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Next step in bonding??

F

Foofy

Alpha Buck
I have now started bonding my 2 boys. They are getting on OK and have established that Peter is the dominant one. Last night I had them in a pen on neutral territory for about an hour and a half, Peter still humps Buttons a lot which he tolerates, but doesn't like it when Peter pulls his fur. Peter seems to be a bit of an attention seeker and when he isn't humping Buttons he wants him to groom him which Buttons is doing a lot of. So far Peter has only groomed Buttons once for about 3 seconds, can I expect him to ever groom Buttons if he is the dominant one? How long does it usually take for the humping to die down or stop?
I am planning to try and put them together for longer this weekend and am going to try and partition off my indoor cage (neutral) for night times. I have to go back to work on Monday what do I do with them? They are usually outdoor buns and have a cage each and free run of the garden at seperate times.
Sorry for long post but all ideas and advice would be very welcome :)
 
Hi I am in the middle of bonding my two buns but until the male is neutured they will not live together as he will pester the life out of our female bunny.

I put the bunnys in the garden together while im at home then they go back to their seperate hutches overnight and while im at work.

Are your boys neutured?

Im sure someone will be along soon who is more experienced in bonding
 
bunsmum said:
Are your boys neutured?
Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply, yes both buns are neutered. Peter (dominant bun) is 3 yrs old and was neutered when he was a baby. Buttons (submissive bun) is 5 months old and was neutered about a month ago now.
 
Foofy said:
I have now started bonding my 2 boys. They are getting on OK and have established that Peter is the dominant one. Last night I had them in a pen on neutral territory for about an hour and a half, Peter still humps Buttons a lot which he tolerates, but doesn't like it when Peter pulls his fur. Peter seems to be a bit of an attention seeker and when he isn't humping Buttons he wants him to groom him which Buttons is doing a lot of. So far Peter has only groomed Buttons once for about 3 seconds, can I expect him to ever groom Buttons if he is the dominant one? How long does it usually take for the humping to die down or stop?
I am planning to try and put them together for longer this weekend and am going to try and partition off my indoor cage (neutral) for night times. I have to go back to work on Monday what do I do with them? They are usually outdoor buns and have a cage each and free run of the garden at seperate times.
Sorry for long post but all ideas and advice would be very welcome :)
Click to expand...

All I can offer, from reading all the posts on bonding before I started mine is either to put them in neutral territory and leave them to it for at least 48 hrs, with you on hand to break up fights, circling etc for them to establish their relationship and then gradually increase space etc. If you need to go back to work and you're still not happy then parition off the space with mesh so they can still see and smell each other.

Tbh I did this the long way round and swapped food bowls, trays, bottles etc over a period of 4 weeks with them being placed next to each other, with mesh separation, in the run, as my rescue bun was only 2 weeks neutered when I got him and he was constantly humping mine. After 4 weeks I now have no aggression, no humping and bunny love (i think!).

The humping will die down eventually, it's just their way of exerting dominance over the other. If your other one doesn;t seem distressed then leave them to it as long as you move him off if there's face humping as your other may bite....I don't think it ever stops, i've read a lot of good advice on here with people who have bonded bunnies and they still hump every now and then!

as for the grooming, my female hasn't groomed him once, some don't, some bunnies are always grooming each other, just whatever their personality is.
 
Domino27 said:
All I can offer, from reading all the posts on bonding before I started mine is either to put them in neutral territory and leave them to it for at least 48 hrs, with you on hand to break up fights, circling etc for them to establish their relationship and then gradually increase space etc. If you need to go back to work and you're still not happy then parition off the space with mesh so they can still see and smell each other.

Tbh I did this the long way round and swapped food bowls, trays, bottles etc over a period of 4 weeks with them being placed next to each other, with mesh separation, in the run, as my rescue bun was only 2 weeks neutered when I got him and he was constantly humping mine. After 4 weeks I now have no aggression, no humping and bunny love (i think!).

The humping will die down eventually, it's just their way of exerting dominance over the other. If your other one doesn;t seem distressed then leave them to it as long as you move him off if there's face humping as your other may bite....I don't think it ever stops, i've read a lot of good advice on here with people who have bonded bunnies and they still hump every now and then!

as for the grooming, my female hasn't groomed him once, some don't, some bunnies are always grooming each other, just whatever their personality is.
Click to expand...

Thanks so much for your reply :) It is a relief to know that your female doesn't groom your male. Most of the humping is the normal way round although sometimes it's face humping so I do push Peter off when he does this just in case Buttons bites his bits!:(

I am hoping a longer time together this weekend, with nightimes and next week when I am at work putting them in the indoor cage split into 2 so they can't hump but can still see and sniff each other through the wire will help the bond and stop the humping a bit.

Maybe I should do this for a whole week and then if I am certain the bond is working then try them in Button's hutch together where i want them to live. I will scrub out first with vinegar solution. What does everyone think?
 
Gasket used to hump Tappet quite a bit but I don't think Tap was overly concerned and Gasket was always smaller than Tap anyway. The were ever so affectionate towards each other, grooming and snuggling a lot. In fact they were never really apart other than in the next room or so (when I was upstairs Gasket used to follow me while Tap stayed in his litter tray downstairs). They were together to the end really.
 
Foofy said:
Maybe I should do this for a whole week and then if I am certain the bond is working then try them in Button's hutch together where i want them to live. I will scrub out first with vinegar solution. What does everyone think?
Click to expand...

Hi, I'm bonding soon too so this thread is useful.
I want mine to both live in one of their hutches too and was wondering if it was ok to use it as ben already lives there? I assume if I wash it down like you said above it will be ok?
And will your buns still have their own toys once bonded or will you wash their toys too? like tubes etc

Thanks and Good Luck, sounds like they are doing fine together :wave:
 
Hi,

I am glad that I read this thread as I too wish to bond my two boys (both neutered). I have expressed my concerns before as the younger ones always goes a bit mad and starts humping the older ones head - every time. We then separate them as the older one starts going for him (can't blame him really!).

Are we being too hasty by separating them? We do sort of try and push him off but it turns in to a bit of a hoo-haa and looks like it'll turn nasty so immediately take them away from each other.

I am thinking that we are exasperating the situation because we are so nervous and are overly worrying about it? But at the same time I think that if we do not pull them apart they will end up badly injured. It's a toughie!
 
Bumblebee Megatron said:
Hi,

I am glad that I read this thread as I too wish to bond my two boys (both neutered). I have expressed my concerns before as the younger ones always goes a bit mad and starts humping the older ones head - every time. We then separate them as the older one starts going for him (can't blame him really!).

Are we being too hasty by separating them? We do sort of try and push him off but it turns in to a bit of a hoo-haa and looks like it'll turn nasty so immediately take them away from each other.

I am thinking that we are exasperating the situation because we are so nervous and are overly worrying about it? But at the same time I think that if we do not pull them apart they will end up badly injured. It's a toughie!
Click to expand...

How long have they been neutered for? I've no experience in two males, just make sure its neutral territory and stop any potential fights though just push them to either side of the space and release few mins after. See how it for a, might be better to take them to a rescue to help? Or put them in a carrier and drive for half hour?
 
Domino27 said:
How long have they been neutered for? I've no experience in two males, just make sure its neutral territory and stop any potential fights though just push them to either side of the space and release few mins after. See how it for a, might be better to take them to a rescue to help? Or put them in a carrier and drive for half hour?
Click to expand...

Hi,

They were neutered ages ago (the eldest is 3 next month and he was done when a pup and the youngest was done last September). Neither of us drive so maybe a rescue place is an option, not sure if any round here would do it but will try and find out.

Thanks for your help x
 
BooMoo said:
Hi, I'm bonding soon too so this thread is useful.
I want mine to both live in one of their hutches too and was wondering if it was ok to use it as ben already lives there? I assume if I wash it down like you said above it will be ok?
And will your buns still have their own toys once bonded or will you wash their toys too? like tubes etc

Thanks and Good Luck, sounds like they are doing fine together :wave:
Click to expand...

I am hoping it will be OK to put both of my boys in Buttons cage the submissive bunny as his cage is slightly better designed. I am hoping it will be fine after being thoroughly scrubbed with the 50/50 distilled water and vinegar solution that people suggest. I hope this works as I don't want to have to buy another cage when I have already got 2 double storey ones! I hope this works for you too, sounds like you are in a very similar situation to me :)
My buns do have their own toys and litter trays at the moment. I am hoping that after washing them with the vinegar solution this will be OK? They do have some loo and kitchen roll tubes but will throw all these away and give them new ones.

Here is a picture of them I took last weekend in the pen in garage (neutral territory). With Peter waiting to be groomed by buttons.

PICT1542.jpg



I would like to be able to let them have free run of the garage at some point soon as it's neutral (without any cars in).
 
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I can't see my photo can anyone else? Couldn't remember how to post a photo so had to look it up on the 'How to use this forum' but doesn't seem to have worked. I can see my picture on photobucket.
 
Dutchie is my boss bun of my group and has recently after a year and a half started grooming the others but even now its only sometimes :roll:

Are you putting the buns together for a bit and then splitting them up? If you are as long as they arent fighting I would leave them together and see how it goes as each time you put them back they are having to start again. Keep them in the pen and keep space small. Increase it very gradually over a couple of days if needed.

When you think they are ready to go back outside make sure their hutch has been very well disinfected so that neither of them thinks its theirs. Make sure any toys bowls etc are also neutral. Try moving things around in the hutch so that its different to how it was when one of them last occupied it

Heres your pic
PICT1542.jpg
 
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webbkath said:
Dutchie is my boss bun of my group and has recently after a year and a half started grooming the others but even now its only sometimes :roll:

Are you putting the buns together for a bit and then splitting them up? If you are as long as they arent fighting I would leave them together and see how it goes as each time you put them back they are having to start again. Keep space small and only increase it very gradually
Click to expand...

Jave now fixed the photo :) Yes I was putting buns together for a bit and then splittting up as I work full time. However I am hoping to be able to leave them together over this weekend so the bond doesn't have to keep starting again as you say. It is difficult with having to work but needs must!

I may not see Peter grooming Buttons much at all then, if ever if other peoples buns are anything to go by :( However Buttons is a very licky bunny and is always licking me but doesn't like having his head touched by me and Peter loves having his head rubbed by me and is obviously loving the grooming by Buttons so I think the buns have the right temperament to be bonded :)
 
Foofy said:
Jave now fixed the photo :) Yes I was putting buns together for a bit and then splittting up as I work full time. However I am hoping to be able to leave them together over this weekend so the bond doesn't have to keep starting again as you say. It is difficult with having to work but needs must!

I may not see Peter grooming Buttons much at all then, if ever if other peoples buns are anything to go by :( However Buttons is a very licky bunny and is always licking me but doesn't like having his head touched by me and Peter loves having his head rubbed by me and is obviously loving the grooming by Buttons so I think the buns have the right temperament to be bonded :)
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Pah silly things like bills and mortgages getting in the way of rabbit bonding :lol:

I started a thread a while ago about boys grooming and the general concencus (sp?) was that boys dont groom as much as girls anyway
 
webbkath said:
Pah silly things like bills and mortgages getting in the way of rabbit bonding :lol:

I started a thread a while ago about boys grooming and the general concencus (sp?) was that boys dont groom as much as girls anyway
Click to expand...

yes I would prefer to not go to work and spend all my time with the buns trying to bond them :love:

I obviously didn't see the thread about boys and girls grooming as I didn't know that! Thanks for your help. Are all your buns in your signature living together as a group then? :wave:
 
Foofy said:
yes I would prefer to not go to work and spend all my time with the buns trying to bond them :love:

I obviously didn't see the thread about boys and girls grooming as I didn't know that! Thanks for your help. Are all your buns in your signature living together as a group then? :wave:
Click to expand...

That sthread was a while ago

They are a group of 4 Bella, Chloe, Dutchie and Fudge and a pair Albert and Evie
 
webbkath said:
That sthread was a while ago

They are a group of 4 Bella, Chloe, Dutchie and Fudge and a pair Albert and Evie
Click to expand...

They look lovely :love: I don't know if I would be brave enough to bond 4 though! Do you have any pictures of yours together?
 
bunsmum said:
Hi I am in the middle of bonding my two buns but until the male is neutured they will not live together as he will pester the life out of our female bunny.

I put the bunnys in the garden together while im at home then they go back to their seperate hutches overnight and while im at work.

Are your boys neutured?

Im sure someone will be along soon who is more experienced in bonding
Click to expand...

Is your doe not spayed?
 
I have a group of four and find the boys groom more than Tinkerbell (i have three bucks and one doe) Even when i had 2 does and 2 bucks as a four the bucks groomed much more than the does i guess it really depends on the buns :wave:
 
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