Den
Mama Doe
There's been loads of bonding threads going on recently, some I think by complete novices like me & Oh, so I thought I would share our experiences. I must admit I'd hoped not to be in a position to have to bond for many years in the future, but the sad loss of Poppy meant a lonely Will. I hadnt realised what a tidy bunny Will is, after Poppy died he was on his own for 2 weeks and not a stray poop in sight. Anyway, I digress as usual.
My bunnies set up is a fairly "traditional" hutch and run connected with a ramp, but was custom made by OH so is nice and big. Therefore the "neutral territory" was going to be difficult. OH was admant they werent coming inside, much as he grew to love the buns, I had no holiday left to book from work, so this is what we did.
DAY 1 (Sunday)- put Will in lawn run and neutralised the run and hutch, with white vinegar, tears from me as I felt I was eradicating Poppy, and then took him to the rescue for a speed dating session. Kerry who runs the rescue set up a small metal pen in an area her rabbits dont use. His first potential partner was another little Nethie called Boo, another male, it was hate at first sight circling each other and Will just tried to get away from him, although there wasnt fighting as such I think it would have escalated. Then along came Nancy, a bit bigger than Will, but not too big for our setup - she is classed as a medium cross breed! This was a totally different reaction after first ignoring each other, Nancy decided to pin poor little Will down and hump him. Kerry told us this was quite normal and showing dominance. Once she stopped Will sat next to her and groomed her. We watched them for a couple of hours in this small pen, there was a bit of humping on Nancy's part and a bit of fur pulling but nothing really vicious. Kerry gave them a large spring green leaf which they both nibbled on. She asked if we wanted to try him with any others but decided Nancy was his girl. As they had got on so well, we drove them the 20 miles or so home both in the same carrier with a view to stopping and seperating them if necessary, but they both snuggled together in the carrier. Get them home and reduce the size of our lawn run and they spent the rest of Sunday in here watched like hawks by me, OH and our son. We had a plant sprayer with water ready to squirt if necessary. What a difference being on "home ground" meant for Will. He was the one starting the chasing and humping, which was actually quite funny to watch as Nancy's bigger than him. Sadly he did need to be sprayed a couple of times. I dont know what our neighbours thought as OH had to go out, I needed to start cooking so our son Dan was "in charge". He was under instruction from me to squirt if he "humped her back" but pull him off quick if he "humped her head as she might bite his bits". The humping stopped after not too long and Will was constantly grooming her but she wouldnt groom him back, even though he kept putting his head down. Early into the evening we increased the run size so they could get some exercise. Both were running and binkying but kept apart from each other so we reduced it down again for the hour or so before we put them back into Will's run. We had removed the ramp and OH made a divider with large holed mesh so they just had one side of the run each. After exploring their respective halves they eventually flopped out next to each other, just seperated by the mesh divider.
DAY 2 (Monday)
BIG panic, Will hadnt pooped at all over night and wasnt eating out of my hand as usual. Went up to tell OH that Will needed the vets (thoughts of Poppy rushing through my head) But whilst I was getting dressed OH had got up, set up the lawn run and put Will in it (now I think he's been reading up on rabbit health since Poppy died) as when I came down Will was sitting in a corner of the lawn run nomming grass and depositing a big pile of poops. OH said he's rubbed his tummy when he picked him up. Dont know if it was the stress of being in his own place but not having proper access to it or the fact that his litter box was where his digging box used to be.
Anyways, OH made me go to work. He then went out for timber to increase the height of the lawn run to "Nancy Proof it" by lunchtime they were back together on the lawn. I'd received texts along the lines of "Will has just done 15 poops" "Will is eating his Rabbit Royale" and such like. I got home around 2.30pm. The water spray had only had to be used once when Will had tried to hump Nancy. It was raining at this point, so OH had put a big tarpaulin over the lawn run and was sitting under his big fishing umbrella. So the bunny guard was changed and he went off to physio. Watching the buns was quite uneventful. The were both nomming grass, laying together and with Will constantly grooming her but only getting the occasional groom back. I also noticed both pooped in the same corner of the run. We kept them out together until dark - increasing the size for about half an hour at one point so they could get some exercise. They decided they were going to start humping again so we decreased it back down again before we put them back in the divided run. We were going to swap sides and litter trays but I didnt want to risk Will getting stressed again so took a gamble and put them back in the same places. They both flopped next to each other , just divided by the run.
DAY 3 (Tuesday)
I went down at first light to make sure Will had pooped - my near enough sleepless night had been unnecessary - litter tray had had good use made of it. All of us were at work today. I was first one home so had to put them together. It had poured down with rain all day and the grass was soaking and as I struggle to put the lawn run together - OH made it - its in folding sections so we can alter size, shape, where it goes etc - I just used one double section of it to make our patio secure - using the sides of the kitchen wall and conservatory as the other 2 sides of the run. This was new territory to Will too so I took the chance of putting a litter tray and one food bowl in there for them. They were both busy exploring. Inquisitive Will even hopped into the kitchen, but wasnt that impressed with the slippery ceramic tiles so soon hopped out again. They both used the litter tray - they even both got in it at one point - bit of a squash. They both ate out of the same food bowl, but not at the same time. Again lots of binkying and tearing about, flopping together and Will constantly grooming Nancy and asking to be groomed but not getting it back - poor boy. But still seperated by the divider over night.
DAY 4 (Wednesday)
Pretty much the same as day 3. I had them out on the patio again so I can be getting on in the kitchen but still keep an eye on them. No humping at all and joy of joy eating from the same bowl.
Day 5 (Thursday)
OH only working half a day so he came home and had them on the lawn run in a different part of the garden (no stray poops) It was very hot, the run was in a shaded area. There was one paving slab which they both laid on together to keep cool. Once it cooled down into the evening they were binkying like mad again - still not much grooming being done by Nancy, although she demands loads. We are very tempted to put them together overnight but decided to wait until the weekend when we can supervise them having the whole hutch & run set up.
Day 6 (Friday)
When I went down to give them breakfast Will was grooming Nancy's head through the divider. I was so pleased. Again OH only working half a day so they were out in the lawn run again, at full size this time and they were together. Eating from the same bowl, pooping in the same corner of the run and just seeming content.
Day 7 (Saturday)
Today was to be the day. We had to out in the morning to get some neutral bunny toys and then dashed home to sort the buns out!! We dithered over what to do. We had a barbecue to go to that evening so we bit the bullet and took the divide out of the hutch's run. Instead of greeting each other with open paws they investigated each others litter trays!!! We left them to it for about half an hour, then took them on to the lawn again, where they seemed to "bond" better. Whilst they were out we completely neutralised the hutch & run again, put the ramp, the digging box and the new toysback in. Two hours before we were due to go out we put them back in and watched with bated breath. After much exploring, particularly by Nancy they settled down in "bun corner" - it seems weird seeing Nancy with him instead of Poppy. We went out to family barbecue and came back to 2 buns laying side by side! No fur pulled that I could see so we had a bonded pair!!
2.5 weeks on and I totally agree with a thread stared by "Karen's" I think, about bunny's being friends. I know I keep going on about Poppy but her and Will were equals, both demanding, and giving grooming, whereas Nancy is obviously the dom and Will the sub. He is constantly grooming her (and not always when she asks, she'll just flop and he will be there grooming) He is always asking but not getting groomed back
She will nudge him out the way if she wants to sit/lay in a certain spot, but he obviously doesnt mind as he just moves and lays down next to her.
So all in all I think it's been a successful "bond" - considering I used a mixture of slow and quick bonding. When I read of some of the bonding tales on here, I must admit I think we got lucky with Nancy. Will clearly loves having another bunny around and seems much happier - he has even started doing the circuits of his hutch & run again that him and Poppy used to do. Nancy likes her new home too, she is frequently seen flopped out and binkying - although her binkies dont seem as athletic as Wills (only cos shes bigger).
My bunnies set up is a fairly "traditional" hutch and run connected with a ramp, but was custom made by OH so is nice and big. Therefore the "neutral territory" was going to be difficult. OH was admant they werent coming inside, much as he grew to love the buns, I had no holiday left to book from work, so this is what we did.
DAY 1 (Sunday)- put Will in lawn run and neutralised the run and hutch, with white vinegar, tears from me as I felt I was eradicating Poppy, and then took him to the rescue for a speed dating session. Kerry who runs the rescue set up a small metal pen in an area her rabbits dont use. His first potential partner was another little Nethie called Boo, another male, it was hate at first sight circling each other and Will just tried to get away from him, although there wasnt fighting as such I think it would have escalated. Then along came Nancy, a bit bigger than Will, but not too big for our setup - she is classed as a medium cross breed! This was a totally different reaction after first ignoring each other, Nancy decided to pin poor little Will down and hump him. Kerry told us this was quite normal and showing dominance. Once she stopped Will sat next to her and groomed her. We watched them for a couple of hours in this small pen, there was a bit of humping on Nancy's part and a bit of fur pulling but nothing really vicious. Kerry gave them a large spring green leaf which they both nibbled on. She asked if we wanted to try him with any others but decided Nancy was his girl. As they had got on so well, we drove them the 20 miles or so home both in the same carrier with a view to stopping and seperating them if necessary, but they both snuggled together in the carrier. Get them home and reduce the size of our lawn run and they spent the rest of Sunday in here watched like hawks by me, OH and our son. We had a plant sprayer with water ready to squirt if necessary. What a difference being on "home ground" meant for Will. He was the one starting the chasing and humping, which was actually quite funny to watch as Nancy's bigger than him. Sadly he did need to be sprayed a couple of times. I dont know what our neighbours thought as OH had to go out, I needed to start cooking so our son Dan was "in charge". He was under instruction from me to squirt if he "humped her back" but pull him off quick if he "humped her head as she might bite his bits". The humping stopped after not too long and Will was constantly grooming her but she wouldnt groom him back, even though he kept putting his head down. Early into the evening we increased the run size so they could get some exercise. Both were running and binkying but kept apart from each other so we reduced it down again for the hour or so before we put them back into Will's run. We had removed the ramp and OH made a divider with large holed mesh so they just had one side of the run each. After exploring their respective halves they eventually flopped out next to each other, just seperated by the mesh divider.
DAY 2 (Monday)
BIG panic, Will hadnt pooped at all over night and wasnt eating out of my hand as usual. Went up to tell OH that Will needed the vets (thoughts of Poppy rushing through my head) But whilst I was getting dressed OH had got up, set up the lawn run and put Will in it (now I think he's been reading up on rabbit health since Poppy died) as when I came down Will was sitting in a corner of the lawn run nomming grass and depositing a big pile of poops. OH said he's rubbed his tummy when he picked him up. Dont know if it was the stress of being in his own place but not having proper access to it or the fact that his litter box was where his digging box used to be.
Anyways, OH made me go to work. He then went out for timber to increase the height of the lawn run to "Nancy Proof it" by lunchtime they were back together on the lawn. I'd received texts along the lines of "Will has just done 15 poops" "Will is eating his Rabbit Royale" and such like. I got home around 2.30pm. The water spray had only had to be used once when Will had tried to hump Nancy. It was raining at this point, so OH had put a big tarpaulin over the lawn run and was sitting under his big fishing umbrella. So the bunny guard was changed and he went off to physio. Watching the buns was quite uneventful. The were both nomming grass, laying together and with Will constantly grooming her but only getting the occasional groom back. I also noticed both pooped in the same corner of the run. We kept them out together until dark - increasing the size for about half an hour at one point so they could get some exercise. They decided they were going to start humping again so we decreased it back down again before we put them back in the divided run. We were going to swap sides and litter trays but I didnt want to risk Will getting stressed again so took a gamble and put them back in the same places. They both flopped next to each other , just divided by the run.
DAY 3 (Tuesday)
I went down at first light to make sure Will had pooped - my near enough sleepless night had been unnecessary - litter tray had had good use made of it. All of us were at work today. I was first one home so had to put them together. It had poured down with rain all day and the grass was soaking and as I struggle to put the lawn run together - OH made it - its in folding sections so we can alter size, shape, where it goes etc - I just used one double section of it to make our patio secure - using the sides of the kitchen wall and conservatory as the other 2 sides of the run. This was new territory to Will too so I took the chance of putting a litter tray and one food bowl in there for them. They were both busy exploring. Inquisitive Will even hopped into the kitchen, but wasnt that impressed with the slippery ceramic tiles so soon hopped out again. They both used the litter tray - they even both got in it at one point - bit of a squash. They both ate out of the same food bowl, but not at the same time. Again lots of binkying and tearing about, flopping together and Will constantly grooming Nancy and asking to be groomed but not getting it back - poor boy. But still seperated by the divider over night.
DAY 4 (Wednesday)
Pretty much the same as day 3. I had them out on the patio again so I can be getting on in the kitchen but still keep an eye on them. No humping at all and joy of joy eating from the same bowl.
Day 5 (Thursday)
OH only working half a day so he came home and had them on the lawn run in a different part of the garden (no stray poops) It was very hot, the run was in a shaded area. There was one paving slab which they both laid on together to keep cool. Once it cooled down into the evening they were binkying like mad again - still not much grooming being done by Nancy, although she demands loads. We are very tempted to put them together overnight but decided to wait until the weekend when we can supervise them having the whole hutch & run set up.
Day 6 (Friday)
When I went down to give them breakfast Will was grooming Nancy's head through the divider. I was so pleased. Again OH only working half a day so they were out in the lawn run again, at full size this time and they were together. Eating from the same bowl, pooping in the same corner of the run and just seeming content.
Day 7 (Saturday)
Today was to be the day. We had to out in the morning to get some neutral bunny toys and then dashed home to sort the buns out!! We dithered over what to do. We had a barbecue to go to that evening so we bit the bullet and took the divide out of the hutch's run. Instead of greeting each other with open paws they investigated each others litter trays!!! We left them to it for about half an hour, then took them on to the lawn again, where they seemed to "bond" better. Whilst they were out we completely neutralised the hutch & run again, put the ramp, the digging box and the new toysback in. Two hours before we were due to go out we put them back in and watched with bated breath. After much exploring, particularly by Nancy they settled down in "bun corner" - it seems weird seeing Nancy with him instead of Poppy. We went out to family barbecue and came back to 2 buns laying side by side! No fur pulled that I could see so we had a bonded pair!!
2.5 weeks on and I totally agree with a thread stared by "Karen's" I think, about bunny's being friends. I know I keep going on about Poppy but her and Will were equals, both demanding, and giving grooming, whereas Nancy is obviously the dom and Will the sub. He is constantly grooming her (and not always when she asks, she'll just flop and he will be there grooming) He is always asking but not getting groomed back
She will nudge him out the way if she wants to sit/lay in a certain spot, but he obviously doesnt mind as he just moves and lays down next to her.So all in all I think it's been a successful "bond" - considering I used a mixture of slow and quick bonding. When I read of some of the bonding tales on here, I must admit I think we got lucky with Nancy. Will clearly loves having another bunny around and seems much happier - he has even started doing the circuits of his hutch & run again that him and Poppy used to do. Nancy likes her new home too, she is frequently seen flopped out and binkying - although her binkies dont seem as athletic as Wills (only cos shes bigger).
