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Bonding - U/D HELP WITH MILES PLEASE!

Amethyst

Warren Veteran
Hi everyone,

I decided to start bonding my six today!! Eep!! They're all in the bathroom at the moment. LOTS of scrapping between the three boys, particularly Miles and Rocket, but I expected that. Nothing serious, just a bit of fur flying and bruised egos!

The problem is, they all seem to be staying still rather than hopping about and interacting with each other. They've each found an area of the bathroom to stay in and they won't move from that spot. Trouble is, that way they won't get used to each other! Does anyone have any advice or tips to help them get to know each other? They've been together about 3 hours.

Thanks!

AMETHYST
 
Hi Amethyst......sorry i dont have any advice but i just wanted to say good luck and hope it all goes well!

I'm going to be bonding (well trying!!) my 4 on sunday so will keep an eye on your post for any advice! :D The bathroom will be the first place we start........... :shock:
 
Okay, that didn't go well at all. :cry:

I put in some panels to make the space about half the size it was. Such a huge fight broke out between Miles and Benny that one of them drew blood. It was a tiny amount and I've checked both bunnies over and there are no visible wounds, but I feel so awful. :cry:

I've removed the panels and calm has now returned, but what the heck happens now? Is all hope lost? I feel so terrible... :cry:

AMETHYST
 
Ignoring isn't necessarily a bad sign. Can you leave 'em to it, & just keep an eye out? Or cover them in mashed banana or equally tasty stuff to encourage grooming?

They might sort it out. i just chuck water over fighting buns :lol:
 
Sorry!!!!!
Not sure I should offer more advice, but . . .
If they are Ok but just ignoring each other then I would leave them be.
The only problem is it may take a while. Can you leave them in there for as long as it takes - a few day s - a week even? If you can then I would just let them get on with it. I certainly wouldn't say all is lost :D
Have you got a box of two of hay in there with them? That may encourage them to get closer but also give some distraction.
Also, do you have some hidey places so that if rough and tumble does occur then they can retreat from each other?
 
Spacegirl said:
Sorry!!!!!
Not sure I should offer more advice, but . . .
If they are Ok but just ignoring each other then I would leave them be.
The only problem is it may take a while. Can you leave them in there for as long as it takes - a few day s - a week even? If you can then I would just let them get on with it. I certainly wouldn't say all is lost :D
Have you got a box of two of hay in there with them? That may encourage them to get closer but also give some distraction.
Also, do you have some hidey places so that if rough and tumble does occur then they can retreat from each other?

:lol: No that's okay!! I was actually thinking of making the space smaller anyway so it's not your fault!

I can leave them in there as long as necessary. It's a bit inconvenient as I have to pick my way through nipping teeth (they're all a bit on edge!) to get to the loo!! :shock: However, it's only temporary so yes, I can leave them in there as long as needs be.

There is a box of hay in there but whichever bunny occupies it drives the others away! I'll put one more in there too to encourage some interaction.

I sprayed Miles and Benny furiously with a plant spray when they were fighting, but to no avail. I really hope neither one is hurt... :cry: They seem fine though, and I did check them over... it's just upsetting to see them fight. :cry:

AMETHYST
 
Amethyst said:
I sprayed Miles and Benny furiously with a plant spray when they were fighting, but to no avail. I really hope neither one is hurt... :cry: They seem fine though, and I did check them over... it's just upsetting to see them fight. :cry:

AMETHYST

I use a bucket :oops: Shhh :oops: :lol:
 
Angie65 said:
Amethyst said:
I sprayed Miles and Benny furiously with a plant spray when they were fighting, but to no avail. I really hope neither one is hurt... :cry: They seem fine though, and I did check them over... it's just upsetting to see them fight. :cry:

AMETHYST

I use a bucket :oops: Shhh :oops: :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Miles looked bedraggled enough after I attacked him with the plant spray!!

AMETHYST
 
Angie65 said:
Amethyst said:
I sprayed Miles and Benny furiously with a plant spray when they were fighting, but to no avail. I really hope neither one is hurt... :cry: They seem fine though, and I did check them over... it's just upsetting to see them fight. :cry:

AMETHYST

I use a bucket :oops: Shhh :oops: :lol:

LOL Angie :lol: :lol: :lol:

Sorry I don't have any advice - I was nervous enough bonding 2 let alone 6! :shock: :lol: Good luck - will keep reading with interest to see how you get on. :D
 
Okay, well, I put in a few toys to provide a distraction, and ANOTHER fight broke out between Benny and Miles. No blood this time, but it was a heck of a scrap. I was screaming at them and spraying water but to no avail. :cry:

This feels hopeless. If every time they meet they have a fight, how will they ever bond?

AMETHYST
 
Amethyst said:
Okay, well, I put in a few toys to provide a distraction, and ANOTHER fight broke out between Benny and Miles. No blood this time, but it was a heck of a scrap. I was screaming at them and spraying water but to no avail. :cry:

This feels hopeless. If every time they meet they have a fight, how will they ever bond?

AMETHYST

TBH I would ALWAYS give up if blood is drawn..... :cry:

But dont take my advice as I am hopeless at bonding.. :oops:

Janex
 
Have the buns spent anytime just seeing/smelling each others through cage bars? Or swapping their cages over so they are in each others before you started? Might be worth just doing that for a bit.

Or take the troublesome two on a car journey together.
 
Angie65 said:
Have the buns spent anytime just seeing/smelling each others through cage bars? Or swapping their cages over so they are in each others before you started? Might be worth just doing that for a bit.

Or take the troublesome two on a car journey together.

Yes, in fact they've known each other a while. Miles and Miffy roam free, whilst China and Rocket live in a hutch and pen setup - the pen is like a permanently attached run, but as it's only metal bars, M&M can see and smell C&R. Miles and Rocket have occasionally scrapped a little through the bars, but nothing of any consequence - it's just them asserting themselves.

Benny and Domino live in an enormous hutch, again in plain sight of Miles and Miffy. Benny has always seemed to want to make friends, and even when Miles gets a little snappy, he always responded in kind. Unfortunately that doesn't seem to be the case at all now. :-(

AMETHYST
 
Its so hard to judge without being able to see them.
It does often look much worse than it is though. Humpty and Pepper used to go at each other and do that thing where they just turn into a whirring ball of fur like in the cartoons :shock: :lol: I persisted and they are totally in love now but it took a long time at first.
I would just leave them - don't ignore them obviously, keep a close eye but don't put in anything new or rock the boat if you can help it. It really doesn't sound TOO bad :D
 
Spacegirl said:
Its so hard to judge without being able to see them.
It does often look much worse than it is though. Humpty and Pepper used to go at each other and do that thing where they just turn into a whirring ball of fur like in the cartoons :shock: :lol:

That is EXACTLY what Miles and Benny looked like! :shock:

Spacegirl said:
I persisted and they are totally in love now but it took a long time at first. I would just leave them - don't ignore them obviously, keep a close eye but don't put in anything new or rock the boat if you can help it. It really doesn't sound TOO bad :D

Thanks for the reassurance! I can't keep an eye on them the whole time but I can hear if anything kicks off and I'm going in to see them every 15 mins anyway.

AMETHYST
 
Is the territory totally neutral? If so I would try and stick with it as long as you don’t see any serious lunging/biting.

I always try and time bondings around mealtimes as I’ve found most rabbits are more interested in their food then each other! :roll: :lol:

Bonding my group of 16 was probably the easiest bonding I’ve ever done. The room has never had a rabbit set foot in it; they had trays of food/hay and lots of escape routes/hidey holes.

All I had was a bit of chasing/fur pulling which settled down after their first night together.

Most of my rabbits were already well socialized in smaller groups anyway so that probably helped a lot. I also think the more rabbits you bond the less they seem to worry about fighting (in my experience anyway).

Hope things settle down for you soon, :)

Louise
 
Hey Amethyst, sounds like you are doing ok to me! The ignoring each other thing is fine I don't think any of mine have done the instant bunny love thing except Charlie and Flops. When I put my 13 in the bathroom they all picked their corners and stuck to them for quite a while, managed to tempt them out with SS but they returmned to them after. There were a few scuffles, think one would start it and the others would join in not having a clue what it was all about, but I had oven gloves on and just waded in! I left them in the bathroom overnight and by morning the distance between them was less. Stick with it, they'll be fine I know it's often said pull out if there is blood but sometimes a bite or scratch can cause blood that's not really that viciously intended. You can tell if they want to kill each other and by the sounds of it yours don't. Good Luck!!x
 
Thanks Chloe, I appreciate the good vibes and advice! :D

Thankfully all has been quiet since the fight just before 6pm. I'm hoping for the best! The blood was definitely just from a little scratch as it was literally two drops and there were no wounds on either of them. They broke up both fights themselves after around 10-15 seconds, ignoring me waving a towel at them and spraying them with a plant spray! :lol: :rolls:

AMETHYST
 
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