Bonding 2hrs in, help!

Hey all, thanks for all the advice so far! We've been 'bonding' Charlie & Oscar for over 2 hours now and i feel like i want to separate them, Charlie is still either running away from him or giving up and lieing down tight against the wall while he mounts her and pulls her fur, hes not being aggressive or wanting to fight he seems to really like her but shes not happy at all, shes not growling or anything its just like shes in denial about whats happening. Hes been grooming her a bit and shes not responding shes just frozen, he's mostly just excited, sometimes he thumps to try and get her to respond to him. Half of all this time hes also been lieing down and leaving her alone too while shes stayed frozen on the spot. Im worried about the amount of time is this normal? I just wish she was happy and comfortable like she usually is every other night instead of going through hell because of us, im worried shes sore from the fur pulling...

jem
xxx

I can't really help you with information about bonding, I'm sure someone will be along shortly to do that, but just wanted to say I know how you feel about putting your rabbit through it. I debated for ages whether to put my rabbit through the 'trauma' of a bond but it will be worth it if it means she gets to share her life with one of her own kind as a rabbit should.
Good luck and hold on if you can so that you don't have to start from scratch again.
Nicky

:wave:
im in the excatly the same position my two were bonding this morning and there was growling so i separted them and took them to my rescue to carry on whilst i was working and what they told me when i left was aslong as there no fighting like there on their hind legs and hitting each other or they are rolling around the floor fighting with each other then its fine.
my two are fine together but at the minute when one runs to the front of the hutch the other runs around behind it :roll: so i dont know whats going to happen there :?

I'm no expert but when i bonded my twosome into a threesome Belle looked scared....i just tried to keep her calm and talked to her and stroked them all, it lasted a few days but then they were fine. They humped her, she stamped, they all chased, fur was everywhere :roll:
Just try to keep calm yourself (i was distraught but i didn't show it!)
I'm sure someone will give you some more advice but as long as there is no aggression i think that will be the most important thing

Hi hun, it sounds quite postive-there's no aggression being shown just dominance.Its REALLY hard bonding your own bunnies but I'd say stick with it.Tomorrow if Charlie "finds her feet" it may be her thats chasing etc,2 hours in is just the introduction. Bunnies can loose a surprising amount of fur during fur pulling :shock:,its a normal part of bonding.
Lots of bonding vibes coming your way!!!

thanks guys :wave: ah this is so hard, nothings changed and hes still fur pulling, she doesnt seem distressed and shes not running away as much so shes not tired or panting, she just seems really switched off, im used to her being so inquisitive and feisty *hangin on in there*

thanks

jem
xxx

i know its so stressful. annie grunted at blue this morning i grabbed him and cuddled him and nearly cried i felt so stupid taking them to the rescue so they could watch them while i worked as it is now they are not even taking any notice off each not sure if thats bad or good :?
why cant they all just be best of friends

bambi2906 said:

they are not even taking any notice off each not sure if thats bad or good :?
why cant they all just be best of friends

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thats good as neither perceives the other as a threat!!! For animals that like company I wish they'd just realise it and get on with being friends:roll:

Daisylop said:

thats good as neither perceives the other as a threat!!! For animals that like company I wish they'd just realise it and get on with being friends:roll:

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how do i know if the other percieves the other as i threat. theres no agressive behaviour and they have been togetheir and they are fine earlier one was hiding around the back of the hutch and then i coax that one out the other ran round so i was a big nervous about that but i just checked again and they are just hopping around the place the female is hopping after the male to sniff him and he just hops away. thing is the female was in the hutch (which is in the shed) and the male was free range in the shed so they have been side by side for over 2 months so im hoping that why hes not really bothered with her
oh sorry for the thread hijack

Janice from ARC bonds a lot of bunnies. Some links

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=177392&highlight=janice+bonding
http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=171233&highlight=janice+bonding&page=2

UPDATE: Its been 15hrs, we were up all night with them sooo tired, the chasing is still going on but not as much, they are both starting to do their own thing a bit, eating, sitting in opposite corners etc, Charlie is making a crying/growly noise whenever he comes near her which is making him back off a bit, when he doesnt back off she shoots off to another corner, he seems a little rejected so isnt following her atm...

I can tell they are uncomfortable and miss chilling out in their cages, and im worried Charlies going through a lot of stress, she still wants nothing to do with him....

jem
xxx