Anyone near Merseyside than can help with bonding?

Hi all :wave:

Apologies for the long post, and if it doesn;t make sense :shock:, please bear with me!

I have 2 single buns (FN and MN) and have unsuccessfully been attempting to bond them. I've done the "textbook" bonding regime with "bunny dates", and they were even fine in a carrier together until I put them in the crate (new, neutral territory, him in first then her etc) but she just goes straight into attack mode.

The male is Benjy, he's approx 3.5yrs and quiet, friendly bun, it was love at first sight with Flopsy and since she went to the bridge he's been more quiet and withdrawn, he seemed to get confidence from her.

The female is May, she's approx 6 yrs and has always been a stroppy, confident, madam. She was originally for rehoming as a single bun but when she was transferred to another rescue for me to collect, they had managed to bond her with Pipsqueak. Sadly we lost lost Pipsqueak in January and she's been on her own since.

My setup is I have 7 bunnies in total (2 x 2 pairs and 3 single buns), they are in dog crates except 2 of the smaller single buns), and the crates are in the bunservatory, in a line with barriers between, and when we lost Flopsy I moved them round and put Benjy between May's crate and a pair (Bunicula and Dylan) for him to have some "bunny company" until I attempted bonding or adopted a new bun. There had never been any scrapping through the bars with any of them and although he seemed to favour the pair than May, I decided to try him with May first.

I NEED HELP !!!! Ideally I would like to bond Benjy with any of the existing buns and not bring an 8th bunny in, but I want to do whats best for him and I'm too much of a wuss to try him with Bunicula & Dylan !

Can anyone give me some advice or know anyone nearish to Merseyside that could help with the bonding for me? I'm happy to take them there and pay.

Unfortunately our local RSPCA don't know much about rabbit bonding so they aren't an option.

Thanks

I cant help -
Im actually loking to find a wife to bony my boy with - But nice to see someone else from merseyside

Im not experienced with bonding but I can always come and sit with you for moral support

Hello Rykat! Good to see you on the bunny forum too. (I'm long term Refuge member). I am looking for help with my first bonding too so am not much use to you, but maybe we can find someone together/ help each other out at some point? Like someone above said - moral support or something?
Good Luck and let me know if you find anyone and vice versa.
Jo x

happybunny22000 said:

I cant help -
Im actually loking to find a wife to bony my boy with - But nice to see someone else from merseyside

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Where about are you? Can give you some rescue details where they have females

webbkath said:

Im not experienced with bonding but I can always come and sit with you for moral support

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Thanks so much for the offer, I might just take you up on it!

I've given in and bought bunny no. 8 home, she's a rescue from the RSPCA and I'll put a post up in a minute with piccies

batmobile said:

Hello Rykat! Good to see you on the bunny forum too. (I'm long term Refuge member). I am looking for help with my first bonding too so am not much use to you, but maybe we can find someone together/ help each other out at some point? Like someone above said - moral support or something?
Good Luck and let me know if you find anyone and vice versa.
Jo x

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Hello :wave: are you "batmobile" on the Refuge too?

I've admitted defeat on bonding my existing lot and today brought bunny no. 8 home! Will put a post up in a minute with story and piccies.

I'm letting her settle for few days then will start the bonding process.

When are you planning to start yours?

Its good to see people from around merseyside! Im happy to help with bonding although im completely new to this, i'll have to learn everything I can as Charlie will need to find a friend soon after shes been spayed next week! i look forward to your story rykat

j
x

Pics? Update?

:lol:

Just an idea but here is my story;

My single neutered male - house bun didn't get on with his bro.. and is a nervous bun.. but loved fuss and kisses from me!

We found him a rescue wife - neutered. They got on ok at the rescue when introduced.

All was fine in the carry case on the way home.

We got home and put them in the neutral bathroom, 1.5m x 1.5m. All was ok for the first hour or so..

Then our male kept trying to moun the female.. at first she ran away but then turned into a monster! (such a cutie to look at I couldn't believe it!)

For the first few days she terrorised our bun - well a bit exagerated - but he was too scared to move from his litter tray - sat in his own poop and wasn't allowed near any food or water without the doe lunging at him triggering a fight. Otherwise they sat at opposites - avoiding each other!

So I contacted the rescue who advised decreasing their space so I put them in an indoor cage 120cm long x 80cm deep. I also broke a cardinal rule of bonding.. and put them in our male house buns room.. his territory!

I did this because I felt my male housebun was so petrified - he had no confidence and the female had claimed the neutral space as hers.. there was fur everywhere and my poor bun looked so scared cowering in his litter tray!

All I can say is I do not know what went on between them.. but the next time I peeked in on them they were sitting together munching on hay.. and a day later grooming each other! Every now and again the male bun tried to mount the female - but instead of nastiness she moved away and he left her alone!

I feel that giving our bun his confidence back made this bond work - and whilst I always try to stick to bonding advice, I had to try to help our bun feel better in himself - as he looked so miserable and I was concerned for him not eating or drinking enough while he was being mildly bullied!

I wonder if you put them together in the males space this could help.. perhaps take the female down a carrot or 2? I did previously put a doe into a males territory after several supervised dates in his summerhouse.. and there were no problems what so ever. I was suprised considering the doe is a fiesty girl. Sometimes I think it can work - but it depends on your buns personalities.. and whether you feel comfortable trying it if all else fails.

Good Luck - why can't buns just understand that having a chum is gr8!