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Dizzi & Rascal - scrapping!

Bitzy

Mama Doe
Hiya

Well, tonight whilst I was cleaning out the buns Rascal managed to get into Dizzi's side of the run (sometimes they're just too fast for me, especially when I have my hands full of litter trays etc).

Anyhow, last time this happened, he ran straight over to Dizzi, put his head down, she groomed him then they snuggled ....... so this time I thought I'd just give them 5 mins to see how they got on (as I'm planning on bonding them when I'm off work in a couple of weeks)!

Well at first they just ignored each other, then they sniffed each other a bit ..... then they both decided they wanted to be groomed so they were kind of nose to nose, both with their chins on the floor waiting to be groomed .... neither was backing down - by this time they were both then in Rascal's side and Dizzi kept sticking her head under Rascals tummy so he had to jump over her to get out of the way .... next news .... they were rolling all over the floor, chasing each other, rolling a bit more and fur flying everywhere!

Managed to separate them (well, OH did), checked them both over and thankfully they seem fine!

Thing is, I've read that fur pulling and chasing is normal so I wondered if this was it just nature taking its course and them sorting out who's the boss ... or whether it was an actual 'fight'?

Dizzi did have a tiny spot of blood on her bottom lip but I couldn't find any nicks on Rascal so wondered if it had happened in the scuffle or if she'd accidentally done it herself?!? (Rascal didn't have any blood on his mouth)

I didn't see any biting or any boxing but like I say, plenty of rolling round, chasing and fur flying!

Is this what I should expect when I put them in a neutral room to bond them properly??

Have I completely messed up their chances of properly bonding now or will they have forgotten about it in another couple of weeks time??

I feel terrible! :cry:

Thanks, Jo x
 
Yes, this happens often when two rabbits are bonding. Some people would say not to separate unless they are really going for it, though if they were rolling about trying to lock on, it sounds like your two were. Chasing, humping, fur pulling, nipping is all common, but I always intervened if our two were actually at the rolling about stage.

Sometimes you just need to shout or clap loudly to break them up, but a brush or water spray is handy.Thick gloves too - I once got a very nasty bite when I broke up our fighting bunnies.
 
I've not seen a scuffle like that when i've bonded my buns, just tend to get the usual "let me hump you all over" thing :lol: with grunting and stuff. I think i would've stopped at that point, it would have scared me!

They really can do damage - I bonded my Ruby to a male I had, both neutered of course, and a week into living together Ruby just turned on Monty and bit off his tongue :shock: hence my fear of letting them get too scrappy!
 
Thanks .....it was horrible ....... I tried to separate them with a brush but it didn't seem to do anything - Thank goodness OH was in the garden with me!

It was really awful seeing them go for it like that.

They both seem to want to be the dominant bun - although Dizzi did groom Rascal for a moment or two - and it seems neither want to back down!

Am hoping that in a smaller pen on neutral territory they'll be able to sort it out without going for each other.

They seem as placid and chilled out as ever today (although I will be EXTRA vigilant when opening/closing their separating gate)!

xx
 
Remember both their hormones probably havent died down yet either Bitzy :) Dizzi was only spayed, last week? She'll still be all over the shop hormonally:wave:

You're going to have so much fun cleaning to make it all neutral eh?:wave:
 
Yeah, true! Dizzi was spayed 3 weeks ago today so will probably still be rather hormonal. I'm off at the end of September and that's when I'm hoping to bond them - just hope this hasn't set them back!

Whilst they're indoors being bonded OH is going to make some adjustments to the hutch (new doors, new lino, carpet in the bedroom, different covering on ramps etc) so hopefully, along with me disinfecting everything so its neutral, it'll be like a new hutch to them!!

.............and I thought having pets was meant to lower your blood pressure!! lol
 
Yeah, true! Dizzi was spayed 3 weeks ago today so will probably still be rather hormonal. I'm off at the end of September and that's when I'm hoping to bond them - just hope this hasn't set them back!

Whilst they're indoors being bonded OH is going to make some adjustments to the hutch (new doors, new lino, carpet in the bedroom, different covering on ramps etc) so hopefully, along with me disinfecting everything so its neutral, it'll be like a new hutch to them!!

.............and I thought having pets was meant to lower your blood pressure!! lol

no chance of lowering blood pressure, i tell you that now lol.

Biscuits decided he's going to do this "i'm not going to poop as much for the next couple of days" thing again just to worry me. I'm going back to Kent (200 miles away) for work tonight, back friday night...OH at work all day friday, so he'll have nobody with him all day friday, so just hope he doesn't decide to have another stasis type event as OH won't be able to cope.

Buns eh? :)
 
no chance of lowering blood pressure, i tell you that now lol.

Biscuits decided he's going to do this "i'm not going to poop as much for the next couple of days" thing again just to worry me. I'm going back to Kent (200 miles away) for work tonight, back friday night...OH at work all day friday, so he'll have nobody with him all day friday, so just hope he doesn't decide to have another stasis type event as OH won't be able to cope.

Buns eh? :)

Oh no!! Poor you (and Biscuit and OH)!! They really do like to keep us on our toes don't they!

I'm really worried about the whole bonding thing .... I spose I thought because they were bro and sis and had only been separated by 2 layers of mesh, and swapped over in the hutches .... that it would be an easy bond.

Going off last nights escapades ..... I'm thinking it might be a lot more difficult than I thought!

Really worried about bonding them in the living room now too ... they've both been in there but separately ... they've never been in the pen together in the living room!

Does anyone know if this will make a difference that they've both been in the room but not in the pen together!?!?
 
no chance of lowering blood pressure, i tell you that now lol.

Biscuits decided he's going to do this "i'm not going to poop as much for the next couple of days" thing again just to worry me. I'm going back to Kent (200 miles away) for work tonight, back friday night...OH at work all day friday, so he'll have nobody with him all day friday, so just hope he doesn't decide to have another stasis type event as OH won't be able to cope.

Buns eh? :)

Yes, they pick their moments. Spenser has a habit of doing a squidgy poo if I am going out for more than a couple of hours, just to make sure I worry about him. :roll::roll:
 
You have to remember they were in one of the buns territory at the time so that changes things - neuteral territory makes a huge difference.

I have seen some minor rolling during bonding, but if they appear to be moving freely (ie one bun isn't pinning the other one down) and aren't locking on to each other I try not to intervene. Clapping or squirting with water can sometimes be enough to distract them.

Bonding is stressful and the first time you do it, it will look awful and scary but you'll soon get a feel for what is ok and what isn't.
 
Thanks for your replies, that's made me feel a bit better - knowing that the neutral territory will make a difference!

I'm really looking forward to them being back together (have been apart since 11 weeks old - now 22 weeks) but not the bonding experience.

Thanks again, Jo x
 
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