Molly - bit happier now

ripminnie · May 4, 2013

I was in tears earlier

in the rescue Molly was shy and quiet, but after recovering from her hour long journey, she soon settled in and became quite a feisty madam

Olly eventually plucked up the courage to go and say hello at the pen partition, but Molly seemed quite aggressive and looked like she was trying to nip his nose

if she bites my Olly she can't stay here

I know it isn't fair to judge so early, and it's not quite even 2 weeks since she was spayed, but Olly really needs a gentle girl. This isn't an ordinary bonding, for those of you who don't know. Olly has a head tilt and is very nervous of new people/ bunnies. I do not want him getting bitten even once. He is sad enough already, without that. He just wants a friend to snuggle with and to wash him. We just want him to be happy. I don't know if I even dare put them in a pen together. I was on the verge of calling the rescue and saying this isn't going to work, I'll have to bring her back tomorrow. And that would be just awful. So I think we are going to stay like this for a few weeks and see if she calms down. I think she's a bit of a nutter!! I am very stressed to say the least!!

HoneyBear · May 4, 2013

Fingers crosse it all works out ok in the end for you Olly and Molly x

Fee · May 4, 2013

ooh no... maybe she is just hyper stressed after journey..... all the best

Fee x

Rabcat · May 4, 2013

So sorry to hear that it's been so stressful. Maybe you should keep her out of Olly's way altogether tonight and then see how she is tomorrow. It could be that the journey stressed her and she is upset and a bit scared by being in a new place with new people. Maybe she needs to settle in first?

Poor little Olly and poor you too

I hope Olly is okay.

I hope it feels clearer in the morning. X

Santa · May 4, 2013

Personally I would take her out of the same room and put her somewhere completely different. It's perfectly normal for even the most docile and placid bunnies to behave territorially and to try and nip another bunny when they are put next to each other like that - it's absolutely no indication of how they will behave when bonded - but if she is showing signs that she is likely to be territorial, I wouldn't let them anywhere near each other until you are ready to bond, as the likelihood is that they will wind each other up rather than calm each other down beforehand.

When I first introduced Bertram to Heather when I was getting ready to bond them, he rushed excitedly up to the bars and she growled, boxed the bars and tried to bite him. Yet having had her for years I know that she is the calmest, most docile bun who is never a problem during a bond. Honestly, you really can't draw any inference from the behaviour you have seen...although you will need to be careful to make sure that they don't make each other cross before you are ready to bond.

Good luck xx

littleboots · May 4, 2013

Aww..... try not to despair.... shes had a big upheaval and needs time to settle..... Ive had very similar on the first day home....
When I brought Bailey home to be Hollys friend.... she lunged at him through the pen as soon as she saw him.... I darent risk him being bitten so ended up putting mesh around the bottom of the pen so she couldnt get to him.... After a few days... they were comfy with each other.... and she accepted him being there..... so i removed the mesh..... and hey presto.... they were fine...
Theyre now very loved up.... so dont lose heart... its early days xxx

susie bun · May 4, 2013

Sending vibes and hug for you.

I don't have any experience of bonding, but if she was only spayed two weeks ago, couple with the stress of the move I think it is understandable that she is a bit insecure. It might take quite a while for her to settle back into what seemed to be her normal character when you saw her in the rescue.

ripminnie · May 4, 2013

Olly is ok, we've let him out of the pen now so he can hop around the lounge, and he's much happier. He really doesn't do well penned in. Molly has hyper spells where she charges round and jumps on her box, she has drank lots and just had some kale for her supper. She is eating fine, as is Olly. We put another pen panel between them so there's a gap, so it's more difficult for nipping. Molly is a bit scared of the tv, but she'll have to get used to it as this is where she'll be living for now.

ripminnie · May 5, 2013

She's doing my head in

I don't know what to do with her! She eats any greens and carrots and drinks fine, but barely touches her food (mixture of old and new like she's been having for the last week). I don't think she ate much anyway. In the rescue her main bedding was shredded paper, which is really stupid as all the rabbits were eating it :evil: so now i think she sees paper as food, and is moving her hay to get at the newspaper, and shredding it! :shock: she keeps picking up bits of hay and dropping them. Apparently her teeth were checked when she got spayed :? She isn't eating any of her caecotrophs but is passing normal droppings aswell. All she's eaten today is a few nibbles of carrot

biscandmatt1 · May 5, 2013

she sounds unsettled. hopefully she will settle down soon. she has been through alot lately so may just need some more time. x

xClairex · May 5, 2013

Really not trying to offend here but you sound like you dislike Molly and are picking at her for the smallest thing

She is new to your household and is probably unsettled and maybe a little scared.
She may even be picking up on how you're feeling and that's why she's acting up sometimes.
And if she was eating newspaper at the rescue then that is learnt behaviour and she's not going to stop doing it in just a few days/weeks.

If she's scared of the tv (and you pretty much saying, tough she'll have to get used to it) perhaps move her to a different room while she settles in.

No bunny wants to be somewhere they are not wanted

Rabcat · May 5, 2013

Sounds like the poor little thing hasn't had the best of care in the past and her behaviour can only be based on what she knows. She'll need your help to adjust to living with you.

If you really think and feel in your heart that she isn't the right bun for you it may be best for her if you take her back now rather than in a few weeks to avoid further confusion for her.

Consider what is best for her as well as you and Olly then go with it.

Good luck x

dizzyg · May 5, 2013

ripminnie said:
She's doing my head in I don't know what to do with her! She eats any greens and carrots and drinks fine, but barely touches her food (mixture of old and new like she's been having for the last week). I don't think she ate much anyway. In the rescue her main bedding was shredded paper, which is really stupid as all the rabbits were eating it :evil: so now i think she sees paper as food, and is moving her hay to get at the newspaper, and shredding it! :shock: she keeps picking up bits of hay and dropping them. Apparently her teeth were checked when she got spayed :? She isn't eating any of her caecotrophs but is passing normal droppings aswell. All she's eaten today is a few nibbles of carrot

I think she sounds a little stressed bless her. I would just leave her be for a day or two to calm down and get used to her new surroundings. I'm sure she'll soon stop the paper-nomming. It will just take her a while to settle I think.

Sending relaxing vibes for her.

And sorry, if she DOES nip Ollie, it's probably due to stress, not because she doesn't like him, or because she's aggressive, just because she's scared.

x

Bunny Buddy · May 5, 2013

Deleted

Santa · May 5, 2013

xClairex said:
Really not trying to offend here but you sound like you dislike Molly and are picking at her for the smallest thing
She is new to your household and is probably unsettled and maybe a little scared.
She may even be picking up on how you're feeling and that's why she's acting up sometimes.
And if she was eating newspaper at the rescue then that is learnt behaviour and she's not going to stop doing it in just a few days/weeks.

If she's scared of the tv (and you pretty much saying, tough she'll have to get used to it) perhaps move her to a different room while she settles in.

No bunny wants to be somewhere they are not wanted

I totally agree with this. It sounds to me like you have a scared, unsettled bunny, which is exactly what I would expect of a new bunny in these circumstances. I really think that you need to have a good talk with yourself and start trying to empathise with her rather than picking up on little things that you are finding annoying. She is not doing it to annoy or upset you, she is just an anxious, unsettled little bun. I hate to say it but if you continue in this mindset, it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you aren't able to empathise with her appropriately then I suggest you take her back now before she becomes even more unsettled by picking up on your stress or being taken back in a few weeks time when the bond doesn't work...which it more than likely won't if you continue to view her in the way you do now.

I'm sorry to sound harsh but it's the reality I'm afraid.

ripminnie · May 5, 2013

I am not picking at her for eating paper etc, i am worried about it! I don't dislike her, i just am very concerned for my little disabled bun which I'm sure anyone would be. I am struggling because i don't know how to get her eating the right things etc.

xClairex said:
Really not trying to offend here but you sound like you dislike Molly and are picking at her for the smallest thing
She is new to your household and is probably unsettled and maybe a little scared.
She may even be picking up on how you're feeling and that's why she's acting up sometimes.
And if she was eating newspaper at the rescue then that is learnt behaviour and she's not going to stop doing it in just a few days/weeks.

If she's scared of the tv (and you pretty much saying, tough she'll have to get used to it) perhaps move her to a different room while she settles in.

No bunny wants to be somewhere they are not wanted

RogerRabbit999 · May 5, 2013

It sounds like it may possibly have been too soon for you to take on another bunny. It's very early days yet, and Honey was so very, very special and totally adorable, and you are still grieving for her and will be for some time yet. It must be awful at the moment Molly being where Honey should be, and I would find that very hard to deal with myself. It took me about 3 months to be able to even consider taking on another bun, and I felt really mean with so many in rescues, but I knew I simply wouldn't be able to cope with seeing another bunny, where Roger should still be. Even now, 7 months later, I still don't let them go in parts of the house that Roger was only allowed to go in, they don't have things like personalised towels because only Roger had things like that. Roger was my 'bunny of a lifetime' as Honey is yours, and I think to some extent we will never feel quite the same about another bunny, but it doesn't mean you can't have or won't love another bun, and you will in time find happiness as well with another as I have, but it will never be quite the same I don't think. I am genuinely so very, very sorry for your loss of Honey.

ripminnie · May 5, 2013

Thank you x

Rabcat said:
Sounds like the poor little thing hasn't had the best of care in the past and her behaviour can only be based on what she knows. She'll need your help to adjust to living with you.

If you really think and feel in your heart that she isn't the right bun for you it may be best for her if you take her back now rather than in a few weeks to avoid further confusion for her.

Consider what is best for her as well as you and Olly then go with it.

Good luck x

ripminnie · May 5, 2013

Thank you, it is good to
Know that I'm not evil as others seem to think, thank you for understanding xxx

RogerRabbit999 said:
It sounds like it may possibly have been too soon for you to take on another bunny. It's very early days yet, and Honey was so very, very special and totally adorable, and you are still grieving for her and will be for some time yet. It must be awful at the moment Molly being where Honey should be, and I would find that very hard to deal with myself. It took me about 3 months to be able to even consider taking on another bun, and I felt really mean with so many in rescues, but I knew I simply wouldn't be able to cope with seeing another bunny, where Roger should still be. Even now, 7 months later, I still don't let them go in parts of the house that Roger was only allowed to go in, they don't have things like personalised towels because only Roger had things like that. Roger was my 'bunny of a lifetime' as Honey is yours, and I think to some extent we will never feel quite the same about another bunny, but it doesn't mean you can't have or won't love another bun, and you will in time find happiness as well with another as I have, but it will never be quite the same I don't think. I am genuinely so very, very sorry for your loss of Honey.

biscandmatt1 · May 5, 2013

no-one thinks you're evil

ripping up paper can be a stress thing i think. maybe scrunch up some newspaper for her to throw and shred then maybe she will leave the litter tray paper alone a bit more?? or put just paper in a spare tray for her?

i know you're still grieving so much so you're probably extra worried about things working out. x

Molly - bit happier now

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