Bonding - could it really happen this quick (or will I be eating my words) Photos

Hello,

Started bonding Mitten (neutered girl English lop, 7 months) and Arnold (neutered boy English lop, 1 year) yesterday. Fully prepared neutral pen, shed loads of vinegar and new blankets etc. Was hard to find a neutral territory as she lives downstairs and he lives upstairs, free ranging with a baby gate at bottom for stairs to seperate them, but I decided upon the downstairs for the small pen as it's open plan and I could cook, eat, sleep on sofa etc etc whilst keeping my beady eyes on them. I scrubbed within an inch of my life......

Yesterday came the dominance bit, she won by a mile, which was quite amusing but not surprising and he used to lay with his head between the bars of the baby gate every night for hours whilst she washed his face. Couple of scraps which I only had to "broom" them apart once and thankfully OK in the night, although he didn't settle once as hates being couped up. This morning flopped out grooming, eating and pooping together the lot and pretty much the same all day.

Hoping as they had a couple of months lead up to it they've taken to it OK. But I'm hoping I wont be eating my words.

As the bond seems to be going well and if it carries on the same, just wondered whether putting them in their new purpose built bunny room tomorrow evening would be to soon? It's quite a big room so think may take the pen up and add to it gradually until they've got use of the full room.

Any advice would be grately appreciated.

Thanks

:wave: I did my bond last weekend and it happened that quick! I started on the Friday night and by Sunday morning had moved them into their new accomodation as there was no aggression at all and they have been fine all week! Hope yours is as straight forward!!

Thanks Alio71 that's reassuring to know, phewy, hopefully it will be that easy. I suppose it's like any forum really on here you only ever hear of the really good experiences or really bad experiences when people need help so I shouldn't get myself worried for nothing I suppose. It appears to be love, and I don't like to admit it, but I'm somewhat jealous, haha!

I know what you mean, Blue has been a house bun for a while and more like a little dog but she does love Crackers and I am the gooseberry :lol: I did what you plan to do and gave them limited space in their new room but in the morning so I could monitor it all day but they had the whole area by the Monday and like you was thinking too good to be true as it took me 2 weeks to bond my group of 6 but they were just fine and Crackers went into Blue's cleaned room. Any pics?

Sounds very similar to what I'm about to do, Mitten will be going into Arnolds cleaned room, although with barriers around the skirting boards as she loves a nibble of the skirting boards! Ha ha, sorry Arnold was just sitting eating some pellets and using Mittens head as a cusions, she didn't even budge

Not too sure how I post pics on here, that's why there's a severe lack of them from my side, I've got some fab ones, so will look into how I can get them on, for now I'll change my profile pic of one I took first thing early this morning.

Wow, you have a lot of buns!

Bonding Pics.....

Hmmm, very content...





The umpteenth death roll today, this time by him!



Had to add this my fave one of Arnold falling asleep on a silk cushion trying to stay upright!!

I know all the bonding do's and dont's but yes it can be that quick. I decided one evening just to see Buzz and Ladys response to each other so brought them in the living room (the most un-neutral place ever!) with Lady on my knee and just let Buzz sniff. They were both very calm and just sniffed each other, spent 5 mins like that then I put them in their own separate hutches. Lady had already had a failed bonding so I just wanted to see her initial reaction to another bun.

Next day put them in the kitchen together and watched them - no fighting etc and that was that, in the same hutch that night and have been together ever since. I would not recommend this method to anyone I was just extremely lucky with these two.

What beautiful pics they look so happy!!! :lol::lol: only 10 buns, surely thats not a lot :lol:

Thanks Molly :wave:, you're very lucky and sounds a complete dream.....

@Alio - 10!!! Ha ha, that's excellent. I have to wear blinkers when I go in the pet shop to buy their supplies or I'm sure I'd have a housefull, actually swapped to online shopping so the temptation isn't there!

I love their little individual personalities, must be amazing with 10.....

Sounds as if it's going brilliantly I would definitely not let them straight out into their new room though - you might be lucky but then you might not. It's not uncommon for buns which seem to have bonded quickly to suddenly start fighting when they are moved and when space is increased.

I think a reasonable of thumb is not to move for at least 48 hours after the last time there was any kind of non-bonded behaviour (scuffles, humping etc) and then the same to extend the space each time.

They might be fine, but the risk is that by moving them and giving them more space too quickly, their territorial instincts kick off again and you could end up with fighting. I have known several bonds completely fall apart because the owners moved them too soon after bonding. Better to be safe than sorry in my opinion and hold out for as long as you can where they are now and try and resist the temptation to let them out into the whole room probably for even a couple of weeks - your plan of extending the space slowly (I'd suggest every couple of days) sounds like a good one .

Thanks Santa, sounds like excellent advice and one I'll follow. I'm also back at work Monday so will be leaving them on their own for a large part of the day - slightly worried about this if I'm honest, but I haven't got any time off work until mid-Jan and then I'm moving house, eugh!

Well done - my two were the same - couldn't believe it!! Seeing those pics warms the cockles in this weather

Thanks for the lovely comments about the pics

Quick update - the buns went into their new room today, same pen and set-up but just different room and they certainly seem to prefer it, possibly as nice and quiet, everytime I've peeked in on them they've been snuggled up or eating! I can see them plotting an escape already the cheeky monkeys. I let them both out to binky in loung earlier and she actively encouraged him to have a nibble at the rug, I had to laugh......

Hopefully it will continue, and I'm soooo looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight