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Bernard and Tilly bonding.

Tasmin's MOB

Mama Doe
Hi

Just started the bonding process between Bernard and Tilly.

(never done it before so worried!)

Started by putting Bernard in his cage and putting a cover over it. Then brought Tilly in to the room to have a sniff around so that they could smell each other but not see each other.

Bernard was freaking out because he never gets locked in his cage so he was chewing the bars and making a racket.

Tilly wasn't bothered by the noise Bernard was making but just hopped around the room exploring.

I picked Tilly up and put her in her carry case (she didn't seem bothered by any of this) and then out her back in her cage in the other room.

I have now let Bernard out and he is sniffing the areas that she has been and I think he ate some of her poop :oops:

Then he let me stroke him, I gave him some apple treat and he went binkying round the room!!

he has now voluntarily gone back into his cage to finish his breakfast
(this has all happened in the space of about 20mins)

I'm excited!!

Going to give them a rest then put the covers over Tilly and let Bernard sniff around her room.

Anyone got any advise/ ideas?

Thank you :)
 
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i would put them in a room neither one has been in ...or at least one that they havent spent much time in and see what happens .;)
 
Bernard has been in the room whilst Tilly was under the cover in her cage. She was moving around a lot, I'm guessing she was trying to see what was going on.

Bernard was sniffing around the room but started stomping his feet and making squeaky noises. He then figured out that she was in the cage and was sniffing around it.

I decided to bring Bernard back in to the living room after about ten mins. He seems fine now and just having a wash, Tilly is in her cage still but uncovered in the other room.


Not sure what to do now :?

Any help please???
 
I'm no bonding expert, I've only done it twice, and just did what I'd read to be reccommended on here! How I did it was to put them both in a 4ft pen in a room they'd never been before with nothing but water, food (which I scattered) and hay. I had a broom on hand to slide one away from the other if I thought things were getting out of hand. Humping, chasing and fur pulling is allowed, but if they start circling each other to intervene, as this can turn into a fight. Thankfully I never had to use the broom, but it is nerve wracking!! Good luck hope they fall madly in love :love::love:
 
i would put them in a room neither one has been in ...or at least one that they havent spent much time in and see what happens .;)

That would be the kitchen but it is too small to put the cages in. They would have to be free range and not behind the bars so i was planning on doing this when they had sniffed each other so long as they both seemes ok.

I'm a bit worried by Bernard stomping his feet.. (he never goes in the bedroom as usually we like to keep it bunny free but sometimes charges in when you open the door)

I was thinking of doing the same thing again but this time with the covers off the cages to see how they react.
What do you think?

Should I wait an hour so they can settle down again?
 
I'm no bonding expert, I've only done it twice, and just did what I'd read to be reccommended on here! How I did it was to put them both in a 4ft pen in a room they'd never been before with nothing but water, food (which I scattered) and hay. I had a broom on hand to slide one away from the other if I thought things were getting out of hand. Humping, chasing and fur pulling is allowed, but if they start circling each other to intervene, as this can turn into a fight. Thankfully I never had to use the broom, but it is nerve wracking!! Good luck hope they fall madly in love :love::love:

Ok this sounds like a good plan. I would need to make a pen of some sort that would fit in our teeny tiny kitchen :lol:

oo I'm so nervous. I don't know what's best to do...
 
That would be the kitchen but it is too small to put the cages in. They would have to be free range and not behind the bars so i was planning on doing this when they had sniffed each other so long as they both seemes ok.

I'm a bit worried by Bernard stomping his feet.. (he never goes in the bedroom as usually we like to keep it bunny free but sometimes charges in when you open the door)

I was thinking of doing the same thing again but this time with the covers off the cages to see how they react.
What do you think?

Should I wait an hour so they can settle down again?

he is probably just nervy because he knows something is going on . ..

yes you could let them get to know each other through the bars .. just watch they dont nip noses .
 
he is probably just nervy because he knows something is going on . ..

yes you could let them get to know each other through the bars .. just watch they dont nip noses .

ok, I will do it the same way as before then I think, Bernard in his cage and Tilly sniffing round him, then see how Bernard reacts as I think it will be easier to shoo Tilly away than it will to shoo Bernard if he starts getting nervy.

Then if all goes well I will let Bernard into Tillys room again..

eeek i'm soooo scared
 
I think I would try seeing how they get along in a neutral area. We did this with Noah and Charlee, in a 4ft cage. In the cage I had hay and no litter tray. I sprinkled parsley around as a distractor. After several hours of almost non-stop humping :shock: things began to settle down so I introduced a litter tray. After 12 hours they were fine together. I didn't intervene once, just left them to sort it out. Obviously if it looked like they were about to fight I would have but Charlee was SO submissive there was almost no chance of that happening.

Good luck! :D I was a nervous wreck :lol:
 
I'm a nervous wreck too. Giving it an hour or so before I do anything else. Going to let bernard free range around the living room and Tilly free range around the bedroom whilst I get a shower and get dressed and then decide what to do.

I'm freaking out a bit now. Thought it went brilliantly when Tilly came to sniff Bernards room as Tilly seemed really happy and then when bernard came out he was sniffing round and binkying!!
I don't think it went very well when bernard saw her room as he stomped his foot and squeaked.

He is fine again now in his room though, as if nothing has happened :?

I wish animals could talk to us!!
 
Stomping is normal :)

Prior to introducing, I had them in adjacent cages. I would let Noah in to Charlee's cage and he would stomp and grunt. Must be a male thing :roll: :lol::lol:

The only reason why I didnt go straight into a full on bond was because Noah had only recently been neutered.
 
Stomping is normal :)

Prior to introducing, I had them in adjacent cages. I would let Noah in to Charlee's cage and he would stomp and grunt. Must be a male thing :roll: :lol::lol:

The only reason why I didnt go straight into a full on bond was because Noah had only recently been neutered.

Bernard was neutered two weeks ago. The vet advised that two weeks is sufficient for the hormones to settle down but I'm sure he will still e a bit hormonal.

Tilly is being great, I think we def picked the right bun. She is happily hopping around her room at the moment.

Bernard is in his room and has been binkying again and trying to get attention an cuddles! :lol:

I have come in to see Tilly as I wanted to make sure she wasn't freaked out by the whole thing as she did only arrive here yesterday at about 1pm!!
She is really cute, jumping on to the bed and letting me give stroke her.

:love: I really want my two buns to fall in love because they are both adorable!!
 
Right, I put Bernard in his cage without a cover on. I then let Tilly in the room.

Tilly had a wander and Bernard watched her. She then got closer to him and he watched her.

Then when she got too close to the catch he started chewing the bars and made her jump.

Tilly then wandered off again around the room and Bernard got annoyed when he couldn't see her and tried to get out of his cage.

Then when she appeared again, he watched her. She got closer to him and he continued to watch her. Then she got too close and he tried to get at her so she ran away :(

Tilly is now in her cage again in the other room. I gave her strokes, she crunched her teeth and closed her eyes then ate some nuggets so I left her in peace.

baernard is running around sniffing and has been binkying again :? I'm soo confused.

he is now eating and seems pretty happy.

What's going on??

ETA: I have text OH, he thinks that Bernard is binkying because he has 'won' and has 'fought off' a predator/ rival.. I was hoping it would be more because he is excited but I think OH's theory sounds more realistic :(
 
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I think it is more likely that Bernard was getting frustrated that he could see her but not get to her. I am no expert, but I would probably stop these meetings and try popping them together in a neutral area. Either that or set up their cages permanently side by side for a couple of weeks. That would give them the chance to get to know each other through the bars and would give Bernard more time for his hormones to settle down.
 
i think some of it is because he was in the cage ... if he isnt used to being shut in it will be terribly frustrating for him .
 
Sorry I didn't see these posts, I have just done the same but the other way around.

Tilly was in her cage and Bernard had a wander round.

They touched each others noses a few times through the bars like they were kissing!!

No aggression other than Till tried to nip Bernards nose at one point but this was my fault as I was hovering around and flinched because I was nervous :oops: bernard ran off but came back again and they kept touching each others noses.

Bernard was exploring the room and Tilly was watching him and following him from inside her cage.

They seemed curious of each other rather than angry at each other.

Overall I think the meeting went well and both buns are back in seperate rooms and have both had snuggles from me so they are both relaxing.

I am now going to wait until Simon gets home from work at around 4 and then put them together in the kitchen (neutral area)

I'm pleased by how it is going, think you are both right that Bernard was frustrated about being bbehind the bars and also seemed to chew the bars when he couldn't see her.

I noticed that Bernard was watching my reactions to Tilly and seemed to wait until I gave him 'the nod' before going to her!

Thanks for all your help and advise, I'll keep updating :)
 
I'm having a rest now, soooo tired!! Think a nice piece of chocolate cake, a cup of coffee and a catch up on the last two episodes of 'The Event' is what I need!!

Buns are in seperate rooms so I will watch one episode with one bun and then another episode with the other :lol:

Simon can continue with the bond when he gets home :p
 
I know this doesn't really have much to do with the thread but thought I'd upload some more photo's of the gorgous girlie to show how well she is settling in.

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