longest time till grooming in a bond? U/D

Hello everyone, I know its late so I will bump up this tomorrow.

I know I am being impatient but I really want to see some grooming in the bond between Barney and his new girlfriend (still not decided on name yet, Giselle or Annabella). I know bonds progress at different rates so just wanted to know your experiences on this.

They first met two weeks ago and had a few 'dates' and they have been together permenantly for 10 days now, and still no grooming :?

They had a very easy bond, had some humping at first but that is it. They seem to be happy with each other, will flop next to each other and when I separate them for pellets (Barney has Bisolvon in his and I like to handfeed her hers as she is still very nervy) after eating they will look for each other again. Tried banana on heads, Barney nommed her head but was left with a sticky head himself. It didnt seem to spark any grooming.

So yeah, longest times before grooming in any bonds you've done? It seems to happen so quickly in the ones I see on here! I'm jealous!

Autumn and Wish took ages because Wish wasn't ever going to groom anybunny, and Autumn didn't know he was a rabbit and didn't know he was supposed to. They had a very snuggly and chummy bond though and it was very positive, so don't let it get you down. They may just be more chums than lovers right now.

My two had a very easy bond but to be honest there is very little grooming between them (they have been together for about a year). Poppy NEVER grooms Peter, he will reluctantly groom her every now and again. I put it down to them being fairly equal in regards to dominance (not that I actually have a clue). They don't cuddle that much either, they lay side by side but never on top of each other etc like I see pictures of on here-I wis they did, even though they seem perfectly happy.

I hope you get lots of grooming and snuggles soon, maybe they are still finding their feet with each other.

bumping this up.


See what confuses me is that Barney will groom me, sometimes for half hour or so and he loves cuddles as long as theyre on the floor. But he's only presented himself twice to her for grooming that I've seen, and she hasnt presented once :?

More experiences please !:wave:

Bumping this up again as I know this is quite a busy time for RU!

I'm maybe thinking Barney's bond with me is getting in the way of them? He is constantly begging for my attention, and will rush up to the side of the cage if I move. For example I am sitting in the cage right now, I've been doing this a lot in order to get new bunny used to me and hopefully for her to see me as not a threat, as I cant even stroke her really. He was eating hay with her, and then nosed her back, all up her neck and her back, I thought he was about to groom her so I stayed still. Then he turned around, hopped over to me and proceeded to groom my leg. Now he is flopped next to me.

I'm worried he sees ME as his bonded friend.

Holly still doesnt groom... shes been with us for a year... ive seen her groom Alvin twice and even then its for less than 5 mins

U/D

Thought I'd update this in the hopes someone could give some more advice...

Now the bunnies are free-ranging most of the day, as I just couldnt keep them in the pen any longer, Anabel was fine but Barney was going crazy in there and was constantly pulling and knawing at the bars.

But since they have had this extra space, they have become distant with each other, they hardly spend any time with each other. They will still lie together sometimes but other than that they do their own thing, Barney tries to follow Annabel sometimes but she squeezes into spaces he cant get into.

I just feel so sad for my boy, he's waited so long for a friend and when he gets one they just tolerate each other. I've seen him nosing along her back a few times but not really grooming, and she sometimes hops off if he goes and flops next to her, or if she sees him running over. He has become VERY needy with me, more so than before he had a friend, following me around and wanting attention constantly. I think he feels rejected. I just watched him present for grooming and she just hopped off.

My housemate says I should give her back and try another, but I feel like I've made a commitment to her to keep her. They do have a bond of sorts I guess, just not what I think either of them deserve. When we went to the vets this week for Barney's vaccinations, he tried to hide behind her which was very sweet. I just think it would be wrong to separate them, but then maybe its worse to keep them together and have them not ever find a true bond? I dont know Problem is I cant afford another bunny. Perhaps when I am no longer a student I could add a third bunny to the bond, but that wont be for 2/3 years yet....

Do you think bunnies are happy in a bond that isnt close?

Sally and Feegals bond isn't the closest bond. They have been together for about a year and a half. Grooming is a very rare event and usually a couple of licks if that:lol:

But when one of them is ill, it is a different story. Grooming tones etc. Feegal has recently started to go deaf, Sally always runs up to him when I call him for their food

Just because a bond doesn't look close to us doesn't mean it isn't