Well the new hutch and run arrived so last night I thought it was time to introduce them properly (they've seen each other through wire from Saturday when we got Weedie). So I got the new house ready, loads of hay, loads of new toys, and loads of food so they had lots to look at and play with. Put them in and for the first half hour they totally ignored each other - Bundle was really excited checking everything out, trying out the new toys and binkying around, while Weedie proceeded to stuff his face with all the food! :lol:
Well, once he'd had enough he started to explore too, then Bundle went up to him and nuzzled his ear (awww I thought, sweet!) at which point he promptly flew at her!! That was it - from sweet little bunny he went into total attack mode - ears flat, tail up so high I didn't know a bunny could possibly get their tail so high! and flying at her like a maniac Poor Bundle took off with Weedie in hot pursuit, finally she took refuge in one of the litter trays, and he sat there glaring at her, almost looking like he was snarling! She then put her head right down, a very submissive posture, and he finally ambled off and carried on eating.
I was shocked because I thought that as Bundle is much older than Weedie (nearly 3 years old and he's only about 4-5 months old) that she'd be more dominant - how wrong I was! He proceeded to fly at her every time the poor little thing dared to move out of the litter tray. I was beginning to think I'd have to separate them again overnight, but as they weren't actually getting into tearing and biting each other, everything I've read says you should just leave them to get on with it......
So I sat in the freezing cold garage until 11.30pm last night keeping watch until my hubby finally made me come to bed! When I left them he wasn't attacking her any more, but she was still scared of him and wouldn't go near him. :shock:
This morning, however, things seem to have changed.... My hubby was first downstairs, and as he popped his head round the garage door he said they were sitting together, but sprang apart when they saw him looking! :shock: When I went down a little later to feed them etc., Bundle had first dibs on the food, and she let him share her spring green leaf (even though he'd eaten his one already!). They were both just mooching around, playing with the toys (especially the hay tube from P&H which is a firm favourite with both of them :lol: ) and binkying around, although not really playing together, just seemingly now used to the fact that the other is there.
I'd be interested in anyone's opinions as to whether this is normal (never having bonded buns before) and if you think it sounds like they will bond properly and become friends? Interestingly there was no humping at all - I'm thinking that Weedie was castrated before his hormones kicked in, and Bundle was spayed at 6 months so her hormones should have gone long ago :wink:
Sorry for the long post, but I would love them to become friends and be proper company for each other - does it sound like this will happen?
Well, once he'd had enough he started to explore too, then Bundle went up to him and nuzzled his ear (awww I thought, sweet!) at which point he promptly flew at her!! That was it - from sweet little bunny he went into total attack mode - ears flat, tail up so high I didn't know a bunny could possibly get their tail so high! and flying at her like a maniac Poor Bundle took off with Weedie in hot pursuit, finally she took refuge in one of the litter trays, and he sat there glaring at her, almost looking like he was snarling! She then put her head right down, a very submissive posture, and he finally ambled off and carried on eating.
I was shocked because I thought that as Bundle is much older than Weedie (nearly 3 years old and he's only about 4-5 months old) that she'd be more dominant - how wrong I was! He proceeded to fly at her every time the poor little thing dared to move out of the litter tray. I was beginning to think I'd have to separate them again overnight, but as they weren't actually getting into tearing and biting each other, everything I've read says you should just leave them to get on with it......
So I sat in the freezing cold garage until 11.30pm last night keeping watch until my hubby finally made me come to bed! When I left them he wasn't attacking her any more, but she was still scared of him and wouldn't go near him. :shock:
This morning, however, things seem to have changed.... My hubby was first downstairs, and as he popped his head round the garage door he said they were sitting together, but sprang apart when they saw him looking! :shock: When I went down a little later to feed them etc., Bundle had first dibs on the food, and she let him share her spring green leaf (even though he'd eaten his one already!). They were both just mooching around, playing with the toys (especially the hay tube from P&H which is a firm favourite with both of them :lol: ) and binkying around, although not really playing together, just seemingly now used to the fact that the other is there.
I'd be interested in anyone's opinions as to whether this is normal (never having bonded buns before) and if you think it sounds like they will bond properly and become friends? Interestingly there was no humping at all - I'm thinking that Weedie was castrated before his hormones kicked in, and Bundle was spayed at 6 months so her hormones should have gone long ago :wink:
Sorry for the long post, but I would love them to become friends and be proper company for each other - does it sound like this will happen?