people involved with rescue I work full time and have a family, when I work I do long hours. I currently bond the majority of rabbits who go out to new homes from ARC, I am currently turning over 2 - 3 pairs a week, that is 100 - 150 bondings a year :shock: I took a weeks holiday to go away in February and also took a week off with no bondings going on, I ended up with about a 5 week waiting list.

I am not sure what the waiting list for bondings is now just tell Donna when I can start off the next two pairs and she arranges for them to contact me about getting the right buns to me.

At the moment I dont ask about how long people are waiting as it bothers me that I have a waiting list for bonding .......... I have to admit it is difficult to make a balance between bonding and the needs of my family, if I bond quicker it frees up more space to help another rabbit .... it is getting that balance right.

Another good thing for me is not knowing the numbers who are waiting to be bonded, if I rush rabbits out they are more likely to run into problems when they get home .... if I just plod on not knowing my success rate will remain as it is which is pretty good. I think people who are wanting their animals bonded would prefer I do not hurry ...

Wow 2 to 3 pairs a week thats alot.

I wish I could try myself, but whilst I learn everything I can about rabbits (I've been learning about them since 1985) bonding would be a quite a plunge for me.

Thanks for the replies everyone, I will just hang in there then.

Kay said:

Wow 2 to 3 pairs a week thats alot.

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Unfortunately that is not enough though. When we take in between 200 and 250 rabbits a year Fortunately we have 2 other foster homes who will bond rabbits which helps

I am hoping that my new job I start in just over 3 weeks time will not restrict me in bonding, I know it will mean that I will have to be more strict when I start rabbits off and it may be a bit more tricky on when I am able to let them be picked up.

its difficult for us when bonding because we use one of our big runs ...this means the other buns get out less while we are bonding :? usualy takes 3 to 7 days ...so can be quite awkward .

The more buns we have in the harder it is :?

How did you first learn how to bond? Did you watch/help someone?

I'd love to be able to bond rabbits, the satisfaction you must get from that I beat is amazing.

x

I normally just get the people to bring their rabbit and do the bonding that day, at least the new owner can also help and see how it is done. If you are getting a rabbit from the the same rescue that is doing the bonding then I can't understand why you have to wait. We have done two bondings at the same time. If a new owner is getting the two unbonded rabbits from us and want us to bond them then I usually do it over a week and let the new owner pick them up as soon as I feel they are ok to go.
It must be harder for rescues that also work full time as well as running a rescue as I run the rescue full time.
Good luck with getting your bun a new partner

I learnt by watching someone else a couple of times and listening to rationals for why things are done. Then applying that myself. Then from my own experience I have noticed things and changed my way to imporve what I do.

I still say that the best advice given on here about bonding was by Cheryl who wrote http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=55913&highlight=bonding

I use a version very similiar to this. I have to admit I have had very few failures over quite a long period of time.

kayj said:

I normally just get the people to bring their rabbit and do the bonding that day, at least the new owner can also help and see how it is done. If you are getting a rabbit from the the same rescue that is doing the bonding then I can't understand why you have to wait. We have done two bondings at the same time.

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I usually keep rabbits for about 48 hours unless the owner wants it to be less. the odd difficult rabbit I do keep longer.

I also usually do 2 sometimes 3 bondings at anyone time. I do try to keep them out of sight and smell of the other pair though.

I just got stuck in and learnt by trial & error. The first bonding I did had a nightmare start, and it was complicated by one bun being mostly blind but I got there in the end.

I use a totally different method now and tweak it dependant on personalities.

I also bond 2 to 3 pairs/groups a week, if not more. Sometimes people have to wait but not usually. At the moment people are waiting for females to bond to males as we have rehomed so many and all those coming in seem to be pregnant or hard to handle :roll: But not for the bonding itself. I put off bonding our own groups and prioritise ones that will be going to new homes straight away.
We have dedicated bonding cages that are only used for that purpose or for boarding, but I also use cages in our recovery area for house rabbits in the cold weather. I have two dog crates in my bedroom so I can take two pairs home for 24 hour supervision if necessary. Being kept awake at night is a real strain when you have to work 12 to 15 hour days every day already There is a limit to how many bondings can be done, if there is a waiting list I'm sure it is for good reason.

Thanks everyone. That link is brilliant thank you .

I think some of the waiting list is down to the fact that the rescue has to work fulltime in a bid to support the rescue so time must be limited.

I'd love to try bonding myself but I think seeing as I already help out at a rescue I might ask to watch one first.

I'd like to think I have a instinct regarding animals but not confident enough to just go ahead. Who knows perhaps I'll become an expert :lol:

If you're willing to give it a go yourself, perhaps there's a forum member nearby who might be able to come and give you some support, even if it's only moral support?

Brilliant news!! Someone has cancelled there bunny bonding so Arthur goes on Sunday to be bonded! WOOOHOOOOO

Going to miss him but I can't wait for him to be happy and have some beautiful female bunny company!

God bless you Rescues!