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Need your professional opinion guys.

what to do

  • keep ralph where he'll lead single life but will always be cared for.

    Votes: 15 62.5%
  • give him back where he'll have an oportunity to meet a lady bun and a new family.

    Votes: 9 37.5%

  • Total voters
    24

Ted an Petal

Warren Veteran
well i've woke up this morning thinking i should keep ralph, only problem is, is it in the best interests of ralph me keeping so i've made a wee poll.
 
Is there a third option? Could you make Ralph an outdoor bun and get him a lady friend or something like that?

I know you want to keep Ralph, but you have to know that a rescue would treat him well until he found a new home. You have to think about what's best for him, even if it's really hard to do. I just think he might be happier with a really good bond, as the poor guy has already been through so much.

I know it's a tough decision. :( I would give it some time and see what you can come up with.
 
i know you are right, i can't have 4 buns, ted an petal are outdoors too. *sighs* really think he should go back.
 
Two buns in one hutch are as easy to keep as one, so keeping 3 separate or having a bonded pair and two others separate would be as easy if you could afford 4.

When I had problems bonding Homey with Katy people said I should take her back. I made the decsion to keep her whatever (but I only had one bunny so it was easier for me), we tried bonding again slow time after 2-3 weeks of separation and it worked thankfully.

Could you try bonding Ralph with your other bunny?

Personally, I don't think any of your poll questions are the right/wrong thing to do. It is what is best for Ralph - he could be happy with you or get the chance with someone else.
 
Please don't take this as criticism, it's not meant to be, but I think you're giving up too easily. The fight is perfectly natural and understandable on your girl's home territory, and doesn't mean she's bad, or can never be bonded. I would suggest you approach a rescue with experience in bonding and see if they will take them for a 'bonding holiday' for a donation. It is very hard to bond for yourself the first time if things don't go smoothly, as you will be too emotionally involved, and I doubt your home could ever be neutral enough.
Do you thing little Ralph is worth a try?
 
well my problem is that petal attacked ted in the exact same way and nearly in the same place. ted has been used seeing him now for several weeks. my husband is sick listening to me and sick at me trying to bond them and it never working out and me crying my eyes out. the rescue centre only does initial bonding thats all. theres noone else over here that could do it for me. :( i need to speak to the girl from the rescue as to what i should do as she still owns ralph and at least she can make a sensible decision for me as i'm only going on my emotion. i'm going to see ralph now as their keeping him for another night. luckily petal hasn't did any damage to his rectum.
 
This is such a difficult decision. I have tried writing this post a few times and given up because I sounded too lecturing or opinionated :)

From your posts you seem to be very attached to Ralph and he is such a cute bunny. Also he has had a bad start in life and you could offer him love and security. If you give him back to the rescue you don't know where he will end up.

But...the rescue also knows about his previous bad life and so will be looking for a special home for him. How quickly do they rehome? Would Ralph be in rescue for a long time or would another home be found quickly?

If Ralph couldn't bond with one of your existing bunnies have you the time to give attention to all separately? Ralph living out a lonely existence will be no fun for him.

On the bonding question - could your husband help? I was far too emotionally involved with the rabbits to persevere with the bonding, but my husband who was a bit less emotional about the whole thing was able to supervise the bonding sessions and step in quickly when it looked like trouble starting. This way I was not left an emotional wreck!

It is a really tough decision. I do not envy you in deciding what will be best for Ralph. Speak to the rescue person too and see what they think. Good luck.
 
I've voted keep Ralph I am in the same situation as you. My two were bonded five days and had a fight. They are living side by side separate and are happy. In the future I may move Wesley outside with a wifey bun.
 
Petal attacked both buns in that area because that is what they do when they fight. If they weren't already castrated, she would have probably castrated them. It is normal, territorial female behaviour: she's not evil!

Rabbits can surprise you as well. I have a female who hated all my other rabbits and would box them through the mesh, so I kept her separate after her partner died and fenced off an area of the garden for her when the others were out. Then after about a year she suddenly started escaping and I found her snuggled up to the boy she had previously fought with and they were in love!

In the end it's your decision and I won't judge you, but I know what I would do.
 
I think you should keep him and try him with ted but keep them housed next to each other so they will know each others scent and bond in a completely neutral area :)
Some bunnies just dont like company and maybe petal is one of them. There will be no harm in trying ted and ralph just keep a broom beside you to separate them if necessary, but persevere as it wont happen overnight (sometimes its does though if your lucky)

Its your decision and it needs to be thought through, do whats best for Ralph and if you want to keep him and can afford to keep a 4th bunny he could have a friend and have your 2 females seperate.

Big hugs for this hard decision xx
 
I guys thankyou so much for your replies, i've taken everyones point of view into consideration and appreciate all opions. well i text the girl from the rescue explaning how i felt and she said she didn't mind if i kept him seperate, she said she didn't think she could find a better home for him. i may be able to sort something out so that all the buns will be able to see each other but not fully touch that way they've still got rabbit company. if i was closer to some of you's i probably would have got someone on RU to try bonding for me but seeing as i don't i couldn't stomach anymore. thankyou so much to everyone. as you can see i'm not very good at making decisions.:)
 
i think it depends on where you got him... if he was yours from a baby and not from a rescue keep him

but if you have adopted him, the agreement with the rescue would be he is bonded or returned so you would have to honour the signed adoption form (or is it just hopper haven that insists buns are bonded at all times?)

if he from a rescue hun, give them a call and see what they say xx

ETA - ignore my post.. would help if i read the thread before posting :oops::oops:
 
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I would take them both back to the rescue and let them start the bonding there. Even if it's just for a couple of hours, it will really get them started, and then with a journey home and being put into a neutral, unfamiliar place they should be ok. It sounds as if it's just her natural territorial instinct that is the main cause of the problem so if you remove her from her general territory she may well behave totally differently.

Many years ago I used to get my bunnies from a rescue who kept them for 2 hours while you went shopping, then you had strict instructions to take them home, put them in a small, neutral area with nothing that belongs to or smells like the original bunny and leave them in that space for 7 days, not touching them yourself at all for at least 2 days. Her view was that if they haven't tried to do each other serious damage within the first couple of hours under her supervision, they would be ok. She said that she did hundreds of bondings and if you followed these instructions, it never failed. She said the only times it ever failed were if the person didn't put them in totally neutral territory, could'nt resist but to stroke them or let them out just for a little while.

My personal opinion is that it is unkind to permanently keep single rabbits alone outdoors, even if they can see other bunnies. Even with the best will in the world they will be totally alone for 22+ hours each day, which I don't think is fair on a social animal.
 
I would take them both back to the rescue and let them start the bonding there. Even if it's just for a couple of hours, it will really get them started, and then with a journey home and being put into a neutral, unfamiliar place they should be ok. It sounds as if it's just her natural territorial instinct that is the main cause of the problem so if you remove her from her general territory she may well behave totally differently.

Many years ago I used to get my bunnies from a rescue who kept them for 2 hours while you went shopping, then you had strict instructions to take them home, put them in a small, neutral area with nothing that belongs to or smells like the original bunny and leave them in that space for 7 days, not touching them yourself at all for at least 2 days. Her view was that if they haven't tried to do each other serious damage within the first couple of hours under her supervision, they would be ok. She said that she did hundreds of bondings and if you followed these instructions, it never failed. She said the only times it ever failed were if the person didn't put them in totally neutral territory, could'nt resist but to stroke them or let them out just for a little while.

My personal opinion is that it is unkind to permanently keep single rabbits alone outdoors, even if they can see other bunnies. Even with the best will in the world they will be totally alone for 22+ hours each day, which I don't think is fair on a social animal.
Thanks santa for your reply. yes i'll give it another year to let petal and ted mature a bit more and once they've got used to the site of each other more i'll see about bonding. right now i really need to concentrate on getting ralph fit and well and fatter. i live in a very small bungalow so the bathroom was the only room they hadn't really been in. they'll be able to touch noses through the runs but that's it in the mean time.
 
I have a single bun. He is very happy as a lone bun. who knows if he'd be happier with a mate - he's never known another life so this is it as far as he knows. I am getting him "done" in July with the hope of getting a mate for him but if I have to provide neutral territiory for it to work - then I shan't have another as I don't have any "neutral" territory. Smudge has the run of the large garden but can't come in the house as DH is severely allergic - so any where in the garden won't be neutral. He's happy so why bother?
 
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