Hi Guys!
this is on bonding of our mini lop 1.5 years old buck, Kevin and new kitten, Russian Blue cross, Rosie.
we got Rosie on Saturday, 12th November so she is with us almost a week now. Kevin is a big dominant buck who's been the only and very loved and spoilt pet for a while. we live in a large flat.
what i've done for the bonding to begive safely:
Kevin's cage is in the livingroom. however Kevin is entire free range and we never close him in his cage. so he has the roam of the livingroom to himself. so what i've done is put up a little metal fence, kinda like a baby barrier in the door way to the living room. so Kevin has the roam of livingroom and Rosie the rest of the house. its a metal little fence so they can see and smell each other safely through it.
Kevin knew right away that there is another creature in his domain but the fence i think made him feel more secure and he could observe her and get used to seeing and smelling her safely.
also, on the second night i've swaped their bedding. so the towel that Kevin sleeps in i put in Rosie's bed and Rosie's towel from her bed i've put in Kevin's bed. He knew right away it smelled of her. the next day i saw his passed out on his side right on this towel! so thats a good sign that he is learning that her smell is not theatening to her. i've continued the swap of bedding between then everynight.
i've also done extensive research on bonding techniques between rabbit to rabbit and rabbits to other animals. as far as i understood the technique is pretty much the same. i also read that its good if rabits get a chance to choose their own mates, kinda like speed dating as they smell whoever fits them most. well for those of you who read my previous thread on the story with Lily, i belive that Kevin 'likes' Rosie more. Or maybe its just due to me handling all this with a better approach this time.
anyways, i'bve decided to do the dating tachnique with them. ive waited 3 days of them getting used to each other with the flat being separated by the metal fence. so they know each other's smells by the time they meet in 'person' and dont freak out too much. Rosie is facinated by Kevin but also very cautious of him.
Tuesday, date N1:
we took them both to the corridor which is a neuteral territory for them, especially Kevin. i put a plate of greenery for Kevin to munch on as i read that eating is a social thing for rabbits. he was content and eat his food. then went around all the trecks where Rosie went smelling her sent. there was no aggressive behaviour displayed by eaither of them. the date lasted 10-15mins.
Wednesday, date N2:
this time ive decided to do it in the study as its a bigger space then the corridor and has a carpet for firmer grip for Kevin. it went well, kevin eat his hay. but then he went all quiet in the corner. i think that he felt a little trappen in the room as the door was closed and maybe felt a little threatened and cornedred. so i openened the door to the corridor giving them bigger space. Kevin cheered up and started exploring around. then ate his hay ball. when he eats in he tears it apart and Rosie things its a game and starts jumping on the hay ball. i was really nervous that it would startle Kevin but eventhough she jumped right in front of his face he did nothing, just smelled her. she also passed by him very closely that his face was in her fur but he didnt display any aggressive behaviour at all.
as far as i was reading on bonding i thought that for rabbits to eventually become friends they need to first assert their dominance. but i have not seem Kevin assert any dominating behaviour towards Rosie. he just seems pretty indifferent to her on the two dates we had. why do u think is that? or maybe he wont be displaying dominance couse he knows she is not another bunny?
also, in the evenings when Kevin is more alert and when he seems he pottering around in the bedroom or Rosie running round frantically and playing, he starts biting and chewing on the metal barrier as if he wants to join in. so yesterday i let him out again, evethough we had a date. i though if he wasnt to come out of living room maybe i should let him and see what he wants. so i did. he obviously just wnated to inspect what was going on as i was changing the bedding and he loves to participate whenever i clean the house or anything like that he is always around. so i let him out, rosie was asleep on the pillow and he wondered round and then came up to Rosie right nose to nose with her and just stood there sniffing her (not thretening body language, just his nose wiggling next to hers).after like 5-10 seconds she got vary of what was going on and started to back off a little. then he went back to the living room.
I would appreciate any opinions of how you think our bonding is going? what do u think Kevin is saying? does he like Rosie? why is there no aggressive and dominant behaviour as he did with Lily?
i was thinking to wait for about 5-7 dates to go well and maybe when they start to groom eachother or lay next to each other and then more the dating from neuteral territory to the living room, which is Kevin territory. i want to make sure they are bonded so we dont take a step back when on Kevin's territory.
this is on bonding of our mini lop 1.5 years old buck, Kevin and new kitten, Russian Blue cross, Rosie.
we got Rosie on Saturday, 12th November so she is with us almost a week now. Kevin is a big dominant buck who's been the only and very loved and spoilt pet for a while. we live in a large flat.
what i've done for the bonding to begive safely:
Kevin's cage is in the livingroom. however Kevin is entire free range and we never close him in his cage. so he has the roam of the livingroom to himself. so what i've done is put up a little metal fence, kinda like a baby barrier in the door way to the living room. so Kevin has the roam of livingroom and Rosie the rest of the house. its a metal little fence so they can see and smell each other safely through it.
Kevin knew right away that there is another creature in his domain but the fence i think made him feel more secure and he could observe her and get used to seeing and smelling her safely.
also, on the second night i've swaped their bedding. so the towel that Kevin sleeps in i put in Rosie's bed and Rosie's towel from her bed i've put in Kevin's bed. He knew right away it smelled of her. the next day i saw his passed out on his side right on this towel! so thats a good sign that he is learning that her smell is not theatening to her. i've continued the swap of bedding between then everynight.
i've also done extensive research on bonding techniques between rabbit to rabbit and rabbits to other animals. as far as i understood the technique is pretty much the same. i also read that its good if rabits get a chance to choose their own mates, kinda like speed dating as they smell whoever fits them most. well for those of you who read my previous thread on the story with Lily, i belive that Kevin 'likes' Rosie more. Or maybe its just due to me handling all this with a better approach this time.
anyways, i'bve decided to do the dating tachnique with them. ive waited 3 days of them getting used to each other with the flat being separated by the metal fence. so they know each other's smells by the time they meet in 'person' and dont freak out too much. Rosie is facinated by Kevin but also very cautious of him.
Tuesday, date N1:
we took them both to the corridor which is a neuteral territory for them, especially Kevin. i put a plate of greenery for Kevin to munch on as i read that eating is a social thing for rabbits. he was content and eat his food. then went around all the trecks where Rosie went smelling her sent. there was no aggressive behaviour displayed by eaither of them. the date lasted 10-15mins.
Wednesday, date N2:
this time ive decided to do it in the study as its a bigger space then the corridor and has a carpet for firmer grip for Kevin. it went well, kevin eat his hay. but then he went all quiet in the corner. i think that he felt a little trappen in the room as the door was closed and maybe felt a little threatened and cornedred. so i openened the door to the corridor giving them bigger space. Kevin cheered up and started exploring around. then ate his hay ball. when he eats in he tears it apart and Rosie things its a game and starts jumping on the hay ball. i was really nervous that it would startle Kevin but eventhough she jumped right in front of his face he did nothing, just smelled her. she also passed by him very closely that his face was in her fur but he didnt display any aggressive behaviour at all.
as far as i was reading on bonding i thought that for rabbits to eventually become friends they need to first assert their dominance. but i have not seem Kevin assert any dominating behaviour towards Rosie. he just seems pretty indifferent to her on the two dates we had. why do u think is that? or maybe he wont be displaying dominance couse he knows she is not another bunny?
also, in the evenings when Kevin is more alert and when he seems he pottering around in the bedroom or Rosie running round frantically and playing, he starts biting and chewing on the metal barrier as if he wants to join in. so yesterday i let him out again, evethough we had a date. i though if he wasnt to come out of living room maybe i should let him and see what he wants. so i did. he obviously just wnated to inspect what was going on as i was changing the bedding and he loves to participate whenever i clean the house or anything like that he is always around. so i let him out, rosie was asleep on the pillow and he wondered round and then came up to Rosie right nose to nose with her and just stood there sniffing her (not thretening body language, just his nose wiggling next to hers).after like 5-10 seconds she got vary of what was going on and started to back off a little. then he went back to the living room.
I would appreciate any opinions of how you think our bonding is going? what do u think Kevin is saying? does he like Rosie? why is there no aggressive and dominant behaviour as he did with Lily?
i was thinking to wait for about 5-7 dates to go well and maybe when they start to groom eachother or lay next to each other and then more the dating from neuteral territory to the living room, which is Kevin territory. i want to make sure they are bonded so we dont take a step back when on Kevin's territory.
