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Should I give up?

animus

Mama Doe
Over the last week, me and Neil have been desperately trying to bond Crunchie and Jake.
We take them to neutral teritory and sit with them for an hour or so, they have a little scuffle then dash to opposite sides of the room, then they just sit there almost motionless for an hour! :cry:
We've been doing this a few times a day for a week now and it's always the same. :cry:
Today we thought we'd try something different, we took them to a different room (neutral) and left them alone together for a few hours, we left a camera in there, just in case, and watched from the living room. They did the same thing. :cry:
I'm starting to think this is completely hopeless, should I give up or is there something else I could do? :cry:

I've tried encouraging them to interact with food, treats and toys, someone suggested putting them in the bath, I tried that but it felt cruel so I took them out after a few minutes, I've tried taking them for a walk around the garden on harnesses together. :cry:
Is there anything else that won't involve scaring them (car journey etc), I don't want to do that because it seems very harsh :?

I feel so bad for them, they could be a happy couple hopping around the garden for the rest of their days but instead, they just sit, lonely and bored with no-bun to cuddle up to. :cry: :cry: :cry:
I'm getting kinda desperate, is there anything at all I can do?
 
i think if there is no bad aggression they need leaving together longer . you need to put them somewhere where you can leave them all day and night if need be .
each time you split them they have to start again.

Angie
 
animusuk said:
I'm getting kinda desperate, is there anything at all I can do?

Yes, leave them on neutral territory longer- days if possible. Don't keep introducing them and then seperating again. If you can't leave them loose in a room it might be worth getting some of the argos storage panels to block an area off for a while.

Esmerelda and Hann scuffled a bit but mostly ignored each other- I really thought they wouldn't become friendly, but after a few days they were fine.

Apparently its actually a good sign if they ignore each other.

Good luck xx
 
Thanks guys :D
The thing is, I'm very scared of leaving them alone together, I did that a while ago and Jake took a chunk out of Crunchie :shock: you're probably right though, that was a while ago, maybe they've calmed down now :?
I will get some of those Argos cubes and leave them to it
Thanks again for your advice :)
 
Aw, I know its a worry.

Could you perhaps introduce them on a saturday morning, then you'll have all weekend to supervise them- maybe even stay in the room they're in?


Ooh, and try doing it when you're giving them breakfast- food is a good distraction from each other x
 
Maybe if you got some of them argos cubes and put a divide between them so they can see and smell each other but not really hurt each other when you're not around to supervise?
 
Hey Squishy, they sit in adjacent runs at the mo, thanks though :thumb:

I'll start tomorrow Mandy, I work from home so have plenty of time, good idea about breakfast, munchie will do anything for some grub :lol:
 
Doesn't sound like a bad start to me! Maybe try a smaller area. What about putting them in a smallish run on grass - then they might at least be tempted to hop around a bit and they might get distracted enough by eating to forget they are avoiding each other :D
 
I put Amber and Dexter together in the kitchen to bond them, they spent 3 hours sitting away from each other so i put them in the new hutch together. They had a few minor scuffles and spent the first day on different floors however after 24 hours I went outside and found them lying together!
They have had the odd scuffle since (due to the other pair of rabbits going near their hutch) and Ambers ear was bitten :( but they have now calmed down and are happy together! :D
 
When I first put Jack and Milly together jack used to chase after Milly and Milly would run and hide. A few months later...I have two bunnies who are absolutly and utterly in love. They are always together grooming each other and playing. I think just leaving them together is the best idea. bunnies are curious - eventually they will go investigate each other.
 
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