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Bonding's not going so well :/

georgie_f

Mama Doe
Urgh, I'm getting so frustrated trying to bond my bunnies!

I'm trying to bond Thistle and Jess to Pharrell and Daphne and whilst it's been much less 'fighty' than I thought it'd be, I just don't seem to be getting anywhere.

Thistle, Pharrell and Daphne were getting along brilliantly but Jess is being a pain in the ass. I had to keep her seperate from the other three last night and I bought them up to the house today to try and put them all together again.

Someone nipped Thistle on the nose this morning. I suspected Pharrell initially but I'm now wondering if it was Jess through the wire that was seperating her as Thistle and Pharrell have shown no aggression towards each other today. Poor Thistle looked a bit fed up this morning so I bought him up to the house first and gave him lots of fuss.



Now he's cleaned it up himself, you can't tell anything happened to his nose at all. I think it must have been a warning nip that just managed to tear the skin. Poor guy. :( Who'd have thought it'd be big old Thistle that got bitten eh? :roll:

Anyhoo, they're all in the utility room now - Thistle is getting on with everybody but is sat with Jess in one corner whilst Pharrell and Daphne are sat right over in the opposite corner. Jess is periodically having a wander around the pen and giving Daphne a nip on her way back to her corner. If I pick Jess up and hold her still near Pharrell and Daph, they both stamp and leg it. :shock: They will not go near her at all and will barely move unless Jess is laid down.

There is no actual fighting happening - no chasing or mounting or anything. It's just Jess that seems to feel the need to get up, stretch her legs, give someone a quick bite and sit back down again. She is fine with Thistle still.

I'm not really sure where I go from here. I'm trying to bond them as Dad has said the hutches in the garden need to go. I have Barley on his own outside and I'm half wondering if I should have a trio in the shed and put Jess with Barley. I really don't want to split Thistle and Jess up though as they are adorable together and I'd feel bad. :oops:

Does anyone have experience bonding fours? I'm wondering if I'm missing an obvious trick! Would it be a good idea to try and bond Jess to one bun at a time - ie - keep just her and Pharrell together for a day or two and then switch Pharrell for Daphne for another couple of days and then introduce all four again?

Right now I'm in a bad mood and feel like picking Jess up and throwing her out of the window. :shock: (of course, I wouldn't!). She's obviously told Pharrell and Daphne she's boss and I don't get why she's still feeling the need to bite them. :|
 
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Vinnie: I is sendin loves to you Fistle!

Who is it you think Jess has the problem with? Maybe she's feeling threatened by the fact that whoever it is has a partner, if she learned to get on with them individually it might help? In saying that, the biggest group I've ever bonded is a three so I've not a lot of advice!
 
sounds pretty stressful:(

hope they settle down. nose rubs (gentle ones!) for the poorly nose x
 
Initially, Jess's problem seemed to be with just Daphne but she's giving Pharrell a few nips here and there too. :| It's really odd though - she's not actively trying to fight with them or chasing them around, she just seems to decide every so often that she wants to go for a wander and give them a quick bite whilst she's at it.

She also won't let P&D near the litter tray (that is HER corner) and they have to pretty much sneak to the food bowl, which is in the middle of the pen. I've tried rearranging stuff but Jess just chooses to sit in which ever corner I put the litter tray in.

I think I might take Thistle and either P or D back to the shed and leave Jess with just one bunny. And change the room that they're in so it's neutral again.

If she keeps picking on Daphne, I don't think I have any other option than to put Jess out with Barley as Daph is very nervous generally anyway and hasn't even got any teeth she can stick up for herself with. :(

Urgh, nightmare! Still, I'm relieved I haven't experienced and real fighting yet!
 
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