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bunny dating question - having another session thsi evening

Im going to try again this evening. Just wanted some advice really...

First time it was in the kitchen on neutral ground, with a clean fleece on the floor, then Skye was on a smaller fleece about a ft away from the large one. I wanted to keep closeish to her so i could scoop her up quickly. It went really well and there was grooming all round! :)

2nd time, it was the same setup, Marley wasnt as interested but Dolly lunged at her. Obviously i cant let things escelate too much because skye is only small. I cant help thinking im doing something wrong.

Should i put them all on the same (clean) fleece tonight with a big pile of hay?

I think when Skye is older, im packing their napsacks and sending them away to be bonded! Its too much stress for me to do on my own.

Is it also worth them swapping setups for a couple of hours over the weekend?
 
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I've housed my rabbits side by side but not so they can actually hurt each other for a while and swapped litter trays etc all prior to introducing to each other, it's worked for me, putting them in a situation where they are meeting then separated isn't ideal especially on a blanket/fleece which I'd imagine could slide around. I'd try housing them side by side if at all possible for a couple of weeks, swap litter trays or indeed swap the rabbits around into each others area, then go straight into bonding in a neutral playpen and if successful keep them together although in fairness I don't rate 'dating' I think rabbits find it a bit confusing.:)
 
I've housed my rabbits side by side but not so they can actually hurt each other for a while and swapped litter trays etc all prior to introducing to each other, it's worked for me, putting them in a situation where they are meeting then separated isn't ideal especially on a blanket/fleece which I'd imagine could slide around. I'd try housing them side by side if at all possible for a couple of weeks, swap litter trays or indeed swap the rabbits around into each others area, then go straight into bonding in a neutral playpen and if successful keep them together although in fairness I don't rate 'dating' I think rabbits find it a bit confusing.:)

Thanks for that Vicki :wave:

Ive done it now, i dont like leaving it too late as i like to make sure everyone has settled back down again after, but it went ok. There was some chasing between Marley and Dolly, but they didnt try and lock on to each other this time :)

I was thinking about housing them side by side, but Skye cant go outdoors until shes been vaccinated. When she is its going to be difficult as the only outdoor accomodation i have is a 2x4 double tier piggy hutch, so not really apropriate. I can put her in a pen next to their run during the day though, thats the closest they will probably get anyway as M&D are in a playhouse.

I could bring Marley and Dolly indoors again, but not until my foster piggies leave on Monday as they are in my spare pen. Could this not cause fights between the bonded pair though? Id be worried about when i cant be there to watch them.

ETA: I could neutralise the playhouse and divide it up, but Skye will only have 4x2 + a 1x4 shelf.
 
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hi sophia
when I bonded daisy and oscar i placed them in a neutral room in seperate pens side by side for a while and gradually gave them more time together until they were in the same large pen and also let them have a look round each others accommodation and swapped litter trays, toys etc.
hope this helps
Georgia:D
 
hi sophia
when I bonded daisy and oscar i placed them in a neutral room in seperate pens side by side for a while and gradually gave them more time together until they were in the same large pen and also let them have a look round each others accommodation and swapped litter trays, toys etc.
hope this helps
Georgia:D

Thanks for the advice. :wave:

Ive been reading through varios threads and it seems there are a lot of conflicting thoughts and opinions on the right way to do it, so other than neutral territory, im not sure theres a right or wrong way to go about doing it and i suppose it varies depending on the individual buns.

I need to man up and get on with it :lol: I think im getting more stressed than i need to. When the foster piggies go to their forever home tomorrow, that will be one weight off my shoulders. I might do it over the coming week while i do my college work OR in a couple of weeks when i finish college completely.

Any more advice is much more apreciated, though i think i know what i have to do, i just need to grow a pair :lol:
 
If you are finding this stressful, so will the buns. My suggestion would be to leave it until you have the time to start and complete this as quickly as possible without keep having to separate them.

By doing in one session you do not have the problem of maintaining neutral territory whilst one is living indoors. This will also help ensure that you can manage to keep them in an area where one of the others has not been.
 
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