Bonding 4 rabbits UD A Spring fever?

[puppyjess12345]

eek are you going to be able to supervise? or at least pop out every hour or so - it only takes a few seconds for it all to kick off (as I know).. I hope it doesnt - they make a lovely 4!!

Good Luck x

Pop out every hour in the night :shock: erm no? am I supposed too? Plus I dont fancy sleeping in the shed.

They've been in their for half and day been out a lot, nothings happened much, so im hoping it should be ok through the night, will go straight out in the morning.

 

[Lillian]

I'd be worried about leaving your group overnight without supervision after a short time together, a week or so is better before leaving them unsupervised together. Anyway I hope it goes well. You're braver than me, I couldn't bond a 4 alone :shock:

 

[puppyjess12345]

I'd be worried about leaving your group overnight without supervision after a short time together, a week or so is better before leaving them unsupervised together. Anyway I hope it goes well. You're braver than me, I couldn't bond a 4 alone :shock:

Oh god, do people think i should seperate them overnight? I really dont want to though, had no proper scuffles and I dont want to start all over again. Plus I cant have any longer than a weekend for bonding and they'd be unsupervised for 6 hours while Im at school if I carried on in the week. And no sleep for me, tired for school.

 

[Lillian]

Oh god, do people think i should seperate them overnight? I really dont want to though, had no proper scuffles and I dont want to start all over again. Plus I cant have any longer than a weekend for bonding and they'd be unsupervised for 6 hours while Im at school if I carried on in the week. And no sleep for me, tired for school.

I personally wouldn't split them when things are going ok, otherwise you'll have to start from scratch re-bonding them. Why didn't you start bonding during a holiday, like Xmas holiday so you could watch them for a longer period?

 

[puppyjess12345]

I personally wouldn't split them when things are going ok, otherwise you'll have to start from scratch re-bonding them. Why didn't you start bonding during a holiday, like Xmas holiday so you could watch them for a longer period?

Duuuuuh!!!! What an idiot i am Oh well, lets hope for the best in the mornig - just popped out. Ted and Rosie in the bed and Grace and Ell in the litter tray

 

[Lillian]

Duuuuuh!!!! What an idiot i am Oh well, lets hope for the best in the mornig - just popped out. Ted and Rosie in the bed and Grace and Ell in the litter tray

:lol: Never mind! I'm glad it's going ok. I bonded Violet & Mai in a day and left them in the shed over night alone, they never chased, pulled fur, humped etc they instantly fell in love

 

[puppyjess12345]

It hasn't stopped between Grace and Rosie It breaks my heart to see her to scared to move from her bed because every time she does Grace attacks and chases her off. I dont know what to do They got on fine before, do you think it will stop because Grace is just showing whos boss, as in sorting out the hierachy?

 

[William]

I'm sorry its not going well now They are such a lovely quad. Sorry I dont have any advice, no experience with bonding yet.

I'm going to be bonding my trio in the bath as well, so I was wondering if they jump out of it?

 

[puppyjess12345]

I'm sorry its not going well now They are such a lovely quad. Sorry I dont have any advice, no experience with bonding yet.

I'm going to be bonding my trio in the bath as well, so I was wondering if they jump out of it?

Only Ted did once but didnt try again.

Im so upset they will tolerate each other but as soon as they go in the bed/litter tray together they just fight. Im going to leave it till the end of the week to see if they sort it out, if not Im going to put Ted and Rosie together and then Grace and Elliot. Then try again bonding in the bath for at least a week or so because they got along fine in the bath.

Please help me

 

[puppyjess12345]

anyone?

 

[GrahamL]

From what i've read / been told - a bond can take weeks if a hierarchy isn't created promptly. A scaredy bun, who is bottom of the hierarchy may well become a little more confident and challege, and so you end up with chasing.

Unless they are fighting, its all perfectly normal.

I appreciate your situation is difficult, as you are at school etc.

Perhaps breaking it up for now and leaving them in the shed, but seperated somehow (Pen panels?) so they can see each other etc, in their existing pairs, shuold help i would think.

Then try again over the xmas holidays, if you have a constant 1 week period you can do it in. a quad is much more difficult than a pair, or a trio i would think, due to the difference in hierarchial arrangement, e.g, 4 buns who might want to be top bun, rather than 2. If you see where im coming from?

 

[puppyjess12345]

From what i've read / been told - a bond can take weeks if a hierarchy isn't created promptly. A scaredy bun, who is bottom of the hierarchy may well become a little more confident and challege, and so you end up with chasing.

Unless they are fighting, its all perfectly normal.

I appreciate your situation is difficult, as you are at school etc.

Perhaps breaking it up for now and leaving them in the shed, but seperated somehow (Pen panels?) so they can see each other etc, in their existing pairs, shuold help i would think.

Then try again over the xmas holidays, if you have a constant 1 week period you can do it in. a quad is much more difficult than a pair, or a trio i would think, due to the difference in hierarchial arrangement, e.g, 4 buns who might want to be top bun, rather than 2. If you see where im coming from?

Just realised i'm going on holiday on the 28th December. That means I can't do it on that week as by the time I break up on the 19th I cant be supervising them. eeeeeeeeeeeurgh I dont want to wait till the next holiday after that

I've found that Grace is nipping all the others too, but sort of lunges then stops but with Rosie she actually nips and chases her. Do you think they just dislike each other or its because Rosie is the bottom bunny and Grace is taking advantage? They tolerate each other but its not like it was in the bath

 

[LilVicky]

Oh no! I think you may have given them too much space too soon

I would suggest putting them in the bath again... and when you move them back into the shed introduce their space slowly... block some of the shed off to them with some sort of panels.

Could someone watch them while you are at school?

I think you are better off waiting till you are able to stay with them through the bonding process... unless you can get someone to help.

I hope things smooth out soon! :wave:

But i do think Grace is trying to be boss and she is letting everyone know that...
Theres going to be chasing till they sort themselves out.

 

[kaths101]

:wave: Could you take them back to the bath and start again - they maybe have too much space too quickly and the litter tray seems to be causing probs - they have probably become territorial over it...

I would go back to the bath open all the windows and keep them there for a few weeks if you can - totally neutralise the shed again and start again..

Dont worry mine did this first time so they went back to be rebonded and they are fine now x

 

[puppyjess12345]

Oh no! I think you may have given them too much space too soon

I would suggest putting them in the bath again... and when you move them back into the shed introduce their space slowly... block some of the shed off to them with some sort of panels.

Could someone watch them while you are at school?

I think you are better off waiting till you are able to stay with them through the bonding process... unless you can get someone to help.

I hope things smooth out soon! :wave:

But i do think Grace is trying to be boss and she is letting everyone know that...
Theres going to be chasing till they sort themselves out.

I know, its so annoying. Do you think if I left them they would sort it out? Thats what im gonna do, wait till the end of the week. I also think Grace is trying to be boss but why does she have to be so mean to Rosie and not to Ted and Elliot?!

Its going to be at least 2 and a half months till I can stay with them through bonding. Stupid stupid school.

 

[puppyjess12345]

:wave: Could you take them back to the bath and start again - they maybe have too much space too quickly and the litter tray seems to be causing probs - they have probably become territorial over it...

I would go back to the bath open all the windows and keep them there for a few weeks if you can - totally neutralise the shed again and start again..

Dont worry mine did this first time so they went back to be rebonded and they are fine now x

Do you think they would be better in the bath while Im at school compared to in the shed?

Im glad its not just mine, i've been dreaming about a quad for ageeeees. Did anyone of yours in particular get bullied?

 

[kaths101]

I know, its so annoying. Do you think if I left them they would sort it out? Thats what im gonna do, wait till the end of the week. I also think Grace is trying to be boss but why does she have to be so mean to Rosie and not to Ted and Elliot?!

Its going to be at least 2 and a half months till I can stay with them through bonding. Stupid stupid school.

Umm mine didnt sort it out?? It got so bad Mittens went into stasis so i had
to seperate. Personally I would start again now before one gets hurt or ill

 

[VickiP]

:shock: Sorry going to sound contraversial but, I cannot imagine putting mine in the bath, Ness would be over and out and probably hurt herself and as for bonding in the bath, too stressful for me - I'd have gone for a playpen over a bathtub anyday, regarding the bonding go with your instincts regardless of what advice your given, trust your judgement, it's too late when they are stressed out to hell or have hurt each other, I'm not being mean I know there are lots of people who swear by this and putting them on washing machines etc but, it's just not for me.

 

[puppyjess12345]

Umm mine didnt sort it out?? It got so bad Mittens went into stasis so i had
to seperate. Personally I would start again now before one gets hurt or ill

Why did she go into stasis? :shock:

 

[kaths101]

Do you think they would be better in the bath while Im at school compared to in the shed?

Im glad its not just mine, i've been dreaming about a quad for ageeeees. Did anyone of yours in particular get bullied?

Yes I think so - though the bath isnt really secure - have you got a small indoor cage or something like a puppy pen where you could put them in your room? somewhere they could stay in that will be safe - they could jump out of the bath!!

Yes Mittens got bullied - only by Sooty the other girl - the rest were fine together but then it escalated into big fights with all of them