Bunny Bonding time! Dexter Simba and Little!!

We are about to inniciate bun-squish operations! This is our first time doing a trio so it should be exciting!

Check back here for pictures and updates

wish us luck!!!!!!

Good luck!

I'll be keeping an eye on the thread *hint*

oooh goodluck! My trio worked...then fell apart when the neighbours bun visited...but am planning to rebond when I have time...GOOD LUCK! :wave:

Simba started a fight then sat in a corner for the next hour while Dexter and Little were fighting. It's nothing too bad, just circling and a bit off fur pulling, but it's just been going on for a long time. Every now and then they both put their heads down together, one needs to groom the other and this will stop, but neither will give in. They've both been flopping, fighting, flopping, fighting etc.

We had to take Dexter out for a second when we thought Little had bitten his manly bits, but all was fine and he went back in. At first we had a litter tray in but they were fighting over it so it came out. They've all eaten hay and pellets. I've actually been filming most of it.

Just need Dexter or Little to give into the other. Vibes please!

Come on Little, back down silly boy. You love grooming, so get grooming!

Little is just trying to get out of the pen now.
Dexter and Simba are ignoring him now and there's not much fighting which is a good sign. Just watching him closely to make sure he doesn't get too stressed. We may pop them in a carrier and go for a walk in a sec.

Walk in the carry case really calmed them down.
Then we re made the pen a little smaller with five panels.
Then we put banana on Little's head and Dexter and Simba linked it off.

I hope things stay calmer now. Good thinking on the walk.

Sending lots of vibes....

I feel your pain im in the same situation night in front of my 2 and the TV tonight!!

Sending tons of bonding vibes!!! :wave:

Thank you.
Dexter is really trying to get every last bit of banana of Little's head. Little thinks he's being cleaned. :lol:

How are things this morning?

Not good unfortunately. Little bit Dexter. It seemed unprovoked, me or my sister will explain properly in a sec, we're on our way back from the vets. He's okay but bonding is off for now.

Ohhh noo

Sending vibes that everything is ok

Okay, we're back. I'll try and explain it in detail.

After we put banana on Little's head Dexter would clean him when he put his head down. Even after the banana had gone Little would put his head down and Dexter would clean him. But it was weird. Little would put his head down and Dexter would move to clean him and he would jump. Every time. Sometimes he would jump a bit and Dexter would clean him, sometimes he would jump and thump his feet and run off. He had got the dominance he wanted, Dexter was cleaning him but he was still thumping and running as if he was still fighting. They'd been calm for hours, eating together etc. It took a while to get them to eat together. Little would eat but then when one of the others would come over to see what he was eating (as bunnies do, because another bun's food is always more tasty) Little would freak out and run off. All they were doing was moving closer to him. So he was scared of them but also wanted to be dominant, but when Dexter submitted to him he was still scared?

Anyway they were all flopped out, Dexter and Simba were together and Little was flopped a little apart from them. Then he got up and bit Dexter on his genitals. Dexter squealed. We separated them but Dexter was bleeding. We tool him to the vets and basically Dexter was very lucky. Just a bit deeper or a bit to the left and Little would have bitten his penis. :shock: But it was just a bit of skin, very, very close. He has antibiotics and painkillers/anti inflammatories and he should be fine. So bonding is off while he heals up and then we might have to go about it in a different way. We did find a very good vet though. He seemed rabbit savvy and was very thorough checking Dexter.

If anyone has any advice on why Little would act the way he did it would be really good to hear it. I always pride myself of being able to read rabbits and I know what different behaviours mean. I assumed if on bunny submitted to the other it would all calm down. It did, but like I said Little was still really skittish.

Little was bullied mercilously by his siblings, Butterfly turned on him after they had been bonded for a couple of months (and it was the humping from Butters that was the cause of any issues between them) and as you also know, he doesn't have a sense of smell, and sight is his primary sense, which will also play a part.

I did a much slower bond when I bonded Little and Butterfly and we had no problems at all- and Little was submissive.

I'd be more than happy to have them here (in due course obviously) and have a go at a slower method (if your sister is comfortable with them going elsewhere, and also could talk me through exactly what Dexter needs).

I'm glad Dexter got very lucky. I hope he heals very quickly and shows no lasting damage from his run in with Little. I'd suggest stopping all head humping in you do try again (sure you've worked that out for yourself though).

i'm sorry it's not gone well

Sky-O said:

Little was bullied mercilously by his siblings, Butterfly turned on him after they had been bonded for a couple of months (and it was the humping from Butters that was the cause of any issues between them) and as you also know, he doesn't have a sense of smell, and sight is his primary sense, which will also play a part.

I did a much slower bond when I bonded Little and Butterfly and we had no problems at all- and Little was submissive.

I'd be more than happy to have them here (in due course obviously) and have a go at a slower method (if your sister is comfortable with them going elsewhere, and also could talk me through exactly what Dexter needs).

I'm glad Dexter got very lucky. I hope he heals very quickly and shows no lasting damage from his run in with Little. I'd suggest stopping all head humping in you do try again (sure you've worked that out for yourself though).

i'm sorry it's not gone well

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I'll let you and her sort that out but it's a very kind offer.
There was no head humping, no humping at all in fact. Just circling from Little and Dexter.
I agree it needs to be a slower method. Having them next to each other in separate enclosures. In fact I'm coming to think that it might be the way I do all future bondings. It takes a lot longer but I think it works better in most cases. Not all cases of course.

I think dating them is the way forward, and often seems to be for more complicated or disabled rabbits. I think it's a case of reading the rabbits and what they are saying and working from that what they need and whether they need a slower method or a faster method. If they need a slower method then that's ok. It can be just as successful (and moreso in some circumstances), just takes longer.

Sky-O said:

I think dating them is the way forward, and often seems to be for more complicated or disabled rabbits. I think it's a case of reading the rabbits and what they are saying and working from that what they need and whether they need a slower method or a faster method. If they need a slower method then that's ok. It can be just as successful (and moreso in some circumstances), just takes longer.

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Hi there,
I just got back from dropping my sister off at the station and thought I'd give you an update.
Dexter is fine, just a little sore, but all together a very brave little buns. He has a very high pain threshold so doesn't seem to be too bothered. They are both staying inside tonight, dexter and simba are in my bathroom and Licory is back in his original setup.

I feel a little disheartened as it was all going so well but I think the long time in a small space was just too much for poor Little and he was just very agitated. We're not quite sure why he went for Dexter's genitals, but for whatever the reason as long as I keep an eye on Dexter there is no real damage done.

I agree with Jenova, I am going to try a slower method. But for now Dexter is healing so I have time to plan everything. I just wish I could explain to him my bunnies really mean him no harm, Simba left him alone and Dexter can't actually even hurt him really. Dexter and Simba are such lovely rabbits and are very forgiving, we just need to work with Licory a lot more. I think whatever happened between him and his siblings, and him and his last mate has had lasting effects.

The impression I got was that he is quite scared of...well, all rabbits. He didn't seem to know quite what to do when he got all the power, they submitted and he was just doubly confused. What i would really like is for Simba to just bop them both on the head and take charge but she is too laid-back for that to happen.

Anyway! I am rambling. But I just wanted to let you know that everything is okay and we haven't given up. And I'm taking the whole experience as very lucky. And very lucky I found what looks like a great vets so close to me that are open 24/7.

Hey,

It's good to hear from you I'm sorry it went a bit pear shaped.

Little can learn, he just needs some time to learn (never was the brightest :lol: aw). He needs to build up his confidence and feel safe around them, so I would go for having them next to each other, then swapping over contents, swapping over areas and progressing much more slowly, and then having short dates where he can learn 'yeh, that wasn't too bad'.

Next time I would also stop any circling to avoid Dexter getting hurt- I know normally you're supposed to let it carry on if possible and no fighting ensues, but it's safer not to let that carry on. That said sometimes even stopping it instantly isn't fast enough.

That all said, if you decided not to try again, I would understand.

I'm just at the end of the phone or e-mail if you need any help/advice

I hope that Dexter recovers quickly, and I'm glad that he isn't traumatised by what happened to him.