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NEW PICS! Ok last go at bonding..I did it, i have a bonded four!

nursecroft

Wise Old Thumper
Right Im having one more go today, i have spent the last 12 hours unable to sleep for thinking about Teddy. I have taken the three boys on a 30min car ride through the forest in my smaller dog crate.

Yesturday i had their drinking bottle on the cage and the newspaper i used had been stored in the garage.... i know its clutching at straws but i really have to know for sure i did everything i could to know whether they could bond or not.

The dog crate i think is too big to start with, Joey made himself a corner and was going for everyone that came near, as soon as teddy moved he was defensive, it didnt help that teddy was trying to reaarange the whole dog crate either it just wound Joey up more. I had used a wet cloth to wipe them over to encourage them to groom, but as soon as they started to dry the trouble started.

So i have brought the little crate in the lounge, its not big enough for them all to be in there for more than a few hours but it might start things off better. They all have banana on their heads, so watch this space. :roll:


Here are the pics from yesturday and a pic of them in the small crate now.

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They're not very impressed now!
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Awwhh. They'd be such a lovely group if they'd just play nice! :love: Gosh, I really hope it works out!

*Sending the hugest most biggest ginormous bonding vibes known to mankind*
 
All looks good to me! They all seem to be relaxing at least, the boys im bonding atm arn't at this stage yet. fingers Crossed xxxx
 
Fingers crossed, so hope it works out for you, remeber the stress I wen't through getting my 4 together when Honey gets attacking the others its not nice. xxx
 
That looks pretty good so far. I wouldn't rush to increase the space. When I re-bonded ours they didn't have much more space than that and whenever I tried to increase the pen it they started fighting. I had to go back a step and reduce it.

It feels a bit mean keeping them in small spaces, but it's only for a few days and definitely worth it. It's so much easier all round having bonded bunnies instead of separate ones and they are happier too.
 
That looks pretty good so far. I wouldn't rush to increase the space. When I re-bonded ours they didn't have much more space than that and whenever I tried to increase the pen it they started fighting. I had to go back a step and reduce it.

It feels a bit mean keeping them in small spaces, but it's only for a few days and definitely worth it. It's so much easier all round having bonded bunnies instead of separate ones and they are happier too.

Yeh this is my problem i think, i feel so mean because they are used to so much space, But joey is sat next to Teddy quite happily grooming himself at the moment, means i can put them in the car too.
 
When ours fell out (two males), if I put them in the run with mesh dividing them they would spend all their time trying to get to the other one, trying to bite through the bars, chewing the wood etc. They were in separate bits of a two tier hutch and just seemed to hate the sight of each other. I really thought they would kill each other if they got together.

When I was doing the bonding I felt quite mean at times - really you are making them stressed and unhappy so they turn to each other for security and comfort. I would spray them with water and shout 'No' if they went near each other in an aggressive way and found turning the hoover on would upset them and make them stop if they were starting to act aggressively.

I also did the 'forced snuggling' thing, though you can really only do this with 2 rabbits. You just put them on your knee together and hold them close. Stroking both passes on the scent.

I was using the nic cages and split the pen at night with two panels so they were still together but couldn't bite. That was really useful because you just can't stand over them 24 hours a day, but separating them means losing all the progress you've made.

It was hassle but totally worth it.
 
Update

Well Joey has nipped Teddy's nose once, Teddy got a bit pushy, i shouted 'no' and they've settled back down.

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Joey went for Tinkerbell so have taken them for a drive and settled them back down again.... didnt think id have to go through this stress again only a year on!
 
Good luck! Do you have the hoover out, I always found that broke up skirmishes really quickly.
 
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