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other ways of bonding rabbits apart from car journey

Beatrix Potter

Mama Doe
My two bonded :( bunnies are currently sitting in a carrier as we're meant to be having some painting done today and so they had to be moved. Been waiting over an hour so far :evil::evil::evil:.
BB is giving Spudsey a nudge every so often to say hello! but she really is just ignoring him. Apart from a car journey what other ways are there that might bring them together? vet visits don't work either!
By the way for those that don't know :roll: they have been together since late May :shock: but still not best buddies......
 
It might be a totally stupid suggestion, but how about spreading something nommy (mashed banana?) on BB, to encourage Spudsey to groom him?
 
No not stupid at all, was suggested to me ages ago and I tried it but she still ingored him! They did seem ok at one stage but they just seem to keep out of each others way now...
 
If they are quiet with no fighting, leave them to it, sometimes it is best to leave them to their own devices ... bit like human relationships, sometimes patience is required :D
 
The idea behind the car journey is to ''stress'' them.... and by doing that the find comfort in each other rather than fighting. Other ''stress'' situations that i have read of before include having them in the carrier and using the hoover, or washing machine etc to create a similar environment. (i hate the using the ''stress' label but this is what the car ride boils down to!)

Also, regular pen swapping so they are forced to live in each others scent is really useful. Also, banana/peanut butter behind the ears to instigate grooming works well.

If they are together happily and not fighting, eating is a bonding experience too, so a bowl of treats they just can't resist to munch together can't hurt!
 
Personally I think the car journey thing is slightly cruel, there is no need to stress your rabbit our unless you really need to (ie to take them to get veterinary treatment).

Just leave them, they'll sort it out in their own time. Took my current two buns many months to be properly bonded, so much so that for about 3 months they were separated overnight as they used to have little scraps about 4am. When I say separated one was in a dog crate and one in the rest of their enclosure around the dog crate so there was only bars between them.

If you let them make their own bond in their own time its probably going to stronger than one that you've forced along.
 
Thanks everyone, and especially for Hoppit! for reminding me of the banana trick. As I said I did try this before but the banana was only on BB as Spuds takes ages to get hold of as she is so fast! But suddenly it occured to me that as they were both in the carrier I would be able to do it to spudsey too. BB managed to wipe off his in the hay but did lick off all the banana on spudseys head! She looked like she was going in for a nose rub but I wasn't sure. They are likely to be in there for a few more hours yet (damn decorator still hasn't turned up :evil: now been waiting over THREE hours! :evil: so I want to take full advantage of the sitution and wonder how many times its acceptable to put banana on the noses :roll: Guess its very sweet for them so not too much!
 
Personally I think the car journey thing is slightly cruel, there is no need to stress your rabbit our unless you really need to (ie to take them to get veterinary treatment).

Just leave them, they'll sort it out in their own time. Took my current two buns many months to be properly bonded, so much so that for about 3 months they were separated overnight as they used to have little scraps about 4am. When I say separated one was in a dog crate and one in the rest of their enclosure around the dog crate so there was only bars between them.

If you let them make their own bond in their own time its probably going to stronger than one that you've forced along.

Hi BevBunny
When you say scraps were they actually fighting or chasing? Spudsey chases BB so much sometimes normally first thing in morning late at night when you wish they were quiet!
 
Hi BevBunny
When you say scraps were they actually fighting or chasing? Spudsey chases BB so much sometimes normally first thing in morning late at night when you wish they were quiet!

Darwin had only recently been neutered, and he'd still get a bit 'fruity' and for some reason this was usually about 4 or 5am. He'd jump on Lavender and start trying to hump her, but she was having none of it and then they'd chase each other and she'd have a go at him. They both ended up with some minor scrapes and bites so I had to stop it happening. Lavender was determined from the start that she was going to be dominant, once Darwin's hormones had calmed down the 4am squabbles stopped.

Lavender now chases Darwin when theres food or treats on the way, we call this the chasing game and although it looks like one is trying to be basty they're just both v excited.
 
Darwin had only recently been neutered, and he'd still get a bit 'fruity' and for some reason this was usually about 4 or 5am. He'd jump on Lavender and start trying to hump her, but she was having none of it and then they'd chase each other and she'd have a go at him. They both ended up with some minor scrapes and bites so I had to stop it happening. Lavender was determined from the start that she was going to be dominant, once Darwin's hormones had calmed down the 4am squabbles stopped.

Lavender now chases Darwin when theres food or treats on the way, we call this the chasing game and although it looks like one is trying to be basty they're just both v excited.

No humping this end just frantic chasing and fur pulling which resulted in little nips but this bit seems to have stopped. Just hoping quiet time in the carrier is doing them some good!
 
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