Summer&Skye
Mama Doe
Been meaning to start this post for a couple weeks as a log of my bonding of Heidi and Dash. I would appreciate any advice anyone can offer. Sorry it is so long, I thank in advance anyone who reads it all!*
History (for those who don't know)...
Heidi: female, age approx 11months, spayed in July this year. Adopted from pets at home in July, she was territorial and difficult to handle, now a million times better, hoped to bond with my pair but didn't happen. So I got Dash, male, age approx 6m, neutered 1m ago, absolutely no territorial or adolescent behaviour from him, he's a star!!
So this is what's happened so far...*
They've lived outside in hutches side by side. They've been in seperate runs near to eachother and there's been no negative behaviour. A couple of weekends back I decided to try them together (hoping for an easy bond :roll so I used a neutral space but it didn't go well. They sniffed eachother calmly then a fight just erupted and I couldn't tell who started it as there was no warning signs! I have since realised its def Heidi who instigates things! I had to seperate them so I put them in runs. I did a bit if reading up on different methods and the next day I decided to try alternating hutches each day so I started that. I then decided to try putting them together on top of one of the hutches so I could keep hold of Heidi. It went well, I did have to hold her close to me and I think it made her feel more secure. I'm convinced it is fear aggression, but she will nip him given the freedom! So iv been doing that every night for just over a week now and this is what's been happening: Dash is calm, will eat food I put there, hop around a little, come over to me and Heidi and try to instigate grooming or snuggling. However this makes Heidi nervous. She has tried to nip a few times, one time she had a grip and I couldn't get her off him! Thankfully it was just his fur and he was fine. So I have been trying to increase the time they spend together and also judge the mood as to how long to give it. I also try to end on a positive note so if she has had a try at nipping, I calm her again before I put them back in the hutches. I'm just doing a lot of reassuring her, constantly stroking her and telling her she's a good girl etc. and stroking Dash aswell of course! She does seem to be improving, she will allow him to get quite close and does sometimes try to nip but not every time now, but I do have to be very alert and ready to pull her back if she starts on him because if she gets him he will fight back so I can't let that happen. Last night it was going pretty well, managed about half an hour and they were nuzzling eachother on a few occasions, but let her for too long and she turns it into a nip. He actually came and attempted to groom her head but she seemed to freak out as if she thought something bad would happen and she pulled away and grunted. It's made me wonder of she's had a bad experience with another rabbit in the past. I don't know if she was 'old stock' or if she'd been returned.*
Right so this is where we r now...
Tonight - things started positively. Heidi didn't run off and hide for a start when I went to get her (which she started doing once she wised up to what was coming, so this is a good start!) She seemed quite a bit more relaxed tonight. She hopped around a bit and her ears were turning curiously rather than threatening or fearful. However she did try and get a few nips in when Dash hopped close enough! But they did touch faces a few times, I had to keep stroking Heidi, it seems as soon as I move away she tries to nip. Does anyone have any ideas what this behaviour means? Something else she does and did again tonight that I don't understand is she will nuzzle her head under his belly and be there for a few seconds, then suddenly nip him. She nuzzled for quite a while tonight and I thought ooh this is good but then she nipped him. He does absolutely nothing to provoke her, he just stays calm and still. I feel so bad for him and so mean! It's lucky he's like that tho, it would be impossible if he was the same as her!*
So now I would appreciate some opinions on whether things are going well. Any advice and encouragement appreciated!! Thank you very much*:wave:
History (for those who don't know)...
Heidi: female, age approx 11months, spayed in July this year. Adopted from pets at home in July, she was territorial and difficult to handle, now a million times better, hoped to bond with my pair but didn't happen. So I got Dash, male, age approx 6m, neutered 1m ago, absolutely no territorial or adolescent behaviour from him, he's a star!!
So this is what's happened so far...*
They've lived outside in hutches side by side. They've been in seperate runs near to eachother and there's been no negative behaviour. A couple of weekends back I decided to try them together (hoping for an easy bond :roll
so I used a neutral space but it didn't go well. They sniffed eachother calmly then a fight just erupted and I couldn't tell who started it as there was no warning signs! I have since realised its def Heidi who instigates things! I had to seperate them so I put them in runs. I did a bit if reading up on different methods and the next day I decided to try alternating hutches each day so I started that. I then decided to try putting them together on top of one of the hutches so I could keep hold of Heidi. It went well, I did have to hold her close to me and I think it made her feel more secure. I'm convinced it is fear aggression, but she will nip him given the freedom! So iv been doing that every night for just over a week now and this is what's been happening: Dash is calm, will eat food I put there, hop around a little, come over to me and Heidi and try to instigate grooming or snuggling. However this makes Heidi nervous. She has tried to nip a few times, one time she had a grip and I couldn't get her off him! Thankfully it was just his fur and he was fine. So I have been trying to increase the time they spend together and also judge the mood as to how long to give it. I also try to end on a positive note so if she has had a try at nipping, I calm her again before I put them back in the hutches. I'm just doing a lot of reassuring her, constantly stroking her and telling her she's a good girl etc. and stroking Dash aswell of course! She does seem to be improving, she will allow him to get quite close and does sometimes try to nip but not every time now, but I do have to be very alert and ready to pull her back if she starts on him because if she gets him he will fight back so I can't let that happen. Last night it was going pretty well, managed about half an hour and they were nuzzling eachother on a few occasions, but let her for too long and she turns it into a nip. He actually came and attempted to groom her head but she seemed to freak out as if she thought something bad would happen and she pulled away and grunted. It's made me wonder of she's had a bad experience with another rabbit in the past. I don't know if she was 'old stock' or if she'd been returned.*Right so this is where we r now...
Tonight - things started positively. Heidi didn't run off and hide for a start when I went to get her (which she started doing once she wised up to what was coming, so this is a good start!) She seemed quite a bit more relaxed tonight. She hopped around a bit and her ears were turning curiously rather than threatening or fearful. However she did try and get a few nips in when Dash hopped close enough! But they did touch faces a few times, I had to keep stroking Heidi, it seems as soon as I move away she tries to nip. Does anyone have any ideas what this behaviour means? Something else she does and did again tonight that I don't understand is she will nuzzle her head under his belly and be there for a few seconds, then suddenly nip him. She nuzzled for quite a while tonight and I thought ooh this is good but then she nipped him. He does absolutely nothing to provoke her, he just stays calm and still. I feel so bad for him and so mean! It's lucky he's like that tho, it would be impossible if he was the same as her!*
So now I would appreciate some opinions on whether things are going well. Any advice and encouragement appreciated!! Thank you very much*:wave:
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