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Bonding indecision

Rhianna

Wise Old Thumper
I am hoping the collective knowledge and experience of RU can help me make up my mind what to do about bonding Bumble Bun.

I have recently adopted Bumble from BARC. He is about six months old and has cataracts so only partial sight, and will eventually go blind.

My original intention was to bond him with my trio - Molly, Munchkin and Dylan - who were with my Bridge bun, Sue. Angie thinks Bumble will cope with being introduced to a trio and having spent a week with him now, I agree. He is very confident and laid back.

My concern is Dylan. He is a very elderly bun with arthritis who is on daily metacam to keep his pain under control. He recently needed a vet visit as he was shaky and had stopped eating. He had increased pain relief and has been fine since. I am worried that if I bring the trio inside for the bonding, Dylan is going to go into stasis through stress. Having said that, he coped fine when I bonded Sue with the trio after Peggy went to the Bridge. Bumble is very skittish though - much livelier than Sue was as she was already quite poorly when I bonded them.

Keeping Bumble alone isn't an option as he is an outdoor bun, I work and he wouldn't have enough stimulation, especially once he loses his sight. My other option is to rehome him a wife, bond them and then once Dylan has gone to the Bridge (hopefully not for some time), bond the two pairs into a four (which increases the amount of space they all have). This would delay the bonding though as I have to find a suitable wife and then sort out a bunny run. If the bond didn't work I would then have to bond the new female bun with the trio anyway.

I had nine buns before Peggy and Sue went to the Bridge earlier this year so I know I can cope with routine vet bills - and any new buns will be insured- as large, unexpected vet bills have meant me taking out a loan.

I am a Libran - very indecisive!!! Advice and suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I want to do what is best for everybun but keep changing my mind as to what that is!
 
If it was me and dylan seems fit and well at the moment i would give your original plan a go .

but only you can decide with your own bunnies
 
Thanks, Angie.

Dylan is eating again now but he will never be fit. His back legs are very thin with the arthritis. I don't know how old he is but I've had him for many years and he wasn't young when I adopted him. He went totally grey about four years ago. He is pretty laid back though and has taken buns coming and going in his stride - he has taken part in many bondings over the years as he was rehomed to be a husbun for Daisy who went to the Bridge a long time ago:(

I so wish I could understand bunny - I could ask him then!!

Bumble has settled in incredibly well - it's like he has always been here - and he is brilliant at jumping in his hutch at bedtime so I don't have to try and catch him. He does seem happy on his own - but I am sure he will be much happier with bunny company.
 
If it was me and dylan seems fit and well at the moment i would give your original plan a go .

but only you can decide with your own bunnies

I agree with this.

Is there any evidence or likelihood that bonding might cause Dylan to go into stasis or anything like that?
 
I agree with this.

Is there any evidence or likelihood that bonding might cause Dylan to go into stasis or anything like that?

None. I just thought I was going to lose him when I found him panting and floppy the other week for no apparent reason. The vet could find no reason either but he was fine after vetergesic pain relief and has now gone back to his usual dose of metacam with no problems. The vet did ask if Dylan was stressed about anything but there was nothing I could think of. He also thought it could have been the heat too. I am just scared of that happening again - but have nothing to base my fear on. Am probably just being a paranoid Bunny Mummy:oops::oops:
 
Different bunnies react differently to different things (as I know you know). He's obviously gone through a lot of bondings with no problem so the chances are slim of it now causing a problem unless things go **** up with Bumble- but you'll be able to stop that if that happens.

Chances are, whatever caused him to act like that was something very specific- such as pain, or heat exhaustion, which won't be found during the bonding process.

You clearly know your bunnies very well, so if you do go for it, then watch them carefully (as I know you will) and if you see any sign of anything you're not happy with, then don't push it or wait it out. If Dylan looks like he is struggling for some reason then just stop, and then reassess in the future.
 
Different bunnies react differently to different things (as I know you know). He's obviously gone through a lot of bondings with no problem so the chances are slim of it now causing a problem unless things go **** up with Bumble- but you'll be able to stop that if that happens.

Chances are, whatever caused him to act like that was something very specific- such as pain, or heat exhaustion, which won't be found during the bonding process.

You clearly know your bunnies very well, so if you do go for it, then watch them carefully (as I know you will) and if you see any sign of anything you're not happy with, then don't push it or wait it out. If Dylan looks like he is struggling for some reason then just stop, and then reassess in the future.

agree with this :)
 
Different bunnies react differently to different things (as I know you know). He's obviously gone through a lot of bondings with no problem so the chances are slim of it now causing a problem unless things go **** up with Bumble- but you'll be able to stop that if that happens.

Chances are, whatever caused him to act like that was something very specific- such as pain, or heat exhaustion, which won't be found during the bonding process.

You clearly know your bunnies very well, so if you do go for it, then watch them carefully (as I know you will) and if you see any sign of anything you're not happy with, then don't push it or wait it out. If Dylan looks like he is struggling for some reason then just stop, and then reassess in the future.

Sounds like a plan. Everyone probably thinks I'm worrying needlessly :oops: but I was soooooo scared when Dylan suddenly went downhill. Losing two buns and a cat this year has probably made me over cautious too.

I need to juggle my working shifts so I can have continuous time off so whatever I decide it won't be immediate.

Thank you all for your input - I do appreciate it.
 
You just sound like someone who loves their rabbits and wants to do the best for them. Nothing wrong with that :)
 
i know how laid back dylan is..hes like bertie and merlin...not into confrontation....the more buns the better;)

like bertie..maybe his temp was up...illness or heat like you said.....and the inflammation that is caused by this makes the pain so much worse:(

i try and keep bertie as stress free as poss...but thats due to his pasturella and the seizures....hes just needing more help getting up..but has done so to go kiss lilly and merlin thru the bars...he likes phoebe too.....but bluebell is a territorial grumpy doe:lol:

id say karen youve had enough practice with rabbits dont you?! go for it....

i cant believe your bunnys name is bumble...just like my beloved bridge kitty who left me in nov 05:love:

its so hard to decide..i had it made...merlin and bertie were happily loved up bonded..and i adopted two bonded sisters......itd be great..a group of four instead of one half of a pair dying. sadly it wasnt to be with losing dazy-mae after 2 weeks:(

we never know how bonding will go etc...but with your loved up buns i think itd be ok..even if the new addition is a hyper nutter!!

look at bertie and bluebell..hes 7 and shes just over a year old.:shock:
 
I think I will try and bond Bumble with the trio, but keep a close eye on Dylan. He won't eat if I am watching, which makes life difficult.

I will need to take at least one night off work - which may take a little while to organise as I have only just had a week off and go back on-call later tonight (Sat). I did think of trying to bond Bumble this week but he had spent a week travelling and I thought that that, together with his myxi jab, was enough stress for the little man without bonding him as well.

I can't believe how well he has settled in. He spends a lot of time in the run and manages the steps really well - he takes a flying leap and never misses. I think he is getting used to my voice now as he has stopped hiding when he hears me. He prefers fresh food to pellets.

My Bumble Bun is totally adorable:love:
 
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