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I'm sad - bonding did not go to plan

ecudc

Warren Veteran
I've got a foster bunny with me at the mo (a little nethie called panda)

http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/moreinfo.asp?RabID=13754

and because he's bitten at least two of our rescuers & he's been with Jane dexter for a few weeks and even she admits that he needs a "special" home we were going to try and bond him in with my trio as a long term foster bunny.

It has not gone according to plan. Completely neutral space, all neutered and within minutes we had full locking on, boxing & fur flying everywhere. Tried again this morning and it was even worse....they were even doing matrix style flying leaps at each other. I had to separate before blood was spilled.

I'm going to split up the place where the bunnies live at the moment and see if keeping them side by side for a few weeks helps but if not I don't know what we're going to do with poor little panda....especially as with only a week of living in my bathroom he seemed to be coming on leaps and bounds.
 
Oh what a shame :cry: I would be very apprehensive about splitting the space and having them side by side, I think there's a very high risk that your bonded trio will fight amongst themselves as they will view him as being in their 'territory' plus they won't be able to get to him :cry:
 
the trio seem fine with him next door so far (they do have 30 square meters to run around in still :) )...infact I was expecting them to be a bit huffy after I took him out yesterday evening but Rosie straight away rolled on her back and settle down for a kip & she is the more nervy of the 3. They are quite used to odd bunny smells, there are currently 5 other foster bunnies living in the room next door to them. Obviously if they do start scrapping then panda will have to go and live with aunty chloe or panda stays with me and my two remaining un reserved fosters go to Chloe. Unfortunately my OH is very terratorial and wont tolerate another male in our bedroom so unless he can bond with my lot I can't really keep him long term. I can keep working on his friendliness & hope that someone suitable comes along. He's never bitten me even when I was diving into to pull him out of the whirlwind of bunnies fighting so there is hope.
 
I'm sorry to hear it hasn't gone to plan. If I thought for one minute Mopsey would tolerate Panda, I'd suggest a bonding session, but we all know what a diva Mopsey can be :lol:
 
I've got a foster bunny with me at the mo (a little nethie called panda)

http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk/moreinfo.asp?RabID=13754

and because he's bitten at least two of our rescuers & he's been with Jane dexter for a few weeks and even she admits that he needs a "special" home we were going to try and bond him in with my trio as a long term foster bunny.

It has not gone according to plan. Completely neutral space, all neutered and within minutes we had full locking on, boxing & fur flying everywhere. Tried again this morning and it was even worse....they were even doing matrix style flying leaps at each other. I had to separate before blood was spilled.

I'm going to split up the place where the bunnies live at the moment and see if keeping them side by side for a few weeks helps but if not I don't know what we're going to do with poor little panda....especially as with only a week of living in my bathroom he seemed to be coming on leaps and bounds.

Don't you think it's a bit soon to be attempting to bond him, Panda is a terrified little bunny and needs lots of patience and socialising before he can be bonded, please give him more time before you try him again.
 
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I am going to theo & will leave it for proably another month before we try again, if we try again with my lot. It maybe that we can find him a nice relaxed girl of his own instead in a proper adopted home. He has shown no sign of being terrified of anything in the week that he's been with me. From day 1 he's been happy flopped next to me most mornings & has been jumping on my lap for food. He's also been begging me for nose rubs and has been binkying like mad when I let him out to run up and down the hallway & loves the free space. I'd almost swear Chloe'd brought the wrong bunny over. Given that for the last week he has been one of the most relaxed buns I've ever fostered we saw no reason not to try. It wasn't even panda that caused the problem it was my lot going for him. I removed him quickly and he is no worse for wears & is happy flopped out on his litter tray. Given that all I've seen from him this week is a positive attitude I'm begining to think that he doesn't actually need a long term foster home & would probably manage very well, especially as a house bunny...possibly solo if that's what he needs as he seems to love the space & is perfectly litter trained.
 
I am going to theo & will leave it for proably another month before we try again, if we try again with my lot. It maybe that we can find him a nice relaxed girl of his own instead in a proper adopted home. He has shown no sign of being terrified of anything in the week that he's been with me. From day 1 he's been happy flopped next to me most mornings & has been jumping on my lap for food. He's also been begging me for nose rubs and has been binkying like mad when I let him out to run up and down the hallway & loves the free space. I'd almost swear Chloe'd brought the wrong bunny over. Given that for the last week he has been one of the most relaxed buns I've ever fostered we saw no reason not to try. It wasn't even panda that caused the problem it was my lot going for him. I removed him quickly and he is no worse for wears & is happy flopped out on his litter tray. Given that all I've seen from him this week is a positive attitude I'm begining to think that he doesn't actually need a long term foster home & would probably manage very well, especially as a house bunny...possibly solo if that's what he needs as he seems to love the space & is perfectly litter trained.


Perhaps he is one of those bunnies who wants to be bonded with a human!!:lol:, poor little boy, I am sure given more time he will bond, but as always we just don't know his past experiences, I really hope it works out for him and I am sure you will get him there in time, good luck
 
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