Bonding- Now on chapter 2!!

Ok so on the advise of our vets we moved Cookie in to the lounge today and let them sniff each other through the mesh.
There was a lot of sniffing which turned in to scrabbling and grunting on Jimby's side... Jimby had his tail up? Not sure what that means?
But then they both grew bored and had a lay down with their backs turned on each other :lol:

rachylou said:

Ok so on the advise of our vets we moved Cookie in to the lounge today and let them sniff each other through the mesh.
There was a lot of sniffing which turned in to scrabbling and grunting on Jimby's side... Jimby had his tail up? Not sure what that means?
But then they both grew bored and had a lay down with their backs turned on each other :lol:

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What was the reasoning behind the vet's suggestion to move Cookie into the lounge?

Jimby's tail up is a flag or warning. It's usually seen when the bunny doing it is warning off another rabbit or is showing dominant behaviour. So in other words he was not happy to have her in his area. You see this when rabbits are about to 'attack' too. If you see it when you actually start bonding it wouldn't be positive.

They may settle and end up ignoring each other which is what you need to see.

He said to start it asap, as Jims was acting a bit strange this morning and he thinks it is due to being able to smell her and not see her.
He seemed very intregued to begin with as did she, but I think there were some words between them and she said something Jims did not like which is when the above behaviour started.
They did calm down and went their seperate ways for a few mins, then started again and now once again they are both fine.
This is as far as we are going to be going with the bonding for AT LEAST 2 weeks so hopefully they will get used to each other. :roll:

2nd Day of sniffing...

Well last night we decided to call it a night when Cookie started getting grumpy and started to try and bite Jims through the mesh!

This morning they had another good ol' sniff at each other and all seemed well until Cookie shot around the cage and scared Jims so he then ran after her and grunted to which she thumped! :roll:
HOWEVER after they have got these bits out of their system they are happy to be around each other, Jims will lye in his usual place under the table which is now next to Cookies cage and she will happily lye down and watch him...?

Day 2 Sniffing- afternoon

Ok so Cookie seems to be more the 'Aggressor' than Jims now, he seems quite happy, went up to sniff her then had a lye down, Cookie however is acting very nervy, her ears are foward and she runs around then shakes her head, now though, Jimby is quite happy having a nap under the table and Cookie is on the other side of the mesh having a wash.

when Lou was doing a slow introduction with Alvin and a potential she swapped them over into each others living space to get used to living in each others smell. worth a try with your pair..

good luck, your a lot braver than me :wave::wave::wave:

donnamt said:

when Lou was doing a slow introduction with Alvin and a potential she swapped them over into each others living space to get used to living in each others smell. worth a try with your pair..

good luck, your a lot braver than me :wave::wave::wave:

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I dont know about that to be honest, I keep second guessing whether he even needs a friend now! :roll:... but I know it is in his best intrest.

Owwwww...

owwww!! which little monster did that :shock::shock::shock:

I don't mean to be harsh Rachael but I think that it must be incredibly frustrating for a rabbit who has still got her hormones to have another rabbit so close to her. It's probably driving her mad.

Personally I would have left her where she was until her hormones had settled. Apart from her hormones causing her to be hyped up, the smell of her will be unsettling for Jimby too.

It was Jimby!! :shock: Which I am very shocked by, he has never done that before, I think I startled him!

They both seem a lot more settled tonight which is good, ignoring each other more than not now

3rd day of sniffing...

My husband had the good idea (Rare occurance :lol of taking a couple of panels off of Cookie's cage so she could have access to the kitchen as well as her cage during the day, so she can get away if she wants to, she loves it! She has been bounding around bless her!
We felt like it was unfair her being stuck in her cage all day whilst Jimby had free range so this has worked very well.

Well today the babies have been getting on fairly well, there has been a lot of ignoring which I am pleased about, a small amount of grunting and scrabbling but not much. They have both been quite happy to wash with each other around and also have had little naps.

Something keeps frightening Cookie though and I know it is not Jimby because when she has thumped randomly he has not been anywhere near her, but she gets freaked by something, I am wondering if it is just all the different noises of being a house bun as she has not lived inside before?

Day 4 of sniffing...

All seems to be going well, there is not really any agression now, only the occasional scrabble- normally around food time when Jimby has finished his and wants Cookie's :lol: they really are just occasionally having a sniff at each other then ignoring each other, so I think this is a good sign!?

Dinner time

they really are going to fall in love aint they

donnamt said:

they really are going to fall in love aint they

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I really hope so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We have changed one of the bottom panels to the larger grid and they just put their noses right up to each other and had a good sniff!

Good luck x

rachylou said:

We have changed one of the bottom panels to the larger grid and they just put their noses right up to each other and had a good sniff!

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aww sounds like its goin well, just watch them with the larger grids as they can get a nasty nip through them! but i used them and mine were fine! (before i knew anything about this bonding lark!)

Oh God I just had the fright of my life! :shock: Jimby snuck in through the gap when I was getting out of the kitchen which is where Cookie has been allowd free range to, they had a sniff and then he grunted, lunged and pinned Cookie to the floor before I had even had a chance to register what had happened, fur was flying, I managed to grab him and push him out, then he went and ate her veg, I tried to take the bowl away (His was right next to hers) but he boxed me and grunted.
I have checked Cookie over and she is fine, Jims is fine too.
I am feeling so many mixed emotions right now, I am so scared of what is to come, I am feeling so guilty and upset (So much so I am on the verge of tears) that I shouted at Jimby, I am so upset because my Husband has said 'theres no doubt about it, if this does not work we are not keeping Cookie' (Now I am in tears! ) I didnt want to but I have got so attached to her and I could not bare the thought of letting her go.
I really need help of someone who is experienced in bonding to come and observe with the first meeting, I am petrified I will not be able to stop a fight and someone will get hurt, I can not take Jimby anywhere to be bonded because he is so highly stressed and at the slightest bit of stress goes in to statis! so it would need to be someone coming to our house but I just dont know if that is possible or not, I am terrified!