Luna & Dash - advice please!

[MamatoLush]

Hey!

I am really sorry for the longggg post.

Just looking for some advice/clarification on a few (or a lot of) things.

Luna is 11 months old, spayed in January. Soooo gentle and calm. Never had any aggression from her. Very very chilled out, our Lazy Luna. Quite a nervous bun (obviously they all are to some extent but her more than average).
Dash is 1, neutered in March. Equally as gentle, no aggression from him, either. He’s our Detective Dash though, he is everywhere lol. He’s like a hyper toddler and it’s hilarious. Luna has been with us since October. Dash only came in April so we are still really getting to know him and him, us.

Luna had free roam of the house and would peek in other rooms but had the living room very much as her territory before Dashy’s arrival. Initially, I had them side by side, Luna in her usual cage that is used for toilet/food/etc and Dash in a pen. I made 2 errors. I went to bed thinking all would be well as it was double fenced. Dash being new, I didn’t realise he was an expert jumper as Luna doesn’t jump at all really. I woke up to Luna in her cage and Dash running around the living room (Luna’s living room ) living his best life. My second error was that I wanted to combat the obvious jealousy she’d have been feeling so put Dash back in his pen and let Luna have some free roam time in the same room. She made a beeline for him and there was a little bit of aggressive behaviour shown at the bars but she stopped as soon as I made movement. I felt very nervous so from then we kept the door shut and let her continue with the living room and let him have the hallway and my daughters room. I then swapped their toys and things for a few days and then let them swap rooms on trial. Neither showed any signs of stress. Flops from both etc. I got past my nerves and did a first introduction in neutral ground (the kitchen), they ignored each other for a bit, then lots of nipping from Luna. Rabbit researcher me said “that’s fine”.
Panicky bun mum me said “IS THAT A NIP OR A BITE? WHAT DO I DO?”. And then I realised.. my nerves would affect them and this was best left to the professionals.

So fast forward.. they went to a rescue for bonding on the 12th. The rescue kept saying that they were a “slow” bond but by night 2 they were in together all night and had no bad behaviour. Day 3 they started to groom each other. From then on, they spent 24/7 together and were perfectly behaved for the next 8 days. On leaving they were in a 8x8 space. I collected them yesterday morning and set them up in a 3x2 in the kitchen. Again, they have been perfectly behaved. Usual bonding behaviour (I think).. Dash mounted Luna once or twice so obviously trying to sort out the hierarchy again. A few times I’ve seen them nose to nose, both with lowered heads and both being stubborn so I’ve been doing lots of bunny magic. They’re eating together, cuddling up, Dash is laying on Luna and she’s happy with it, we’ve had flops from both, Dashy is mirroring Luna lots and watching over her while she sleeps, mutual grooming etc. Just all the positive signs you’d hope to see. I literally slept on the kitchen floor last night to keep an eye and they were just cuddled up all night.

So my questions are, and I’m sorry there’s lots of them.....

1. Should I be separating them at night?
2. CAN I separate them at night? I’m a bit lost on when it would be seen as them being too far into the bond to be separated or if it’s ok to separate until they’re living completely freely together?
3. When can I assume they’re fully bonded?
4. When can I assume it’s safe to expand the space they’re currently in?
5. I have white vinegared the living room to within an inch of its life but am worried about the carpets/sofas.. How do you neutralise fabric?
6. How risky would it be to put them in a pen in the living room now? We will obviously do what we’ve gotta do if it’s safer not to but it’s really hard to supervise 24/7 etc with them in the kitchen. It’s chilly in there. And I just miss them, it feels like they’re not part of the family right now
7. Kinda going back to question 2... Tomorrow is the one day that nobody is home to supervise. I assume I need to split them up before we go out all day and have them in separate rooms? But just wanting confirmation that this won’t harm the progress we’ve made?

Again, I am so sorry for the length of this.

Any additional tips please throw them at me.

Just want the best for my babies and feeling unsure

Thank you x

 

[KCG]

I am not knowledgeable about these issues. But I'm writing to keep your title on top. There are a lot of knowledgeable people on the forum. They will help you. You can also check out old topics on this topic in the meantime. I hope you get the help you want and find a solution.

 

[InspectorMorse]

I would leave them together 24/7 in the area they are currently in for at least a week. Don’t alter size of pen or location during that time.

If all goes well move the pen into the room you want both to eventually have free roam in and if all remains good for 24 hours increase the size of the pen a bit every day over the next week or so until they eventually have the entire room. By the sounds of how things are just now I doubt that you will have any problems.

 

[tonibun]

I would leave them together 24/7 in the area they are currently in for at least a week. Don’t alter size of pen or location during that time.

If all goes well move the pen into the room you want both to eventually have free roam in and if all remains good for 24 hours increase the size of the pen a bit every day over the next week or so until they eventually have the entire room. By the sounds of how things are just now I doubt that you will have any problems.

I agree with this. The longer you can keep them in the kitchen, if they are happy, the deeper their bond will become. Once Luna has accepted Dash, she won't feel territorial over the lounge. It is not easy to introduce a new boy to an existing girl so you are doing well. Hope it all works out for them and you.

 

[Pets mum]

No advice but good luck for you and bunnies, sounds really positive so far

 

[mikek]

No advice but good luck for you and bunnies, sounds really positive so far

agree.
sounds positive. well done so far

Inspector Morse & tonibun are VERY experienced. I am 100% certain their advice is spot on.
good luck.

 

[MamatoLush]

Thank you so much for the replies. I feel a lot better now. They are honestly doing so well, I’m really proud of them lol. I wasn’t sure Luna would accept him, especially because they’re so different personality wise but it’s been so amazing to watch them together

I will leave them in the kitchen for now, I really don’t want to rush it and ruin the progress we’ve made so will definitely follow the given advice.

We actually move house on the 1st, I was hoping to be in there for them coming home so that it was a completely new neutral space but we’re still waiting for lots of furniture unfortunately. I do have the keys though. So I’m wondering... when we move in a week or so, will it be back to basics.. small pen and increase? As it’s a new area? Would it make more sense for me to try and get in there sooner rather than later so that they can just make the progress they’re going to make without more changes?

Thank you!

 

[tonibun]

I would keep them in a small space until you move then continue in a small space for a couple of weeks in your new home in order to give them time to get accustomed to the new environment.

 

[MamatoLush]

Lovely thank you!

My mum has just got home and has updated me that they’re absolutely fine! Eating hay together when she came in. I left at 7.30am so not far off 12 hours! X

 

[tonibun]

Wonderful!

 

[MamatoLush]

I’m back with an oops and a question...

This morning I woke up and my mum was just heading into the kitchen when I heard “Omg they’re out!”. Thought she was joking but no, once again.. Escape artist Dash (I know it would’ve been him lol) has found a way out and roped Luna into it

Luna was laying down in the middle of the kitchen and Dash was in the hallway.

I put them back in again and had to go out and I’ve just come back and they’re out again! Flopped in front of the fridge together.

I’ve now seen that 2 of the grips for the pen have broken so they’re basically crashing through it.

Anyway, my question is..

Should I stick to the plan and put them back in the pen (with new grips)? Or could I allow them to have the kitchen seeing as they’ve broken out for several hours and were still happy? Or am I risking it by doing that?

Thanks x

 

[joey&boo]

I’m back with an oops and a question...

This morning I woke up and my mum was just heading into the kitchen when I heard “Omg they’re out!”. Thought she was joking but no, once again.. Escape artist Dash (I know it would’ve been him lol) has found a way out and roped Luna into it ��

Luna was laying down in the middle of the kitchen and Dash was in the hallway.

I put them back in again and had to go out and I’ve just come back and they’re out again! Flopped in front of the fridge together.

I’ve now seen that 2 of the grips for the pen have broken so they’re basically crashing through it.

Anyway, my question is..

Should I stick to the plan and put them back in the pen (with new grips)? Or could I allow them to have the kitchen seeing as they’ve broken out for several hours and were still happy? Or am I risking it by doing that?

Thanks x

I think our bunnies sometime show us how things need doing :lol: In these circumstances I'd not bother going back to the pen but just keep a close eye on them. Others would possibly be more cautious

 

[Scrappy's Little Helper]

I agree with J&B. When I was bonding mine they managed to break through the bonding pen and get into the bedroom. Nothing untoward happened so I just left things as they were.

I'd probably let your two into their new area now seeing as they've been there for several hours now without incident. If things start getting spiky then you can always revert back to how they were.

 

[MamatoLush]

I have left them to it since yesterday morning. I keep them in the kitchen for majority of the day but they have now roamed the hallway, my daughters room and my room together and they were so happy, I can’t bring myself to lock them back in and I do genuinely think we’re mostly in the clear.

I kept a close eye when in the hallway and my daughters room as that was Dash’s space before they went for bonding so the first place they’ve been together that isn’t completely neutral but they are totally fine. Dash had a favourite spot under my daughters dolls pram and now he’s sharing it with his girlfriend, they keep going under it and snoozing together lol.

I’m not allowing them into the living room yet as that still scares me as it was Luna’s and I know the existing girl can be difficult. But I’m confident they’re ok everywhere else.

Thanks everyone x

 

[tonibun]

That sounds fantastic! :thumb: