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Bonding help?

icklemunch

icklemunch

Young Bun
Hi.
Barney and Wilma are currently in the middle of bonding.

Both rescues, both neutered. Barney lost his partner just before christmas so we adopted Wilma 3 weeks ago. Have been living side by side whilst she fully recovered from spey op.

They are in a smallish space in my bedroom, next to my bed.
Started about 3 hours ago. Ignired each other for the first couple of minutes them Wilma had a sniff, all fine. Then abit of chase and fur pulling from Barney. Nothing over the top.Since then she wont let him anywhere near runs soon as he approaches, he keeps trying bless him. She looks scared stiff! Poor thing, hope these are good signs? My mum is currently bun sitting so i can have 5!
 
Oooo sounds good so far. How exciting and nerve wracking. Great that you have a rabbit sitter for those much needed breaks.
 
Ooo thank you :). Just needed abit of reassurance that all is good! Nerves are in pieces!!

Oh yeh she's fab. She's doggy sitting for me whilst i bond these two, and bunny sitting whilst i take him for walkies. I keep getting text updates and whats app pics every 5 minutes :)
 
icklemunch said:
Hi.
Barney and Wilma are currently in the middle of bonding.

Both rescues, both neutered. Barney lost his partner just before christmas so we adopted Wilma 3 weeks ago. Have been living side by side whilst she fully recovered from spey op.

They are in a smallish space in my bedroom, next to my bed.
Started about 3 hours ago. Ignired each other for the first couple of minutes them Wilma had a sniff, all fine. Then abit of chase and fur pulling from Barney. Nothing over the top.Since then she wont let him anywhere near runs soon as he approaches, he keeps trying bless him. She looks scared stiff! Poor thing, hope these are good signs? My mum is currently bun sitting so i can have 5!
Click to expand...

Chasing and fur pulling is normal but it is stressful to watch I know! So long as it doesn't escalate to circling and fighting it's fine. There's a really good bonding video in the bonding sticky which shows mischief and tinkers mum bonding a trio, it shows a lot of the behaviour that can happen during bonding. Maybe if you give them a big pile of hay and forage in the middle of the area it might encourage them to be together and settle Wilma?

Good luck :thumb:
 
Zoobec said:
Chasing and fur pulling is normal but it is stressful to watch I know! So long as it doesn't escalate to circling and fighting it's fine. There's a really good bonding video in the bonding sticky which shows mischief and tinkers mum bonding a trio, it shows a lot of the behaviour that can happen during bonding. Maybe if you give them a big pile of hay and forage in the middle of the area it might encourage them to be together and settle Wilma?

Good luck :thumb:
Click to expand...

Thanks for your help!

Off to watch the video now, have got the hay and dried forage in the middle so far she is sticking to it from the litter trays. Am sure she will cone round. She had a tough two years, kept i horrid conditions from a hoarder but is quite a nervous bunny and am sure she is slightly overwhelmed with it all.
 
icklemunch said:
Thanks for your help!

Off to watch the video now, have got the hay and dried forage in the middle so far she is sticking to it from the litter trays. Am sure she will cone round. She had a tough two years, kept i horrid conditions from a hoarder but is quite a nervous bunny and am sure she is slightly overwhelmed with it all.
Click to expand...

Bless her, I'm sure she will soon settle :thumb: it is really lovely to see a rabbit come round from being shy and nervous to being more outgoing :love:
 
Day 3. No cuddling up yet or grooming, but are happy to eat side by side.
Is this all normal?
Barney and his wifebun Betsy who we lost just before christmas was love at first sight. So is all new to me.
 
icklemunch said:
Day 3. No cuddling up yet or grooming, but are happy to eat side by side.
Is this all normal?
Barney and his wifebun Betsy who we lost just before christmas was love at first sight. So is all new to me.
Click to expand...

At least they sound like they are both relaxed, which is good. I once had a pair of bunnies (sisters) who I never saw grooming each other, and when I bonded them to my other pair(brothers) they still never groomed each other, or the boys, even though the 2 boys both groomed each other and the girls. So there's all different kinds of normal depending on the personalities of the rabbits!
 
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