Please help Beanbag and Jedi to become friends!

[V1ck]

Hi everyone, I'm trying to bond two lovely rabbits. It's my first time and I'm really struggling... any help gratefully recieved.

Beanbag (top pic)is my gorgeous house rabbit - female, spayed, just over a year old. I thought it would be nice to get her a friend...
So I took Beans to the RSPCA to meet some of the males they had. It wasn't love at first sight with any of them, but she and Jedi basically ignored each other, and he is beautiful and needed a home, so we settled on Jedi. He's male, neutered. No idea of his age, he was just found 'wandering in woods' apparently

So I put them in separate enclosure/hutch in the living room, changed them over every day for a week. Left it a week, because Jedi seemed nervous and wasn't eating very much.

After a week I attempted the 48 hour bonding - car journey, in which they huddled together in the carrier, followed by me putting them in a disinfected large hutch (took the roof off etc so I could reach in). Big fight. Before I could stop it, Beanbag got her ear bitten and Jedi lost a chunk of fluff.

So, new plan. Jedi is outside in hutch/run on the patio, Beanbag is in the living room and free range on the patio. They can sniff through the mesh of his run. I've been introducing them 2 x 20 minutes a day in the bath, and there's some 'good' stuff - both have flopped over at different points, and nibbled hay - yesterday morning they even snuggled together. But they seen so scared! Lots of shaking. I feel I am putting them in a really stressful situation and I feel so guilty. But I thought it would be worth it.

Then, yesterday evening, Beanbag just suddenly took a chunk out of Jedi's side! It was too quick for me to do anything about it. He lost fluff, and has a small cut too.

I know Beanbag is territorial - she has deposited neat little pellets in piles all around his run! And I think she's jealous too. Twice, when I've been feeding Jedi through the run, she's bitten me! (not a nip, a proper bite. Ouch.) It is almost always Beanbag who starts trouble, and then Jedi retaliates.

Sorry for the long post, I didn't want to leave out anything important. I just don't know what to do next. Should I carry on with the intros? Her attack was so sudden, I'm worried one of them will get hurt again. And I'm desparate for my two lovely bunnies to become friends

Any ideas anyone, PLEASE?

 

[Gus-ta-furry]

I'd suggest taking a step back immediately, once a rabbit bites another one and draws blood/takes a chunk, they can get inbuilt fear of each other that is hard to overcome. Many RSPCA centres will have contacts of local people who help with bonding for their rabbits with your current one (and sometimes in exchange for a donation will help out with 2 non RSPCA rabbits.

We had a failed bond and have now gone through this route, and after meeting the lovely lady , her enchanting 'rabbit disneyland' style garden and all the lovely 15 rabbits all getting on fine happily bonding in their little groups

I feel really content we have given our little Chels the best chance of getting the lovely Hus-bun she deserves :thumb:

 

[V1ck]

Thank you Gus-ta-furry.

I'd suggest taking a step back immediately:

So, no encounters in the bath tub? Should i stick to them just meeting on the patio through the mesh of Jedi's enclosure? How long for, before I try to introduce them again?

And thanks, I will call the RSPCA tomorrow and ask if they can find someone to help with bonding.

I would love to see 'rabbit disneyland'!

 

[V1ck]

Ok, so I called the RSPCA. They wouldn't/couldn't give me details of anyone local who could help unfortunately. They said that I could bring Jedi back if it wasn't working

The advice I got on the phone was to use a larger area, preferably outside, and have another go. From what I've read on this forum, this didn't seem like a good idea, but the woman I spoke to has bonded rabbits before and knows more than me, so I tried it. Predictably, they started circling almost immediately and as I tried to break it up they lunged at each other. So I stopped it and put them back in their separate enclosures.

So now what do I do? There may be someone else who knows about rabbits (now on holiday back Wednesday) at the RSPCA , but I'm not sure I trust their advice after today. Do I have to give up on bonding my rabbits altogether? Could a different rescue bond them for me, or is it a lost cause? I could keep them separate, but it seems so sad and Jedi would have to be outside over the winter. The whole idea was to have two happy rabbits, not two lonely ones.

Any help, please?

 

[tonibun]

This is difficult. Your femalle doesn't seem to want to share with the boy. The only time they didn't have a scuffle was in the bath, so I would keep putting them there for as long as possible as often as possible and with much patience she will hopefully relent and become more amicable. Obviously if they fight in the bath then you are going to have to rethink the situation. Wherever you put them must be completely neutral as far as Beans goes. When you put them in the bath always put the male in first as he should be dominant..Good luck.

 

[Aly&Poppy<3]

Hi :wave:

They're so cute

Are you able to do a "normal" bond? Having them together constantly and not separating as taking them away from each other just takes you back to square one. Unless you are bonding and keeping them together?

Do you have a metal run? A small and neutral area is best, not a large one, a large area means they can avoid each other when you are trying to get them together. 4 or 6 panels of a metal run is a good space easy access and easy to disinfect

A different rescue could bond them for you yes

Edit: Just noticed your in Lichfield I'm not too far from Tamworth FatFluffs rescue in Solihull bond for a donation, they bonded my outdoor pair It's a brilliant place If you could travel there then I would get in touch with them

 

[V1ck]

Thank you tonibun for replying to my post.

Your femalle doesn't seem to want to share with the boy. The only time they didn't have a scuffle was in the bath, so I would keep putting them there for as long as possible as often as possible and with much patience she will hopefully relent and become more amicable. Obviously if they fight in the bath then you are going to have to rethink the situation.

It was in the bath that she suddenly bit him, without warning. Sorry I should have made that clearer. And I'm now frantically rethinking the situation!

You are so right that Beanbag doesn't want to share - she is currently very busy making small piles of droppings ALL round his run! Again! Her litter tray is empty as she's using them all to make her point! If I swap their accomodation again will this help - or will this just make her even more cross?

 

[Aly&Poppy<3]

You are so right that Beanbag doesn't want to share - she is currently very busy making small piles of droppings ALL round his run! Again! Her litter tray is empty as she's using them all to make her point! If I swap their accomodation again will this help - or will this just make her even more cross?

I don't think swapping will help if tbh, it's HER territory and she doesn't like it being used by another bun. It needs to be done slowly and consistently :wave:

Would you be able to look into FatFluffs?

 

[tonibun]

Sorry I thought they were ok in the bath. It must be the hot weather! Which makes me wonder if you would be better off waiting until it cools down. Then you could try the small area type of bonding, say in a 3' x 2' space. Dont give up. I am sure she will come around to the idea. You could in the meantime keep swapping them over into each other's cages. That might help her to get used to him.

 

[V1ck]

Hi Aly&Poppy, thanks!
They are cute, aren't they?

I was trying to do the 'normal' 48 hour bond at the start, after a week of them sniffing each other, swapping cages etc. I was all ready, with my thermos and sleeping bag! But it went so badly wrong, I had to give up after just 10 minutes. They were proper fighting, locking on, and as soon as I broke it up they just started again. Beanbag got her ear bitten and Jedi has a small cut on his side - both healing well thank goodness.

I don't have a metal run, only wood and wire mesh. I'm going to Mesham car boot tomorrow to see if I can find anything useful! But as this is going so badly wrong, I think it'd be best to get someone who really knows what they are doing to actually physically help.

I was googling last night and came across Fat Fluffs - I called them this morning (just before you posted actually!) and I was told to call back tomorrow to speak to Jackie. If they would try to bond my pair for a donation, that would be great. Safer for the bunnies!

You're near Tamworth? We're neighbours!:wave:

 

[Aly&Poppy<3]

Hi Aly&Poppy, thanks!
They are cute, aren't they?

I was trying to do the 'normal' 48 hour bond at the start, after a week of them sniffing each other, swapping cages etc. I was all ready, with my thermos and sleeping bag! But it went so badly wrong, I had to give up after just 10 minutes. They were proper fighting, locking on, and as soon as I broke it up they just started again. Beanbag got her ear bitten and Jedi has a small cut on his side - both healing well thank goodness.

I don't have a metal run, only wood and wire mesh. I'm going to Mesham car boot tomorrow to see if I can find anything useful! But as this is going so badly wrong, I think it'd be best to get someone who really knows what they are doing to actually physically help.

I was googling last night and came across Fat Fluffs - I called them this morning (just before you posted actually!) and I was told to call back tomorrow to speak to Jackie. If they would try to bond my pair for a donation, that would be great. Safer for the bunnies!

You're near Tamworth? We're neighbours!:wave:

FatFluffs are brilliant My 2 are still very much in love They had them in a small indoor cage for 2 days and then they came home I had them in a disinfected 4ft hutch for a few days before moving them into the neutralised 6ft hutch, the next day I gave them the run I don't think I would have been able to do it without them! I got great advice about giving them more space afterwards too so I was never lost

I was in Lichfield on Wednesday actually, I went shopping with my mom I think *lily* on here is in/around Lichfield too

 

[V1ck]

They did have moments that were ok in the bath, tonibun.

But she bit him so suddenly... I'm not sure I have the confidence to try again, at least at the moment. I'm going to hope Fat Fluffs can help. If not, I WILL try again. I'm sure the weather will have cooled by then!

One thing, the time that Beanbag bit him, it was in the evening. The sessions that went better were at the more sleepy times, so maybe that was a mistake?

I am sure she will come around to the idea..

Thank you so much. They are lovely rabbits, and I do so want them to bond!

 

[V1ck]

By the way, thank you so much everyone. It's great that other people care about my bunnies and will take the time to help.