Matilda and Kyle bonding Failed 22/08/12

Hello all.

I am quite new to this site so will give a brief introduction to the bunnies.

Matilda is approximately 7 months old and Kyle just over a year. We have had Matilda since she was 9 months old and Kyle for almost two months. Kyle came from a rescue centre and has been settling in whilst Matilda recovered from her spay.

I was lucky enough to find a woman linked to the rescue where Kyle came from who kindly offered to help with bonding.

We started on Wednesday in a small neutral space. It was not very encouraging, lots of fur pulling but over the last few days we have seen an improvement. Yesterday Matilda licked Kyle on his head and she was desperately waiting for him to reciprocate but when he does not she gets annoyed and frustrated bless her. Matilda then decided that humping him was the way forward much to Kyle’s horror!

Anyway we will be trying again tomorrow and tonight I am going to move their pens in to the same room and see if they can love each other through the bars! Any tips or ideas will be greatly appreciated.

I am beyond myself with excitement. I know that they will be so more happier together and that they need company. I am so lucky to blessed with these two amazing animals who enhance mine and my families lives every day I am also lucky to have met such a kind hearted rabbit lover who is willing to give up so much of her own time to help us.

Here are a couple of photos. It is lovely to see my bunnies so close together and enjoying each others company

I do not have any tips or ideas for you on the bonding but wanted to comment on how adorable they are together.

Don't have much advice to give as mine practically bonded themselves, but they are so beautiful!

Awww - they look really sweet together. I think I saw Kyle on the rabbits in need section and considered him for Flora (but he was just a bit young). I can only tell you that Flora and Benji didn't really 'get it on' until I forced them to be together in a very small space. I tried them in a space around 5ft x 2ft but it was still too big and they sat at opposite ends. Once I put them into a 2ft 6" puppy crate, they began mutal grooming within 15 minutes and never looked back . Within one day of the forced closeness, they were back out in Flora's kennel and together 24/7. Best of luck and let us know how you're getting on.

Thanks for the replies everyone. I really appriciate it.

I will keep you all updated and fingers crossed for progress this evening.

Ok, just a little update...

This is the second night that Matilda and Kyle have spent together

Last night they went to stay at the woman who was helping with bonding house as she was able to provide a good neutral space for bonding. Tonight they are in a pen in the dining room.

All went well yesterday with one little scrap which involved a bit of fur pulling. It all seems sorted since then though

I have tried to get some photographs of them together but every time I go near them they run apart!

I have however seen some very thorough and delicate grooming from Kyle.

I really hope that this is it now. So happy!

This is the best photo I could get. Sorry it is through the bars!

Hello again!

Ok so at about 7am yesterday there was a big chase My husband said the buns were really going for each other. There was lots of fur but both ok. They calmed down after having pellets but I was on edge all day. After that there was an odd chase but nothing too bad. I have not split them up as I don't want to go back to square one. Then at 3.30 am I heard more commotion and Matilda was chasing Kyle again. I had to split it up as it was getting heated. Since Matilda has been offering her head for grooming but gets grumpy when Kyle refuses.

I guess that I just need reassurance that things are not falling apart.

On Sunday afternoon they seemed a lot closer than now. There was lots of grooming from Kyle and they would lay very close. None of that now really

I guess I thought that we had it and this has really upset me. I am so inexperienced and tired!!!

Its a slow process sometimes, generally it feels like its one step forward two steps back at times.
Id take them for a car ride in either a carrier or a washing basket with a towel in the bottom and also to cover the top.
they won't enjoy a car ride and it will make them huddle for comfort, thus making them start to get used to the other bun.
And lots of noserubs when they put their heads together, then they can associate being with each other with being stroked.
I know how you feel bailey and angel had a slight step back tonight as well. But it just takes a but of patience. Worth it in the end when they snuggle together

Hey, where are they now? How much space do they have? Is everything totally neutral? The odd chase here and there is ok as long as its just fur pulling. It's one trying to assert their dominance. If they are locking on, rolling etc then it's time to split up.
A car ride may help as someone else suggested or banana on the head to encourage grooming.

Hope things turn out ok, I've been where you are and it's so stressful but try and remain calm as the buns will pick up on the stress

Thank you both for the replies. They are in neutral space in a puppy pen. It has eight panels which are 63cm wide.

It is just chasing and and fur pulling but it is still distressing to watch

I know that it is going to take time but it is hard to be optimistic at 4 in the morning! I had to come between them last night as they has chased so quickly that they managed to crumple the blanket on the laminate floor resulting in lots of slipping and confused angry bunnies. I don't want to interfere with their space though so I have put down some mats where the floor was exposed instead of entering the pen to sort the blanket out. The chasing now seems less as they are not sliding everywhere!

I think that it is still a dominance thing. Kyle was grooming Matilda lots on Sunday but I saw him do it once yesterday and not at all since. She pokes her nose out begging for kisses but chases when she gets none! At least she has stopped humping him!

I think that I may take them for a walk in the carrier tonight as I don't drive.

Good luck to all the fellow bonders out there. It will be worth it

I really did just need reassurance.

I found even if you put them in the carrier and shake it about a bit gently obviously, then it will have the same effect.
Matilda is doing exactly what angel was doing to parsley, it just takes perseverance
Good luck!!

I had to split them up

It has honestly broken my heart and I cannot quite believe it. There have been a few scuffles but this morning there was a huge scuffle that was turning in to a fight. Then another which rersulted in Matilda having a small scratch on her face. Then there was another scuffle and I had to admit defeat. It was just getting more and more negative.

I am at a loss now. I just feel like I am in a daze. I had stripped the dog crate of lino etc ready to store it away. (this was Matildas base before she and Kyle were together. Matilda is now resting in it with a make shift towel, and to be honest she looks really pleased for the rest, or does she look lonely? I don't know. I just know that I have failed and it is hard to stomach.

Dont feel too bad. I recently tried to bond our bunny with a lovely rescue one but it failed when she took a chunk out of his neck. I felt like a failure as I have bonded rabbits without too much hastle before but the violence was not worth it for me. Maybe give them some time apart to see what happens?

iggyperdyandme said:

Dont feel too bad. I recently tried to bond our bunny with a lovely rescue one but it failed when she took a chunk out of his neck. I felt like a failure as I have bonded rabbits without too much hastle before but the violence was not worth it for me. Maybe give them some time apart to see what happens?

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Thank you for your reply and I am sorry to hear about your recent bonding experience.

We had a lovely day yesterday, well the afternoon anyway so I just really did not expect this.

Both are looking deflated in their separate enclosures and I am wondering what to do next.

Mine kept having scuffles (which would have turned into fights) if I hadn't forced them into a really tiny space for 24 hours. With just a little too much space (5ft) there was room for a nip/chase cycle to start and these chases and circling were getting more and more vigorous. Once I plonked them into a 2ft6" crate, they had no room other than to lie down next to each other. I think they realised they couldn't get away so because they didn't really hate each other and were just being a bit tetchy, they decided that they'd better just get on with it and started mutual grooming within 15 minutes.

Have you tried them in their veterinary carrier together? Stick it ontop of the washing machine on a spin cycle which will have the same effect as taking them out in the car (or put it next to the hoover whilst it's on) - I'd say that you need to put them on edge so that they get comfort from each other and then they'll 'forget' that they had a scrap. I wouldn't ordinarily go down the fear route but sometimes you have to. And sometimes, you have to keep them in a really small area for quite a while. If you increase the space too quickly, you can go back to square one. The fact that Matilda and Kyle got on initially makes me think that there is hope for them yet. If you don't feel confident carrying on, would where you got Kyle from do it for you in return for a donation?

If you feel you need some help with bonding then there will be rescues that will be able to help.
I think that there is hope for them, just need to make them see it