Sammy&Patch
Warren Scout
Earlier in the year I was on here getting advise about bonding Hazel and Shadow, they are a very difficult bond. We have been trying for a long time and Shadow was only getting to stay if they could be bonded (the rescue said they would have him back if it didn't work out). But we have of course fallen in love with him so he can't leave us now! They are getting on very well now (seperately) in the house, they each have a room and the hallway is divided so they each get a bit, with baby pens set up around to divide them, there is about 70cm where they can get to each other through the bars 24/7 (their heads fit right through but no further). I put their food between them and they eat happily together. This took a little while to get them to be ok but they are. They both like lying on these round circular beds so I have put them in this space so they are near each other a lot when napping. I also open one gate at a time which allows one of them to run up and down the stairs if they want and they can then get to each other about 3 metres where they can put their heads through to each other all the way along. This also took a while but they are settled with that now. Shadow often puts his head right through and Hazel will put her head down but neither will lick each other, it's liek a stand off. Then Hazel will sometimes nip him as if she is telling him to groom her, and then put her head down again, he will jump back and then put his head through the same. I don't think either of them will give in. I tried the banana trick and hazel did lick shadows head for ages that one time, he was completely soaked on his head! They both love cuddles and if I stroke them while their heads are together they will sit for ages, crunching away chatting to each other. So now lockdown has eased we decided to try bonding again (now we can go to the vet if we needed!). But it hasn't gone well. We did neutral terrotory, small space. Neither had been in before. They ignored each other to start, went past each other a few times with a bit of a sniff then ignoring. but hazel decided to pee in one corner. The next day they did some circling so I pulled them apart and ended it. The next day we tried outdoors instead in a small space again. They were ok sort of, did some grass munching, hazel did loads of poos and a wee. But then they sniffed each other and went into a bit of a whirlwind. we pulled apart and stroked them a bit then did some smooching before ending. The next day almost straight away they got like this, they kind of jumped over each other, shadow had his tail down, then they ended up in a circling whirlwind again. We did the same, seperated them a bit then tried stroking etc. We gave them some dandelion leaves that they normally will share through the bars but hazel bit at shadow and he jumped back. We stroked again , they did their own thing then let them together a bit again, they got into another wild circle where neither of them would stop. I just don't think either of them is ever going to let the other be the boss and give in, they are both very strong willed and not a good match for bonding, I was suprised with all the progress we had made that they still want to attack/fight each other so badly. They are maybe both trying to get on top of each other or something but it doesn't get that far, they just go round and round and fur flies. I was hoping after all this time they would be calmer together. I am considering stopping trying to get them together and just allow them to live as they are, side by side but so they have contact with each other through the bars and just stroke them together daily to give them that time properly together. When they are being stroked together they are perfectly happy being next to each other, snuggled up. Sometimes if Hazel looks like she will nip shadow through the bars, just saying her name and talkikng to her from a distance calms her and she doesn't nip him. I think it's either demanding he lick her or it's a warning as sometimes he comes on a bit strong through the bars, like pushing his head further and further into her. She doesn't mind all the time, just sometimes. I really wanted it to work but I don't want to unnecessarily keep stressing them if it's unlikely to work out and they seem quite happy how they are.