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Started bonding. FAO Ripminnie.

halfpenny

Wise Old Thumper
Well, I've finally got round to putting Sorrell and Mallow together. I put them in the indoor run, they have been living alongside each other since winter so know each other through the bars. It was fairly uneventful, a bit of running, watching Sorrell run and jump makes me even more certain she has wildie in her, they then settled down at either side of the run. The are separate again, so it will be interesting to see how it goes tomorrow, won't say too much as I have never bonded 2 girls before, although I have bonded a trio with a boy and 2 girls.
 
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Good luck, every good wish for success, & please keep us updated.
BTW I like your bonding technique halfpenny.:)
 
Thank you, I much prefer the slow bond method.:)

While I do not want to imply the slightest criticism against the larger rescues who do amazing work on a shoe string financially & with so little space, please could you explain the slower method for us.
I think it might be a helpful alternative for those of us who have more space & time.
 
I tend to use this method because it don't have time to monitor a pair of rabbits for days and I am in no rush to rehome etc.

Basically I have 2 runs with mesh between them and put the rabbits into there, so they can see and interact between the mesh. I swap them around daily for as long as I need too. I have been working for months like this with Sorrell and Mallow, I intended to bond over Christmas but had the flu. Once I have a time where I can be around more ( on holiday) I put them into the indoor run, which is 9 ft by 6 ft, again I prefer to give space so a rabbit can escape if things get too frisky. I don't put in any things where a rabbit can be cornered either. I tend to put them together when I am around the run for as long as I can each day, initially separating them when I go out again. I do this increasing the time they have together and getting on with other things away from them but still in ear shot. Finally after a week or even 2 I leave them in the run full time, not putting them in a hutch until a good month after that.
So it isn't a quick process at all, but I have only had a couple of bonds that didn't take- Snowy with Missy and couple of try's with Sorrell. Of the bonds that have happened they have never broken down ( touch wood) and they never shown any referred aggression when put beside other rabbits.
I am more concerned about this bond though because they are both lively girls and Sorrell has not been easy to bond, out of 3 different rabbits it was Ziggy she bonded with, and he was a bit of a fruitcake.:shock:
 
I now have Katie and Betsy in the paired runs, they aren't spayed yet but it will do no harm to let them get used to each other. I was planning to have them spayed sooner but the bad weather put me off, I'll probably get them done in May when I know the summer is on it's way.
 
Well another quiet day with the girls. Mallow did quite a bit of binkying when first out and I think she wants to interact with Sorrell, but no signs of aggression. Sorrell is just running away whenever Mallow gets bear her but doesn't seem worried or distressed, although I did catch them sitting near to each other just as I put them to bed. Well see how tomorrow goes but so far uneventful!
 
Day 3 of bonding, all very sedate and uneventful. The girls are less worried about being near each other but are still keeping very separate. There is very little chasing or running going on and at the moment they're flopped at either side of the run. Mallow is very relaxed and Sorrell is still slightly on the alert (not a surprise because she is a very nervy girl at the best of times.
They have just both got up and have stared to nibble. I am pretty much leaving them to get on with other jobs and checking regularly every half hour. If they do bond they will be a very odd couple- Sorrell is your basic model ( wildie lookalike) while Mallow is the most flamboyant rabbit you could meet- a very lion headed lionhead with a fluffy valance with himmy colouring.:lol:

I've just taken a bit of time to sit and observe them and found a wild mouse drinking out of one of their water bottles- everything here thins it's living the life of luxury!:roll:
 
I don't know if anybody is actually interested but I'll warble on anyway.:lol:

The girls look an awful lot more relaxed today, Sorrell is not doing her massive leaps to get away from Mallow but is just hopping away. At the moment they a munching hay, and I have to say it's the most relaxed I've seen Sorrell on a long time, even when she was in her own, it's probably because Maklow us pretty confident. They are not at either side of the run either while eating, Mallow is in a corner and Sorrell is in the middle if the run. Feeling happy about how things are going, because I've never done 2 girls before!
 
Sounding really good!!
I usually do as you do.. ie in pens next to each other... for as long as it takes.. and Ive usually found that when I do put them together its a case of "oh its you".. never failed:D
Hope it keeps up
 
Its nearly 3 weeks since Mallow and Sorrell have been together. They have been in a run all this time and basically tolerated each other, however over the last few days there has been a change in atmosphere and when I did a full clean out of the run they seemed to want to be beside each other and interact. I'm hoping this is the final stage of bonding, its been the longest one I've experienced but its the first time I've done 2 girls and Sorrell has always been dificult.
 
I love this method of bonding halfpenny. It seems so much less stressful all round but particularly for the buns. :love:
I can understand perfectly why it is impossible for rescues to bond this way, but feel there is so much to recommend it for us.
 
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