Sorry, another bonding thread, and looking for advice on the next step. We've kept bunnies for years, and until recently never had a problem, the bunnies all bonded easily. Just to put you in the picture, about a year ago we got Oscar from the RSPCA, no idea of his age, but he's a BIG rabbit, very gentle and loves to sit on my knee for hours and doesn't even move. Our old bun never bonded with him, he was injured twice and we gave up.
Daphne is tiny, another RSPCA rescue, and never stops running around for one second.
Their home is a new hutch with aviary. Oscar lives upstairs and has the use of the large aviary all night, Daphne downstairs and I sectioned off part so she can have a small part of the aviary at night. During the day Daphne has an 8x8 grass run, Oscar has the run of the garden all day.
I'm on my own all week so have been nervous of bonding but two nights ago decided to give it a whirl. Until now both buns have groomed each other through the run.
Here goes ...!
I brought them in and they ignored each other at first, Oscar looked scared, but very quickly they started doing sort of flop binkies. They'd go up to each other and then throw themselves on their side next to the other, flashing the white tum, it was so funny. Here is a photo from two days ago
Daphne was actually lying on Oscar's side, pressing her head into him!
Last night I brought them in for another two hours and they shared a bowl no problem
And here is them both flopped out after eating
What do I do next? I only keep them in for two hours and then have to put them outside. Last night I swapped them around so Daphne was sleeping in the upstairs hutch and had the use of the aviary all night, Oscar was downstairs for the first time, with the smaller run area. I just peeped out (5am!) and they are sat next to each other, either side of the run.
I don't want to move too fast. I can't keep them in, I'm on my own and don't want to leave the run to eat/shower/whatever and then they fight. I was thinking another session indoors, then try them in a small sectioned off area of the aviary, with me sitting there on guard. What do you think? Oscar is huge, Daphne tiny, yet they get the same food, he is just a big rabbit and was when we got him. He's a "gentle giant". Oh, I should add they have groomed each other too.
Daphne is tiny, another RSPCA rescue, and never stops running around for one second.
Their home is a new hutch with aviary. Oscar lives upstairs and has the use of the large aviary all night, Daphne downstairs and I sectioned off part so she can have a small part of the aviary at night. During the day Daphne has an 8x8 grass run, Oscar has the run of the garden all day.
I'm on my own all week so have been nervous of bonding but two nights ago decided to give it a whirl. Until now both buns have groomed each other through the run.
Here goes ...!
I brought them in and they ignored each other at first, Oscar looked scared, but very quickly they started doing sort of flop binkies. They'd go up to each other and then throw themselves on their side next to the other, flashing the white tum, it was so funny. Here is a photo from two days ago
Daphne was actually lying on Oscar's side, pressing her head into him!
Last night I brought them in for another two hours and they shared a bowl no problem
And here is them both flopped out after eating
What do I do next? I only keep them in for two hours and then have to put them outside. Last night I swapped them around so Daphne was sleeping in the upstairs hutch and had the use of the aviary all night, Oscar was downstairs for the first time, with the smaller run area. I just peeped out (5am!) and they are sat next to each other, either side of the run.
I don't want to move too fast. I can't keep them in, I'm on my own and don't want to leave the run to eat/shower/whatever and then they fight. I was thinking another session indoors, then try them in a small sectioned off area of the aviary, with me sitting there on guard. What do you think? Oscar is huge, Daphne tiny, yet they get the same food, he is just a big rabbit and was when we got him. He's a "gentle giant". Oh, I should add they have groomed each other too.