Hi Guys http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/images/smilies/wave.gif
As some of you may have read I got my gorgeous dwarf lop boy Herman on Saturday as a companion for my lovely mini lop girl Larry (Lady Lazza).
Am just after some advice really as to how you all think it is going..
From what i have read, I think all seems to be going as well as expected.
Bonding commenced at 7.30pm on Saturday. I put both rabbits into the completely neutral pen at the same time. They bumped noses, paused a while, did a bit of a sniff & then ignored each other for about fifteen minutes. Then Herman decided he'd chance trying to mount Larry, she resisted, he tried again (had hold of the fur on her back etc... after about 10 seconds of this, she obviously had, had enough of this behaviour so turned around & gave him a bit of a nip - which led to a bit of a scuffle & some fur flying. I separated by giving both a quick spray of water, spoke calmly to them, & kept them apart by giving them both head strokes for a couple of minutes. All was calm again, but both were showing curiousness around each other still. I understand now, how horribly tense these first few hours are!!
For the next hour or so, they would bump noses & run away again, without any sign of nastiness just a bit of nerves. Herman, at this stage had found one area of the cage (which is approx 1.4m x 85 cmm x 85cm) he obviously felt comfortable in so sat here for a while. Every now & again Larry would wander slowly over to this corner to say hello / investigate & he would let her get close but if she got too close he would give a little stamp of his feet, stand up & she would back off. This continued for a couple of hours without any major scuffle, a little chasing now & again, but then they would retreat from each other without any form of intervention needed. A couple of times i peered into the cage made a noise & spoke calmly & this would resolve the issue.
I barely had any sleep - Saturday night, maybe two hours, but again there was no need to intervene at any point during the night. Just a bit more thumping, sniffing each other out, chsaing & retreating again. I think by this stage I had got a tiny bit more relaxed & better at knowing when to leave them to it, and when it was good to intervene,, I was soo nervous for the first twelve hours - but definitley calmer now. Can leave the room & don't feel i need to be on guard 24-7 - though am still very much in earshot
Sunday was ok - a little more chasing & nose bumping but nothing serious, but much, much less thumping coming from Herman now. Since then these are the following signs I have seen from them both - which i think are encouraging
• Both have now groomed them selves in front of the other
• Both have flopped out near each other (20-30 cm apart)
Larry partcularly has been doing this alot. Lying with her belly exposed
• 4 meals have been had together successfully
• No intervention from me for the past 36 hours
• They have eaten right next to each other & sat very close while drinking water with no incident. Almost climbed over each other at one stage
• THis morning i woke up (they are in my room right next to me) to find them sat happily about 10 cm apart from each other if that.
• Still no grooming of each other. Although i have noticed Herman has lowered his head a few times when they are together obviously requesting that Larry groom him, but no luck for Herman yet. SHe will sit there right next to him, but is not quite ready to give in & groom. I really hope she does soon. I think i also saw this in the reverse once too- where she lowered her head - no luck either!
I did put a litter tray in to begin with (brand new) but Herman seemed to be claiming this so I removed it again. Do you think i should try again with the litter tray & see what happens? It is getting a bit messy in there now &both were previously trrained?
Sorry for the long post by the way. So all in all it's been about 36 hours now with no sign of trouble. Is this good / great / to be expected? - would they be safe to leave together unsupervised for any length of time yet? Or do i need to wait for the mutual grooming? Also - when should i put them back into the area they will be permanently be living in (all neutralised with vinegar today, top to bottom & re-arranged with all new bottles, boxes, litter trays etc...). Is it too soon for this?
Please let me know your thoughts & send some happy vibes our way. I am so praying to god that there are no more big scuffles!! And that the worst part is over.
Pictures will be up very, very soon I promise
Amber, Larry & Herman
As some of you may have read I got my gorgeous dwarf lop boy Herman on Saturday as a companion for my lovely mini lop girl Larry (Lady Lazza).
Am just after some advice really as to how you all think it is going..
From what i have read, I think all seems to be going as well as expected.
Bonding commenced at 7.30pm on Saturday. I put both rabbits into the completely neutral pen at the same time. They bumped noses, paused a while, did a bit of a sniff & then ignored each other for about fifteen minutes. Then Herman decided he'd chance trying to mount Larry, she resisted, he tried again (had hold of the fur on her back etc... after about 10 seconds of this, she obviously had, had enough of this behaviour so turned around & gave him a bit of a nip - which led to a bit of a scuffle & some fur flying. I separated by giving both a quick spray of water, spoke calmly to them, & kept them apart by giving them both head strokes for a couple of minutes. All was calm again, but both were showing curiousness around each other still. I understand now, how horribly tense these first few hours are!!
For the next hour or so, they would bump noses & run away again, without any sign of nastiness just a bit of nerves. Herman, at this stage had found one area of the cage (which is approx 1.4m x 85 cmm x 85cm) he obviously felt comfortable in so sat here for a while. Every now & again Larry would wander slowly over to this corner to say hello / investigate & he would let her get close but if she got too close he would give a little stamp of his feet, stand up & she would back off. This continued for a couple of hours without any major scuffle, a little chasing now & again, but then they would retreat from each other without any form of intervention needed. A couple of times i peered into the cage made a noise & spoke calmly & this would resolve the issue.
I barely had any sleep - Saturday night, maybe two hours, but again there was no need to intervene at any point during the night. Just a bit more thumping, sniffing each other out, chsaing & retreating again. I think by this stage I had got a tiny bit more relaxed & better at knowing when to leave them to it, and when it was good to intervene,, I was soo nervous for the first twelve hours - but definitley calmer now. Can leave the room & don't feel i need to be on guard 24-7 - though am still very much in earshot
Sunday was ok - a little more chasing & nose bumping but nothing serious, but much, much less thumping coming from Herman now. Since then these are the following signs I have seen from them both - which i think are encouraging
• Both have now groomed them selves in front of the other
• Both have flopped out near each other (20-30 cm apart)
Larry partcularly has been doing this alot. Lying with her belly exposed
• 4 meals have been had together successfully
• No intervention from me for the past 36 hours
• They have eaten right next to each other & sat very close while drinking water with no incident. Almost climbed over each other at one stage
• THis morning i woke up (they are in my room right next to me) to find them sat happily about 10 cm apart from each other if that.
• Still no grooming of each other. Although i have noticed Herman has lowered his head a few times when they are together obviously requesting that Larry groom him, but no luck for Herman yet. SHe will sit there right next to him, but is not quite ready to give in & groom. I really hope she does soon. I think i also saw this in the reverse once too- where she lowered her head - no luck either!
I did put a litter tray in to begin with (brand new) but Herman seemed to be claiming this so I removed it again. Do you think i should try again with the litter tray & see what happens? It is getting a bit messy in there now &both were previously trrained?
Sorry for the long post by the way. So all in all it's been about 36 hours now with no sign of trouble. Is this good / great / to be expected? - would they be safe to leave together unsupervised for any length of time yet? Or do i need to wait for the mutual grooming? Also - when should i put them back into the area they will be permanently be living in (all neutralised with vinegar today, top to bottom & re-arranged with all new bottles, boxes, litter trays etc...). Is it too soon for this?
Please let me know your thoughts & send some happy vibes our way. I am so praying to god that there are no more big scuffles!! And that the worst part is over.
Pictures will be up very, very soon I promise
Amber, Larry & Herman
