Boy trouble

[Truffpuff]

It's not ideal but it's a couple extra weeks in the room so worth them having some time out each day to stretch properly until you start bonding again.

Some things in life are black and white. Rabbit bonding is definitely a grey.

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My OH is going to look at his holiday to see if we can do it sooner than two weeks because I think they are going to just become more frustrated the longer it goes on.

I have decided while it's at least going to be a few days if not more, that I'm going to get truffle booked in with a vets friend to get his ears checked and he seems to be shutting one eye today so he has time to "get over" mean mummy taking him to the vet even though he likes it when he's there!

This is my biggest fear though, if this much damage is done just from a few mins together I'm scared of what they will do when they have more time together to fight it out :-( I can't help being quite the worrier and your exactly right it's very grey area which for someone like myself who likes to have a plan it's nerve wrecking I must admit


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[daphnephoebe]

My OH is going to look at his holiday to see if we can do it sooner than two weeks because I think they are going to just become more frustrated the longer it goes on.

I have decided while it's at least going to be a few days if not more, that I'm going to get truffle booked in with a vets friend to get his ears checked and he seems to be shutting one eye today so he has time to "get over" mean mummy taking him to the vet even though he likes it when he's there!

This is my biggest fear though, if this much damage is done just from a few mins together I'm scared of what they will do when they have more time together to fight it out :-( I can't help being quite the worrier and your exactly right it's very grey area which for someone like myself who likes to have a plan it's nerve wrecking I must admit


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Honestly I'm exactly the same. I like my plans and I like knowing what's going to happen. I worry to the extreme (I'm 24 & have grey hair already!).

If you do end up doing a 2 week break I'd be tempted to say to completely separate them unless they still interact well through the bars.
Good idea having his ears checked over etc as you may need to give him time to heal before attempting again.

I wish it wasn't such a difficult bond but honestly once they're bonded you'll be so proud of yourself & them for going through all this x

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[Truffpuff]

Honestly I'm exactly the same. I like my plans and I like knowing what's going to happen. I worry to the extreme (I'm 24 & have grey hair already!).

If you do end up doing a 2 week break I'd be tempted to say to completely separate them unless they still interact well through the bars.
Good idea having his ears checked over etc as you may need to give him time to heal before attempting again.

I wish it wasn't such a difficult bond but honestly once they're bonded you'll be so proud of yourself & them for going through all this x

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Haha I'm so glad it's not just me (and technically I also have grey hair now...but I chose it

The vet gave truffle a good look over and picked the blood/scabs of his ears and cleaned them. The newest ones from the last big but up look fine although Luther has punctured through truffles ear in two places, the first one on his other ear was bigger than I thought and had a tiny bit of puss but the vet doesn't think there's a worry about infection. He checked out his eye that's been bothering him and as suspected he's got a small scratch so now I have to try and put eye meds in a bunnies eye.....who doesn't like being handled :-/
This is for 5 days then his eye should be fine.

I explained everything that's been going on to the vet and he thinks Luther might be acting out and attacking because he was bullied by two different bunny groups had a hole bitten in his ear and a bit of his tongue was missing....so all he knows is other bunnies attacking him. But I don't know how to fix that.

Also he suggested as you guys have on here before, having somewhere for them to run to like a box. I said we tried that before and they just ignore everything besides each other. But as he was saying that something to jump onto or hide in etc can make one bunny want to retreat so the other one feels he's won.....got me thinking that maybe that's what truffle is doing when he jumps onto the low shelf of the bookcase when we put them together in the half near the door. Sam thinks looking back that when on that side they haven't had a really bad fall out, just some scraps needing intervention. Maybe that shelf is the key....

So after this week we think we might try always having the meet on that one side and try to do it for longer to frustrate them less. The vet was really put off by the bathroom fast track idea, so I think we will try this first.
I'm really struggling today emotionally because I feel so bad for truffle, he had all of downstairs, a cardboard castle, cat servents and human ones, and he was beautiful - now he's ears are shredded and will probably be scarred, has to keep being put with a bunny half his size who appears to just be mean to him. But I really think they could be friends if they just calm down. They should invent bunny ear protectors and muzzles lol (totally kidding btw!) poor truffle x


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[daphnephoebe]

Awh bless him. I think you should do a break while he's having his treatment so no bonding sessions until fully healed.

In terms of treatment - for my "don't touch me" bun I'd just throw a towel over the top of them, pin them down between my legs and then give meds etc while preying they don't figure out they can just bite me then run forwards. Obviously only you will know if this'll work or not x

lots of get well soon vibes coming his way x

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[Truffpuff]

Awh bless him. I think you should do a break while he's having his treatment so no bonding sessions until fully healed.

In terms of treatment - for my "don't touch me" bun I'd just throw a towel over the top of them, pin them down between my legs and then give meds etc while preying they don't figure out they can just bite me then run forwards. Obviously only you will know if this'll work or not x

lots of get well soon vibes coming his way x

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Yeah that's what we thought would be best, otherwise we'd be sending the poor guy in with one eye bless him.

Ah ok that's definitely worth a go although I'm already in the bad books from taking him to the mean vets (despite the fact he likes it there and is good as gold while we are there haha!)

Thank you and thank you for your help - sometimes it's hard not to get down about it x


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[Scrappy's Little Helper]

Bunnies are strange but fascinating creatures. When I was rebonding mine after their fight they acted like they wanted to kill each other. Two weeks later they were snuggled up and inseparable again. Somehow they manage to do this 180 degree change in attitude towards each other. If I had a fight with someone, I very much doubt I'd be cuddling them two weeks later!

Bonding can be stressful, even when it's going well and by the book. And a difficult bond can be twice as stressful, so it's not surprising you're feeling a bit down about it all at the moment. So I do have a few more words of encouragement. One of my buns, Snoopy, was originally adopted with his friend Peanut Butter, who has sadly since passed away. Before they were given up to a rescue their original owner had apparently tried to bond them before Snoopy had been neutered. They must have had a pretty ferocious fight and Peanut Butter's ears were badly damaged. Despite this, the boys were later successfully bonded and became firm friends. So there is always hope even if they get off to a bad start.

Good luck with the eye drops. I can completely empathise with the difficulty of medicating a bun who hates being handled!


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[MightyMax]

I'm really struggling today emotionally because I feel so bad for truffle, he had all of downstairs, a cardboard castle, cat servents and human ones, and he was beautiful - now he's ears are shredded and will probably be scarred, has to keep being put with a bunny half his size who appears to just be mean to him. But I really think they could be friends if they just calm down. They should invent bunny ear protectors and muzzles lol (totally kidding btw!) poor truffle x


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Yes, kind of like fencing gear for bunnies!

I'm sorry about this. You're a good sport and you only want what's best for them

 

[Truffpuff]

Bunnies are strange but fascinating creatures. When I was rebonding mine after their fight they acted like they wanted to kill each other. Two weeks later they were snuggled up and inseparable again. Somehow they manage to do this 180 degree change in attitude towards each other. If I had a fight with someone, I very much doubt I'd be cuddling them two weeks later!

Bonding can be stressful, even when it's going well and by the book. And a difficult bond can be twice as stressful, so it's not surprising you're feeling a bit down about it all at the moment. So I do have a few more words of encouragement. One of my buns, Snoopy, was originally adopted with his friend Peanut Butter, who has sadly since passed away. Before they were given up to a rescue their original owner had apparently tried to bond them before Snoopy had been neutered. They must have had a pretty ferocious fight and Peanut Butter's ears were badly damaged. Despite this, the boys were later successfully bonded and became firm friends. So there is always hope even if they get off to a bad start.

Good luck with the eye drops. I can completely empathise with the difficulty of medicating a bun who hates being handled!


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Yes right?! It's so strange how different their thinking is from us! I would certainly not be cuddling someone who shredded my ears haha!

Aww bless them, it's horrible to hear buns not being nice to each other but knowing they were still able to be friends after makes me feel hopeful. Did you bond them or was it the rescue?
I'm sorry to hear Peanut Butter is now over the rainbow bridge, what a cute name!

I'm actually surprised this morning, I used the towel technique that DP suggested - actually in truth I used two towels haha! It worked this morning but the first time is always the easiest, now he knows haha!!

I have been thinking that as well as the idea I had above about introducing them for longer on the same side every time (with the bookshelf for truffle). I had a thought that maybe to stop Luther immediately thinking about truffle as attack first ask later, maybe he needs to see him differently. Truffle loves the Hoover but Luther doesn't at all, maybe putting them on that side and use the hoover he will see truffle as a brave saviour to rescue him?

Thank you so much for your help and it helps me so much to know it's not over yet from your encouraging stories x


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[Truffpuff]

Yes, kind of like fencing gear for bunnies!

I'm sorry about this. You're a good sport and you only want what's best for them

Haha yes exactly! I must admit I did try and think if I could turn a sock into ear protectors for truffle to help him lol. But it would probably cause more issues than it would solve.

Aw thank you that really means a lot. It does make you feel like an awful parent when they get hurt.


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[daphnephoebe]

Glad the towel technique worked Just make sure you walk past him a few times a day with the towel and don't do anything - this'll help stop him from catching on that that's what the towel is for.

I'd be cautious of the hoover. Bonding is already stressful and that technique is seen as a stress bonding technique. Putting them together, doing something stressful then separating them will just cause confusion to them and may make them relate each other to a negative experience.

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[Truffpuff]

Hi guys.

It’s been a while so I wanted to give an update, I’ll try and keep it brief....but you probably know me by now with my essays lol!!

So no bonding on the same side has happened since the incident where Truffle was screaming. We gave them a break because Truffles ears needed to heal and his eye had a small scratch so I had to do eye drops.

Then after he finished his course Luther, the smaller grey bun (although he’s doubled in weight which I was delighted with as he was a malnourished baby) had crusties on his nose, which one vet said was probably bacterial infection and diagnosed him before even getting him out the box! I had to wash his nose with iodine and apply surolan for a week....as soon as treatment stopped it came back. So I took him to my vet friend - who was fully booked the last time, and he diagnosed rabbit syphilis, which is what I suspected and now his genitals were sore too. So he’s been on injections by me every evening for a week. They finished Monday, poor Luther. He looks much better now.

Through the hole “break” we have left them housed side by side 24/7 because we didn’t want to lapse too far back and also are trying to make Luther so bored of Truffle he stops reacting so much, so when put together he won’t be straight on the offensive.
So that’s us at the moment, I will write another reply with my next concern as I think this is long enough haha!


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[Truffpuff]

My worries.

Luther is really set on destroying the carpet and I have tried every boredom breaker I can think of.

We let Luther run around the living room an hour a night while he was having injections because I had to use the kitchen table and I didn’t want him to have a “bad experience” every time I fetched him down. My observation that’s made me worry a tad, is that while he was socialising with the cats (which he’s met before) he was fine when they left him alone or were gentle. However Flash likes to try his luck, he would never hurt anything but he likes to “bop” or hold/hug and Luther saw this as an attack so chased and nipped him. That I don’t have a problem with, the cats need to know he won’t stand for rough behaviour so I’m all for it, and he’s not tried to hurt Flash (and flash overreacts anyway), my concern is the trend in him fighting “aggression” with aggression. It makes me nervous about how he will be with Truffle again, Truffle nips and humps his cat friend but he doesn’t hurt anyone, but will Luther always assume the worst and attack? :-(

I don’t know what’s best now. I bought them a wooden bed each and put either side of the divide in the hopes they would spend more time together-which worked!
They still get a bit “toothy” through the bars like to young males lions resting each other lol, both pull fur out the others bottom of up against the divide. But they do seem to like each other being there, there are moments of nice sniffing and my OH says he saw truffle lick Luther on the rump, Luther seems to check in with Truffle and copy him and his actions etc.

Do we try doing what we said and put them together short periods like we were, but only on the side where Truffle could get away making Luther think he’s “won”?

Do we just say sod it and chuck them in a carrier and go for it because Luther needs to see Truffle in a different way, as a saviour etc?

Or with the living room and hutch being neutralised and Luther not knowing the room so he’s very timing, do we try because Truffle might feel more confident and Luther will have more to think about being somewhere not well known?

*sigh* it’s just such a long haul for them and us. I do want to be a family for Christmas :-( I feel bad them being stuck up there x


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[Truffpuff]

So after having a lovely chat with MM I decided to take her suggestion about talking to rescues that might do bonding.

I had thought about this at the beginning but I was worried we might be judged because we were trying to bond two males and would they give them a long chance before giving up? So we never went forward with it and at the time we realised for their personalities a slow approach would be better.

Anyway to cut a long story short, I have been in contact with a lady who boards bunnies and offers a bonding service. So I said I would like to visit and chat through our last 9 weeks to see if she can either bond for us, or if she can better advise on what we might be better doing next
I feel a bit excited at the prospect but also a bit guilty because I don’t know if it’s from relief that I might not have to be in the middle.
We shall see


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[JuliaW]

Hi! Glad to hear you have a plan of what to do next. I really don't think you should feel guilty. What is ever wrong in asking for help? You have been very patient and in my opinion, brave continuing to try with this bond. I hope your contact with this bonder works gets you to where you need to be. Continued good luck x

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[MightyMax]

So after having a lovely chat with MM I decided to take her suggestion about talking to rescues that might do bonding.

I had thought about this at the beginning but I was worried we might be judged because we were trying to bond two males and would they give them a long chance before giving up? So we never went forward with it and at the time we realised for their personalities a slow approach would be better.

Anyway to cut a long story short, I have been in contact with a lady who boards bunnies and offers a bonding service. So I said I would like to visit and chat through our last 9 weeks to see if she can either bond for us, or if she can better advise on what we might be better doing next
I feel a bit excited at the prospect but also a bit guilty because I don’t know if it’s from relief that I might not have to be in the middle.
We shall see


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TP I missed this yesterday as I was out most of the day!

I am so glad my idea has taken you on a little way with your bonding saga. I don't see why you should feel at all guilty about trying to bond two males. There's no set pattern to companionship/love.

Many vibes for a wonderful chat with your lady, and I hope it provides you with a way forward

 

[Truffpuff]

Hi! Glad to hear you have a plan of what to do next. I really don't think you should feel guilty. What is ever wrong in asking for help? You have been very patient and in my opinion, brave continuing to try with this bond. I hope your contact with this bonder works gets you to where you need to be. Continued good luck x

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Thank you for your kind words

Yeah your right, I just feel a bit like I should be able to do it but I’m struggling now they are both well and finished treatments for injuries etc, with what the best approach is now. I’m really hopeful she will either be excited to take them on or be able to give advice on what we should do at home.

Me too, thank you. We are trying to set up a day for us to meet her etc x



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[Truffpuff]

TP I missed this yesterday as I was out most of the day!

I am so glad my idea has taken you on a little way with your bonding saga. I don't see why you should feel at all guilty about trying to bond two males. There's no set pattern to companionship/love.

Many vibes for a wonderful chat with your lady, and I hope it provides you with a way forward

That’s ok, I know what it’s like and people are busy

Yes, I thought about it all that day/evening and I said to Sam, I may as well ask around because they may all say no, then we know that’s not an option. I have actually had two people come back, but this lady Julie has a page on Facebook for her bunny boarding, and the first three reviews were about bunny bonding and that she was amazing. Her website looked very knowledgeable about bonding too, so I’m pursuing her first.

Aw thank you so much. I do feel positive that we have this as a potential option, and we are email now to set up a meeting as I prefer to visit her establishment and talk face to face (we know how long my written texts can be haha!).
Thank you for your giving me the confidence xx


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[Truffpuff]

So a date is set for Saturday to go up and talk to this bunny boarding/bonding lady.
I’m really excited to go and have a chat with her, and through our emails so far I’m feeling really positive and I think she definitely knows what she’s doing and loves bunnies.

I will let you all know how we get on and what we are going to do next after our chat


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[MightyMax]

So a date is set for Saturday to go up and talk to this bunny boarding/bonding lady.
I’m really excited to go and have a chat with her, and through our emails so far I’m feeling really positive and I think she definitely knows what she’s doing and loves bunnies.

I will let you all know how we get on and what we are going to do next after our chat


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I guess you feel so much more positive now there is a plan

I will look forward to hearing how it all goes xx

 

[Truffpuff]

I guess you feel so much more positive now there is a plan

I will look forward to hearing how it all goes xx

Yes exactly! I am very much one of those people that likes to have a plan and be organised otherwise I feel a bit out of control.

Thank you so much [emoji1] xx


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