-
Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.
Anyone around for advice or moral support?
- Thread starter OliveTree
- Start date
It’s been two hours now and I feel like I’m on a rollercoaster! They started off chasing and fur pulling, and I intervened twice, putting a barrier between them, as much for my benefit as for theirs, to give ourselves chance to catch our breaths. Other than that, there’s been a real mix of behaviours - chasing (but not excessive amounts), ignoring, but also a flop from each of them, and grooming. So, I think I can tentatively say that things are looking promising. However, there are two behaviours that are concerning me. Firstly, girl bunny has been grooming Benji’s head/face quite... vigorously? He’s mostly been ok with it but he’s also pulled away a few times. It makes me a bit nervous though - she could bite him by his eye in a split second! Is this a real concern or unlikely to happen?
The other is mounting - I know this is normal and part of how they work out dominance. Benji is mounting girl bunny, but backwards/on her head, and again I’m worried about him getting a nasty bite! I’ve been pushing him off her when this happens. Is mounting vital, and if so will he work out how to do it ‘properly’?! Is there anything I can do to help here?
The other is mounting - I know this is normal and part of how they work out dominance. Benji is mounting girl bunny, but backwards/on her head, and again I’m worried about him getting a nasty bite! I’ve been pushing him off her when this happens. Is mounting vital, and if so will he work out how to do it ‘properly’?! Is there anything I can do to help here?
Well with all things bonding, you'll likely get different opinions, but here's mine.
I too would be nervous about the possibility of her biting his eye, especially as you haven't had time to assess her intentions yet. Tui used to lick Tethra's bottom end by his tail, would get over-enthusiasic and give him a nip. So I would gently stop it for now. Same with mounting, she could hurt him quite nastily and I would stop this. No need to separate, just move them apart and possibly distract with some food.
It's exhausting isn't it!
I too would be nervous about the possibility of her biting his eye, especially as you haven't had time to assess her intentions yet. Tui used to lick Tethra's bottom end by his tail, would get over-enthusiasic and give him a nip. So I would gently stop it for now. Same with mounting, she could hurt him quite nastily and I would stop this. No need to separate, just move them apart and possibly distract with some food.
It's exhausting isn't it!
Scrappy's Little Helper
Mama Doe
I agree with Omi in that I would try and gently discourage them from the aggressive eye grooming and humping just to be on the safe side.
Other than that I think it sounds promising! It's good that they're getting down to business and sorting themselves out early on. When I bonded mine, they ignored each other for ages. It was like high noon in a Western, waiting for them to suddenly draw their weapons!
The first day or so is always the most fraught when it comes to bonding. If you can power through this stage then it should get easier as they start to settle down and get more comfortable with each other.
Other than that I think it sounds promising! It's good that they're getting down to business and sorting themselves out early on. When I bonded mine, they ignored each other for ages. It was like high noon in a Western, waiting for them to suddenly draw their weapons!
The first day or so is always the most fraught when it comes to bonding. If you can power through this stage then it should get easier as they start to settle down and get more comfortable with each other.
I am by no means vastly experienced in this area, but I bonded my two recently and we had a LOT of humping, very intense. I started doing it in sections, but it was clear we just went back to square on everytime so aftera few days we just did 24/7 bonding for 3 days by which time they were clearly ok, albeit still humpy.
I did gently guide him round the right way when he went for her head, just in case, but even now he still sometimes gets it wrong, I just don't worry that she will bite now, she just ducks out the way. But initially I didn't let him stay there.
I don't think I'd let the eye grooming go on too much either til you know her a bit better.
It is so stressful though, I don't think I have ever done anything quite so stressful or intense, but very much worth it now. Hang in there!
Oh, you asked if humping is vital - in my limited experience and extensive research, it is everything for some bunnies. It is a normal part of behaviour, and I think we should try hard not to see it through human eyes or interfere with it if we possibly can. They need to work things out for themselves, in their own language, however hard that sometimes is for us to watch :roll: .
I did gently guide him round the right way when he went for her head, just in case, but even now he still sometimes gets it wrong, I just don't worry that she will bite now, she just ducks out the way. But initially I didn't let him stay there.
I don't think I'd let the eye grooming go on too much either til you know her a bit better.
It is so stressful though, I don't think I have ever done anything quite so stressful or intense, but very much worth it now. Hang in there!
Oh, you asked if humping is vital - in my limited experience and extensive research, it is everything for some bunnies. It is a normal part of behaviour, and I think we should try hard not to see it through human eyes or interfere with it if we possibly can. They need to work things out for themselves, in their own language, however hard that sometimes is for us to watch :roll: .
It all sounds very good. If I were you I’d try to keep them together 24/7 if things are going well, so you don’t have to re start proceedings. The fact that grooming is happening is excellent news. When I bonded 2 pairs into a quad, my boy pair were big groomers of each other but the girls had never groomed each other and never reciprocated the grooming given by the boys. One of the boys was rather enthusiastic about the eye grooming and the girls were a bit :shock: about receiving grooms like that at first. I think it takes them a while to trust each other. I didn’t stop them, but I do agree things can turn, which is why you need to keep a close eye on them. I’d try to keep them diverted onto food, I used to put hay and dried forage in a pile in the middle to encourage them to eat together.
ETA, humping is one of the ways they sort out dominance and as long as they aren’t humping heads or it leading on to anything else like circling I leave them to it.
ETA, humping is one of the ways they sort out dominance and as long as they aren’t humping heads or it leading on to anything else like circling I leave them to it.
Last edited:
Thank you, everyone! I won’t reply to you individually if that’s ok, but I really appreciate it.
Since I last posted, there’s been quite a lot more grooming, plus another flop from Benji, which is encouraging! He’s tried to head hump a few more times, but I’ve pushed him off and he hasn’t really protested or tried to do it again.
Since I last posted, there’s been quite a lot more grooming, plus another flop from Benji, which is encouraging! He’s tried to head hump a few more times, but I’ve pushed him off and he hasn’t really protested or tried to do it again.
It’s been a bit more than 24 hours now, and things are going ok I think. I think there may have been a few chases overnight (I slept close by and heard a bit of running around, but not enough to make me put the light on). This morning when I fed them there was definitely some racing to get to it first (even though I’d scattered it to try to minimise that). Other than that, they’ve mainly been munching hay together, with a bit of sitting side by side. I’ve not seen any grooming yet today, but I’ve not seen anything really concerning either.
I need to clean out a bit today, but otherwise I will leave them be as much as possible. Tomorrow I was planning to put litter trays in. Beyond that, I’m not so sure. I can only extend the space they’re in by a small amount. It will be easier to extend their space more gradually when they’re outside, but of course there’s the disadvantage of that being Benji’s territory (I will clean it of course, but presumably it will still feel familiar to him but not to her). They’ll need access to the playhouse too, for shelter, but I’m guessing/hoping that’s ok because the door can be opened wide so there shouldn’t be any surprise meetings!
One thing I forgot to mention - Benji has his vaccinations next week. I’m planning to take them both, but does anyone have any thoughts about the best way to approach it please?
I need to clean out a bit today, but otherwise I will leave them be as much as possible. Tomorrow I was planning to put litter trays in. Beyond that, I’m not so sure. I can only extend the space they’re in by a small amount. It will be easier to extend their space more gradually when they’re outside, but of course there’s the disadvantage of that being Benji’s territory (I will clean it of course, but presumably it will still feel familiar to him but not to her). They’ll need access to the playhouse too, for shelter, but I’m guessing/hoping that’s ok because the door can be opened wide so there shouldn’t be any surprise meetings!
One thing I forgot to mention - Benji has his vaccinations next week. I’m planning to take them both, but does anyone have any thoughts about the best way to approach it please?
joey&boo
Wise Old Thumper
I see no reason not to take Benji, I expect they'll be fully loved up by then. If their relationship was fractious I'd still do it if there were 2 people (1 to drive 1 to bunny watch / intervene) or I was walking / using public transport
I'm pleased to hear things are still moving in the right direction. Hope you got decent amount of sleep
I'm pleased to hear things are still moving in the right direction. Hope you got decent amount of sleep
Good to see that all's still going well 
I think you'll get some indication of how secure their bond is if you introduce a litter tray tomorrow. With all changes in their environment, if you're not happy with how they are, then revert back to the stage before. I also agree about going to the vets next week. Also far better to take them both than the alternative, which would be having them apart for a while and Benji returning smelling of vet
I think you'll get some indication of how secure their bond is if you introduce a litter tray tomorrow. With all changes in their environment, if you're not happy with how they are, then revert back to the stage before. I also agree about going to the vets next week. Also far better to take them both than the alternative, which would be having them apart for a while and Benji returning smelling of vet It sounds like you are doing very well. I have never had any problems putting 1 or 2 litter trays in and it keeps them in good habits. Also, there shouldn't be any issues when you put them outside as it was your boy's area and they are not usually too territorial. There is always a mad scramble when you are feeding and they will do this for evermore.
Thank you for all the encouragement! I really appreciate it, and feel reassured that things are going along the right lines.
I've realised that I was looking at the wrong page in my diary, and the vaccinations are the following week So hopefully things will be a lot more settled by then anyway. And I can easily take someone with me, so thank you for that suggestion joey&boo.
I'm going to put in litter trays tomorrow then, and see how things go. If things are still going well, do you think I can move them into the permanent enclosure the following day? I can close off an area of it to make it smaller, though it's not massive anyway (it's 8'x8', so it meets RWAF guidelines but doesn't really exceed them). I might block off the bit at the back of the playhouse for a while anyway, as they could easily meet there unexpectedly.
I've realised that I was looking at the wrong page in my diary, and the vaccinations are the following week
So hopefully things will be a lot more settled by then anyway. And I can easily take someone with me, so thank you for that suggestion joey&boo.I'm going to put in litter trays tomorrow then, and see how things go. If things are still going well, do you think I can move them into the permanent enclosure the following day? I can close off an area of it to make it smaller, though it's not massive anyway (it's 8'x8', so it meets RWAF guidelines but doesn't really exceed them). I might block off the bit at the back of the playhouse for a while anyway, as they could easily meet there unexpectedly.
I agree with this :wave:
