A couple of quick bonding question....*might* be this weekend ....

I'm contemplating bonding Artie and Esme in the near future but have a couple of questions to clear up, in preparations

(sorry for not putting this in "Bonding and Behaviour" but I did that last time (months ago) and the thread disappeared a little )

Food is the biggest issue with this pair, so I know to sprinkle food (Esme's very excitable!).

The big questions then:

1. If there was to be a serious fight break out is it usually obvious that it's about to happen? I'm assuming there's normally quite a bit of tension in the build up. You wouldn't expect a couple of bunnies sat ignoring each other to sudden lunge - would you? I'm guessing chasing and pestering type behaviour would lead to a fight rather than it just suddenly errupting.

2. Realistically I know I need to set about 4 days aside for bonding but would I need to watch them closely for all of that time if things were going smoothly? I'm thinking if I took two days off to watch them pretty much round the clock, after that would I be okay working in the next room and popping my head round the door every half hour or so? They live in the room where I work so I'd need to put them in the bedroom next door to be neutral.

I know about neutralising etc as I've done loads of reading, it was just the food sharing issues that have made me chicken out so far, so if anyone can advise me on the points above I'd be very grateful.

Hello.:wave:
When ours bonded it was very quick. We put the rabbit carrier in the enclosure and let Fluffy sniff it and they were fine through the bars so after 10 min (trainers on hands and water and broom at the ready) we let Miffy into the enclosure - there was a bit of humping by Fluffy but no aggression - just submission from Miffy and the occasional flick of the back feet. We sat with them all day - from 10am when we brought Miffy home until about 8pm.

From about 12 noon it was clear that they had bonded but we watched them for the rest of the day and they were fine.
When Fluffy finally let Miffy upstairs to his bedroom and they lay down together we went and hid round the corner and watched to see what happened when Fluffy knew we weren't looking.They were absolutely fine.

The next day there was a bit of half-hearted attempt to do humping but when we said no and moved Fluffy then it all stopped and we haven't looked back since.

Once they have flopped or voluntarily done a nice thing for each other then you may be over the worst.

Food - they go a bit bonkers when we come out to give them food so Fluffy gets a bit of cabbage/pear whatever and usually runs away a bit from us and Miffy with his food. Meanwhile we give Miffy a bit of the same and then put a small pile of food next to each of them which they eat separately.

The hay is in various places around the hutch and run so they share that really well.

It is the fruit/veg/pellets that we keep separate and supervise - I have never noticed aggression but Miff eats a lot faster than Fluff!

Good luck.

Thanks for your response, I hope my bunnies bond that well


If workload permits (I don't appear to have any work between Friday and Tuesday at the moment) ... I may be attempting a bond on Friday ... there's a heck of a lot to organise but I rarely get so many days together so I think I should go for it. :shock::shock:

I keep thinking things like how will I check on and tend to the other two bunnies whilst I'm watching these two carefully but I guess I'll have to have everything ready for a quick visit. *so much planning to do*

Well just to throw a spanner in the works (sorry), having just experienced two bunnies that didn't get on, the scrapping started instantly with no prior warning. Pooh would walk towards Parsnip, Parsnip would put his head out and then POW! they'd be at each other, flying round in circles up in the air. I didn't dare leave them for even one minute. There was no 'warning' as such although I knew to be on guard as soon as they looked at each other. They were fine with each other for the first 24 hours though, the fighting only started into day two.

Good luck - hope to see happy pics after the weekend.

Bunny Buddy said:

I keep thinking things like how will I check on and tend to the other two bunnies whilst I'm watching these two carefully but I guess I'll have to have everything ready for a quick visit. *so much planning to do*

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Just have two pens/cages set up side by side so that when you need to pop out for a wee or to tend the other bunnies and you're not confident enough to leave them together, just pop each one in a separate cage but next to each other. That way, they can still see each other, can still smell and sniff each other but can't do themselves any harm. As soon as you're back, put them into their bonding area together again. Simple.

Mackers said:

Just have two pens/cages set up side by side so that when you need to pop out for a wee or to tend the other bunnies and you're not confident enough to leave them together, just pop each one in a separate cage but next to each other. That way, they can still see each other, can still smell and sniff each other but can't do themselves any harm. As soon as you're back, put them into their bonding area together again. Simple.

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Thanks, yeah, that sounds like an good idea. I think I'll set the pen up to I can slip a divide in it, rather than handling the bunnies, it might make it less intrusive but would give me the reassurance I'd need.

lunar6769 said:

Good luck - hope to see happy pics after the weekend.

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Thank you. I could end up chickening out, I always have before but I'm more determined this time.

oooooh good luck, hope you are happily surprised at how well your buns bond..

donnamt said:

oooooh good luck, hope you are happily surprised at how well your buns bond..

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Thanks.

Esme jumped at the divide they have now when she saw me with food and was clinging onto the top rung - I thought she was going to follow in Tinks' pawsteps and come over and just decide to do the bonding herself :roll:

are they bonding????? really really excited and need pics :wave::wave::wave::wave::wave:

donnamt said:

are they bonding????? really really excited and need pics :wave::wave::wave::wave::wave:

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Sowwy - I'm really useless.

I had to work on Friday which meant I had 4 days, wasn't sure if I had to work on Tuesday (I will have to). All my fish tanks need cleaning out so I would have had to neglect them as well .... so I just didn't get it started. I'm a bit of a wuss as well I must admit after seeing Parsnip's mishap.

There is of course no reason to believe these two won't get on. In theory I *could* have four days at the end of the week if I sort myself our properly. I've also got an interview for a 34 hour job so if I get that I definitely want these guys together before abandoning them for so many hours a week so I do need to get on with it!

awwww maybe soon then