Travelling a distance - :( bond not looking good:(

Hi!

Today (in about an hour!) we are going to be travelling roughly 2 hours taking Peter to meet and bond with (everything crossed!!!) his new lady friend

I feel like a mum taking her son on his first date, very nervous for him!!!!! :lol:

Any tips on taking a bunny on a long distance journey? He's got a one of those orange and white cat carriers (cabrio?) so quite a largish carrier and I was planning on putting in a wad of newspaper and hay for him to sit on / eat. I'm going to sit in the back of the car with him. Should I cover his carrier (leaving some air vents uncovered) with a towel?

He's not a brilliant traveller, he's normally fine on the trip (although only ever done 20 mins max in a car) but afterwards he can be a little subdued and sometimes takes a few hours before he is properly back to normal.

What about Water? theres those small cups at the front of the carrier and I had thought to put some water in one of those but he normally is a bottle drinker so not sure he would use them. Can he go 2 hours without a drink? actually I could maybe take his bottle and every so often put it through the hole in the door.... :?

Any tips would be great!!

Thanks

I'd take a towel, yes. He probably could go 2 hours without a drink in normal circumstances but as he may get stressed and maybe a little hot then I would have some water in a bottle and offer it every 30mins or so. Maybe have the radio on quietly to cover the engine noise a little bit as well? Good luck:wave:

You could try offering him some herbs or veg just before you go so you know he's had a bit of moisture and then offer some more throughout the journey? I've always found rabbits unwilling to drink when you want them to but can often be tempted by something delicious

I take water and a little pot to pour it into. Also apple and spring greens are good, but Smoo prefers to eat hay on a long journey. Just make sure he can't slip around. I use a rubber bottomed mat in the carrier.

Alvin holly and pearl all refused water while in the car was a good 6 hour journey do i used to take soaking wet veg and herbs but even then they would no eat while on the move it was always during a stop they would take food.

Holly was a terrible traveller she would get so upset but at the other end it was a new place to explore and she would be totally fine.

Alvin was a pee,er so they needed newspaper wrapped in a towel to soak up his wee furing the journey.

If its warm i used to put a wet towel over the carrier as well as air conditioning in the car.

And make sure you ban smoking in the car :wave:

Hope your bun finds love

Poo

All looked good , they were put in a run divided by mesh, sniffing each other, tails down, she seemed particularly excited. Then we left and 5 mins later I got a call to say she taken away the divide and the female went upto Pete, put her head down and Pete went for her, really badly :'(

Gutted :'(

Ooh now in run together and not fighting.....

Sending bonding((((vibes))))Good luck:thumb:

Hi

Just an observation as I don't know who is doing your bonding and if it's someone who is very experienced, but by taking down the divider where the two bunnies had their 'own sides' the bonder is asking for trouble as he will be very defensive anyway having been stressed from travelling and so will try and keep her out of his half.

I don't like side by side intros for a reason but if they are going to happen then when they are finially put in together, they (in my opinion) be put in a completely neutral space (not where they've just been) so that there is no ownership of sides.

Just because Peter has gone for her doesn't mean that it's a non starter - it might just have to be managed differently.

Also, has the female had to travel at all? If not then it puts Peter even more on the defensive as she won't be anywhere near as stressed as him and so is probably more likely to go and say hello to him with some more confidence than him to her. A trip together in a pet carrier around the garden or rescue or in a car might help to unsettle her in equal measure.

Fingers crossed for them.

:thumb:

The Duchess said:

Hi

Just an observation as I don't know who is doing your bonding and if it's someone who is very experienced, but by taking down the divider where the two bunnies had their 'own sides' the bonder is asking for trouble as he will be very defensive anyway having been stressed from travelling and so will try and keep her out of his half.

I don't like side by side intros for a reason but if they are going to happen then when they are finially put in together, they (in my opinion) be put in a completely neutral space (not where they've just been) so that there is no ownership of sides.

Just because Peter has gone for her doesn't mean that it's a non starter - it might just have to be managed differently.

Also, has the female had to travel at all? If not then it puts Peter even more on the defensive as she won't be anywhere near as stressed as him and so is probably more likely to go and say hello to him with some more confidence than him to her. A trip together in a pet carrier around the garden or rescue or in a car might help to unsettle her in equal measure.

Fingers crossed for them.

Click to expand...

The Duchess said:

Hi

Just an observation as I don't know who is doing your bonding and if it's someone who is very experienced, but by taking down the divider where the two bunnies had their 'own sides' the bonder is asking for trouble as he will be very defensive anyway having been stressed from travelling and so will try and keep her out of his half.

I don't like side by side intros for a reason but if they are going to happen then when they are finially put in together, they (in my opinion) be put in a completely neutral space (not where they've just been) so that there is no ownership of sides.

Just because Peter has gone for her doesn't mean that it's a non starter - it might just have to be managed differently.

Also, has the female had to travel at all? If not then it puts Peter even more on the defensive as she won't be anywhere near as stressed as him and so is probably more likely to go and say hello to him with some more confidence than him to her. A trip together in a pet carrier around the garden or rescue or in a car might help to unsettle her in equal measure.

Fingers crossed for them.

Click to expand...

Sadly they've fought again managed an hour together in the run though before the fight.

It was just us travelling today, to where the lady bun is currently being fostered

Are they being bonded in a normal sized run and is it on grass or hardstanding?

I don't know the size being used but if it's a 'normal' run then I'd say it will be too big. I use the size of a indoor cage to bond in, no bigger. How experienced is the bonder?

I think that bonding in a run is problematic as they can't normally be 'descented' but also what happens overnight? By bonding in an indoor cage the person bonding can monitor all night as necessary.

Hi,

It's a smallish run ( looks about 5x5) with a divide down the middle, on grass.

They are in seperate hutches at night.

Peterbunny said:

Hi,

It's a smallish run ( looks about 5x5) with a divide down the middle, on grass.

They are in seperate hutches at night.

Click to expand...

Well for me that's too much space. I guess your bonder has experience and I'm not there so can't comment, but bunnies will just chase or fight in that size space (based on experience - less room is much better)

Hi Helen ;-), it's me! :wave:

I have offered to take the bonding on for Donna. It is the first one she has done and is understandably worried, you know how stressful it is. Won't be until next weekend though, I am up to my eyes in it here, as all rescues are. Until then Donna will be swapping them over into each others space.

Keep fingers crossed everyone.

Alice

aliceechamberlain said:

Hi Helen ;-), it's me! :wave:

I have offered to take the bonding on for Donna. It is the first one she has done and is understandably worried, you know how stressful it is. Won't be until next weekend though, I am up to my eyes in it here, as all rescues are. Until then Donna will be swapping them over into each others space.


Keep fingers crossed everyone.

Alice

Click to expand...

Ah right I didn't realise someone else was taking on bonding my naughty bunny lol, Donna must have had nerves of steel yesterday, I know I couldn't have done it!

To be honest, I find it the most stressful part of running a rescue. You can never know how it is going to work out and I have known of fatalities when bondings have not worked. (not here I hasten to add). Donna brought them over here yesterday and she and one of my friends stayed with them. I just did not have any spare time yesterday. but, Lizzie and Donna were very careful, so, don't worry, there was no harm done.
I can tell Peter is a very much loved rabbit. Dare I say pampered and spolit? :lol: Bunnies like these are usually more difficult to bond as I think they recieve so much love from their humans, and reciprocate it, that they do not need a bunny friend as much as others, they are not so lonely!
He is very handsome Ebony really wants to be his friend, she has the sweetest nature.
I am sure Donna will be in touch with you soon.

aliceechamberlain said:

To be honest, I find it the most stressful part of running a rescue. You can never know how it is going to work out and I have known of fatalities when bondings have not worked. (not here I hasten to add). Donna brought them over here yesterday and she and one of my friends stayed with them. I just did not have any spare time yesterday. but, Lizzie and Donna were very careful, so, don't worry, there was no harm done.
I can tell Peter is a very much loved rabbit. Dare I say pampered and spolit? :lol: Bunnies like these are usually more difficult to bond as I think they recieve so much love from their humans, and reciprocate it, that they do not need a bunny friend as much as others, they are not so lonely!
He is very handsome Ebony really wants to be his friend, she has the sweetest nature.
I am sure Donna will be in touch with you soon.

Click to expand...

Hi Alice,

Funnily enough I was talking to my Mum this morning and she says as I spoil him so much ( its an ongoing joke that he's my third son lol!) that he's probably not wanting to share the attention lol, he's very spoilt... I just want him to have a nice life

Great stuff.

Hi Alice:wave:

Well I'm glad the bunnies are in good hands and well done Donna for having a go - I remember my first. It doesn't get any easier either with some bunnies.

I also agree that very people orientated rabbits are much harder to bond sometimes as they don't really get it with the other furry staring at them and don't understand some of the behaviours.

Anyway, all sounds like things are under control so will wish you the best of luck and hope that love blossoms.