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OK, where do I go from here?

Sarah1991

Warren Veteran
The boys are currently having 20 minute bonding sessions each day just to ensure when I start giving them longer they will have already spent time together.

They are currently great together, lying together, grooming one another and constantly asking each other for grooming.

There is the odd bit of humping but its usually from Milo and the boys hormones are only still calming down. Next week I am off for a whole week. I want to focus on getting the boys back together. They will have only been healing three weeks by then but I personally feel that with how good they are together there's no reasons I can't extend the time periods.

My only issue is excitement, when the boys get excited i.e. they hear their pellets or a rustling of a bag or smell fresh veg Milo will jump all over Finn and it usually ends up with Finn running away and me separating Milo because I'm afraid hes gunna upset Finn.

Anyone have any advice on what I should be doing when this happens? Thanks
 
Is there any way that you can keep them together 24/7 and watch them (including sleeping by them to stop any fighting)?

They sound as if they are doing really well. There is bound to be some humping, chasing and fur pulling initially but, once they have got used to each other that should stop.

Once they havent chased, fur pulled, humped for at least 48 hours you can start to increase their area.

Not sure if this helps really but hopefully someone can answer your question based on dating (a method that I havent used).
 
Is there any way that you can keep them together 24/7 and watch them (including sleeping by them to stop any fighting)?

They sound as if they are doing really well. There is bound to be some humping, chasing and fur pulling initially but, once they have got used to each other that should stop.

Once they havent chased, fur pulled, humped for at least 48 hours you can start to increase their area.

Not sure if this helps really but hopefully someone can answer your question based on dating (a method that I havent used).

They are doing very well, they don't bother one another at all apart from the tiniest bit of chasing sometimes and the odd hump. But its all to do with excitement, when its just play time they are fine, the chasing and humping is only when food comes into play...little terrors :lol:
 
I agree with Tulsi. It doesn't sound like your boys are that far off bonding. You just need to take the plunge.

When you are on holiday, I would leave them in an small sectioned off area (something like a puppy pen) and leave them together 24/7. You might have to stay up or sleep next to the them. The idea is to slowly and gradually increase space when they have been okay together.
If they start fur pulling, humping, etc excessively you gently stop them (I used a broom and garden gloves so I didn't get bitten), but you don't separate them unless they are fighting.

I bonded my George and Harry using this method. I started with a 4x2ft space, after about 2-3 days increased it to 4x4ft, then after the week put them back in their hutch and then a week later allowed them access to their run. If there is behaviour issues to decrease the space.

I found sprinkling food a great way to distract the bunnies from any behaviour issues, so when I set up my pen, I had covered the floor with a blanket and scattered hay and pellets/treats across it.

Harry also gets very excited over pellet food as well and she will try to hump George (even though he is dominant) so that behaviour might continue after bonding. George is very patient with her, but he doesn't like it and will hump her back to tell her off. I try to prevent it by making sure they are first priority when we feed them and sometimes if she is being a nuisance I will pick him up and give him a cuddle as I get them food ready.
 
The boys are currently having 20 minute bonding sessions each day just to ensure when I start giving them longer they will have already spent time together.

They are currently great together, lying together, grooming one another and constantly asking each other for grooming.

There is the odd bit of humping but its usually from Milo and the boys hormones are only still calming down. Next week I am off for a whole week. I want to focus on getting the boys back together. They will have only been healing three weeks by then but I personally feel that with how good they are together there's no reasons I can't extend the time periods.

My only issue is excitement, when the boys get excited i.e. they hear their pellets or a rustling of a bag or smell fresh veg Milo will jump all over Finn and it usually ends up with Finn running away and me separating Milo because I'm afraid hes gunna upset Finn.
Anyone have any advice on what I should be doing when this happens? Thanks

Bobo chases Harley all over their hutch when it comes to food time - she has learnt to get out of the way whilst I've learnt to get food to them as quickly as possible - but Harley is never particualy upset about it and in fact has learnt to grunt at me from Bobo.:love:

Sheldon tramples all over Holly at food time through sheer excitement and trying to get at the bowl - again - no harm done. Holly is an idiot and just lays there whilst Sheldon bounces all over her :roll:

Lenny and Cheyenne - our newest bonded pair - the same thing from day one, he chases her at food time, she runs away and then comes back when the bowls are put down and he's fully distracted by food.

The rest of the time - all 3 pairs are happily in love...the boys just get a bit rambunctious at meal times :lol::roll:

When we bonded Lenny and Cheyenne - and Sheldon and Holly - we didn't bother with small enclosures but just let them have free range together on dates - lots of humping from the boys but the girls just ran off when they'd had enough. As long as there is no actual fighting - then then I don't see any reason to worry about abit of chasing, jumping on each other etc - and I would personally just let them sort themselves out. With L & C and S & H - once we were happy that they could spend free range together happily (the rolly flops and massive binkies gave us a hint that they were happy) - then they went into the same hutch - with close supervision just in case - but honestly didn't have any issues - apart from the excitement at food time - but the girls do have space to get away and that I think is important.

Obviously all buns are different so can only go by my experiences.
 
Bobo chases Harley all over their hutch when it comes to food time - she has learnt to get out of the way whilst I've learnt to get food to them as quickly as possible - but Harley is never particualy upset about it and in fact has learnt to grunt at me from Bobo.:love:

Sheldon tramples all over Holly at food time through sheer excitement and trying to get at the bowl - again - no harm done. Holly is an idiot and just lays there whilst Sheldon bounces all over her :roll:

Lenny and Cheyenne - our newest bonded pair - the same thing from day one, he chases her at food time, she runs away and then comes back when the bowls are put down and he's fully distracted by food.

The rest of the time - all 3 pairs are happily in love...the boys just get a bit rambunctious at meal times :lol::roll:

When we bonded Lenny and Cheyenne - and Sheldon and Holly - we didn't bother with small enclosures but just let them have free range together on dates - lots of humping from the boys but the girls just ran off when they'd had enough. As long as there is no actual fighting - then then I don't see any reason to worry about abit of chasing, jumping on each other etc - and I would personally just let them sort themselves out. With L & C and S & H - once we were happy that they could spend free range together happily (the rolly flops and massive binkies gave us a hint that they were happy) - then they went into the same hutch - with close supervision just in case - but honestly didn't have any issues - apart from the excitement at food time - but the girls do have space to get away and that I think is important.

Obviously all buns are different so can only go by my experiences.

I'm currently putting the boys together in the new enclosure for bonding, its around 6ftx5ft (a tiny bit bigger actually) but they have no problems and are swapped in and out daily so they get exercise! They have never bitten or told one another odd, its mostly just a little shoving and a bit of ''you groom me, no YOU groom ME'' and that's it...

The humping I'll have to work on, so far I've been a bit afraid to let them hump but I might have to let them for a few seconds and then gently push the dominant one off...
 
I'm currently putting the boys together in the new enclosure for bonding, its around 6ftx5ft (a tiny bit bigger actually) but they have no problems and are swapped in and out daily so they get exercise! They have never bitten or told one another odd, its mostly just a little shoving and a bit of ''you groom me, no YOU groom ME'' and that's it...

The humping I'll have to work on, so far I've been a bit afraid to let them hump but I might have to let them for a few seconds and then gently push the dominant one off...[/QUOTE]

I do this with Lenny and Cheyenne - he still humps her a bit - if it carries on too long, then I push him off - or Cheyenne runs away.

Sheldon still humps Holly - mainly her head :roll::lol: - but she just puts up with it - but I do try and stop him if it goes on too long as well.

It does sound like you've got a good solid bond happening though - which is great:thumb: I would keep going as you are - but maybe leaving them together for a bit longer each time so they have more time to sort out the dominance stuff.

PS: Prudhoe our latest boy is completely bonded with my hubby (good thing I'm not the jealous sort ;)) - he is 3 weeks post neutered and I often have to pull him off hubbys arm when hubby's squeals of 'I can feel his willy' become a bit too loud :lol::lol::lol:
 
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