• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Neutral Space

TheThreeB's

Mama Doe
Hi all,

Just pondering really...

After the loss of Darwin we have begun thinking about adopting a new friend for Dottie. We are planning to return to the same rescue and Dottie and her potential friend will have a 'date' for probably up to an hour.

The pair will be living indoors for the time being at least and Dottie has full run of my daughters room, but im wondering how to go about creating a neutral area.

When we brought Darwin home we set the two of them up in an enclosure in our bedroom, but that has been taken down now and the panels used in Dotties current room. Will I need to set the room up again or is it no longer neutral as Dottie has already been in there (although the Lino will be fresh)? Or after the bonding session and long journey home, might she accept him right away? Or should I divide Dotties room somehow?

Help, thanks :) x
 
Dottie may accept him straightaway or she might not, we just don't know. I think it would be best to play safe and find a neutral area just for a couple of days. Good luck!
 
Thank tb, it's just one of those unanswerable questions really :)

I guess I'm kind of reluctant to have to set everything up again in our room, having moved things across x
 
Hi, not for one reason am I saying don't go with all the advice you already know and others will say. But just wanted to say, that when I brought home Bella, she went in the back bedroom, but first got introduced in the hall way which was initially baileys turf.. Both bunnies were fine and even started grooming each other with no signs of aggression. Both were fine, until Bailey got poorly with his ear infection which is when Bella did hump him and run after him. After he was given the green light, we tried again in exactly the same place where both bunnies had been and was a dream. Both are now happily bonded even though they have taken over the whole house.

Just wanted to say.. In rare cases that if you haven't got anywhere that could be neutral territory it's not the end of the world.

Good luck with everything xx
 
Personally, although it's a pain having to reconstruct a neutral area in your room, this is what I'd do. I just wouldn't want to take the risk. Yes, Dottie may be perfectly fine and accept a new male into her space, but again she might not and if there is any aggression, it will make a bond harder in the long term. Females are more protective of their area than males. It's not really much of an indication remembering how she was with Darwin as this will be a different rabbit and the dynamics could be entirely different.

Have you identified a possible new friend for her?
 
Thank you both.

I probably am going to have to set things up again realistically, just in case. It's just a bit of extra effort.

No, we haven't found one yet, my dh is trying to sort some time off work so we can go up together. I haven't actually spoken to the rescue yet, as last time she said we could go the same day, so I need a plan in place first. Tbh I don't even know if there is any suitable yet, but last time there was a few to choose from x
 
Hi all,

Just pondering really...

After the loss of Darwin we have begun thinking about adopting a new friend for Dottie. We are planning to return to the same rescue and Dottie and her potential friend will have a 'date' for probably up to an hour.

The pair will be living indoors for the time being at least and Dottie has full run of my daughters room, but im wondering how to go about creating a neutral area.

When we brought Darwin home we set the two of them up in an enclosure in our bedroom, but that has been taken down now and the panels used in Dotties current room. Will I need to set the room up again or is it no longer neutral as Dottie has already been in there (although the Lino will be fresh)? Or after the bonding session and long journey home, might she accept him right away? Or should I divide Dotties room somehow?

Help, thanks :) x


I have done literally hundreds of bondings and without hesitation I would say neutral all the way!

If Dottie were a boy, I feel you can get away with a bit more, but it's not worth risking the bond. I use my kitchen - really inconvenient :roll: But at least I can clear up urine sprays and poos fairly easily. I just can't make myself meals :lol:
 
I have done literally hundreds of bondings and without hesitation I would say neutral all the way!

If Dottie were a boy, I feel you can get away with a bit more, but it's not worth risking the bond. I use my kitchen - really inconvenient :roll: But at least I can clear up urine sprays and poos fairly easily. I just can't make myself meals :lol:

Ha :lol: Yes, somewhere without carpet would be perfect, but unfortunately we have dogs, and a small kitchen, so can only bond them upstairs.

So unfortunately I'll need to protect the carpet, but I don't fancy taking up the Lino already down in my dd's room so might have to buy more. Not straightforward this rabbit bonding lark :) x
 
Ha :lol: Yes, somewhere without carpet would be perfect, but unfortunately we have dogs, and a small kitchen, so can only bond them upstairs.

So unfortunately I'll need to protect the carpet, but I don't fancy taking up the Lino already down in my dd's room so might have to buy more. Not straightforward this rabbit bonding lark :) x

Yes, maybe buy an offcut? You're right to protect the carpet!

It's not always straightforward - you need to put your life on hold for a day or two :roll:
 
Yes, maybe buy an offcut? You're right to protect the carpet!

It's not always straightforward - you need to put your life on hold for a day or two :roll:

Yeah, normally I wouldn't mind at all, I think it's just setting it all up so soon after taking things down. I'll see what I can come up with x
 
Back
Top