Boy trouble

daphnephoebe said:

Sounds like he's settled down then, that's a good sign.

It's really your choice, you can start at the 6 week Mark, or if you need a little more time to get things ready you can wait a further week (or more if needed). They're really not going to be too worried as they won't know x

ETA: I'm away this weekend as a surprise trip but I should be contactable via PM and I'll be back by Monday afternoon. I'm sure MM would be happy to provide support & advice if I'm not available.

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Indeed I shall help all I can!

Have a lovely w/end away DP, You deserve it

MightyMax said:

Indeed I shall help all I can!

Have a lovely w/end away DP, You deserve it

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Sorry I'm starting with the questions already! I was thinking about bonding all night :-/

So when we set up the room with a divide between the buns which I'm planning to do with a double divide so there a little gap so bunnies can't munch each others noses off etc and I saw someone put herby leaves in the gap so they eat together.
My question is because Truffle is used to being with us 24/7 especially while I'm currently unemployed and Luther is used to us going up and spending time with him, do we sit with them during the process....or do we just leave them (with monitoring at the beginning because we need to see what happens. Or are we going to cause jealousy or distraction?

Just trying to get our plan straight and routine so we are prepared.
X

Truffpuff said:

Sorry I'm starting with the questions already! I was thinking about bonding all night :-/

So when we set up the room with a divide between the buns which I'm planning to do with a double divide so there a little gap so bunnies can't munch each others noses off etc and I saw someone put herby leaves in the gap so they eat together.
My question is because Truffle is used to being with us 24/7 especially while I'm currently unemployed and Luther is used to us going up and spending time with him, do we sit with them during the process....or do we just leave them (with monitoring at the beginning because we need to see what happens. Or are we going to cause jealousy or distraction?

Just trying to get our plan straight and routine so we are prepared.
X

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Hi there

I'm willing to be a phone buddy for your bonding if you like

Let me know and I can PM you my number x

MightyMax said:

Hi there

I'm willing to be a phone buddy for your bonding if you like

Let me know and I can PM you my number x

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Thank you I really appreciate your kindness. I think the bit we are going to possibly need extra guidance will be when we first put them together so I might take you up on that if it's ok?

Thanks

Truffpuff said:

Thank you I really appreciate your kindness. I think the bit we are going to possibly need extra guidance will be when we first put them together so I might take you up on that if it's ok?

Thanks

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Of course

PM me when you're ready - but don't feel you have to!!

So the much dreaded and long awaited moment happened yesterday, the room was ready and the buns let out into their respective halves.

At first they ignored each other and just wanted to investigate all the new things and parts of the room. Then they met in the middle and after a second of sniffing Truffle the bigger bun started biting and boxing through the bars. He did this a few times with the full on tail up, torpedo stance but then he kind of just got over it. Then it flipped to the smaller bun Luther attempting a nip and run attack plan, again he repeatedly did the full on tail up torpedo stance of attack, but 9 times out of 10 Truffle just shrugged it off and didn't retaliate. I think Luther just thinks he's being clever because he knows he's protected by the barrier!

After a few hours (started at 7pm) we decided they were ok to be left still separate obviously, while we had dinner. Every time we went up and monitored for a bit there was early any aggression, especially from Truffle he was so good. They ate side by side, lay near each other and had a few friendly sniffs. Before I was feeling so sceptical and unsure if this would happen, I was so happy at how far they came in such a short time. We went to bed with a cuppa so we could listen to how they would be with lights out etc and then went to "sleep" at midnight.
Roll on what was the longest night of my life and very sleep deprived because I was jolted awake by any noises , however I didn't have to go in once to see them as there were no sounds of aggression....just Luther being a bit unsettled and digging cardboard lol.

So after not even 24 hours I'm feeling like maybe this can happen and be the start of a beautiful bromance, but I'm not going to get too excited yet!

I will post some progress pics

Well, they look as if they are making a good amount of mess, which is always a good sign If a rabbit is tidy, be suspicious!

They are beautiful bunnies I hope you can get some sleep tonight and they don't keep being pesky!

Monty's Human said:

Well, they look as if they are making a good amount of mess, which is always a good sign If a rabbit is tidy, be suspicious!

They are beautiful bunnies I hope you can get some sleep tonight and they don't keep being pesky!

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Haha they certainly have!
Aww thank you so much

Lol yes me too, I'm a terrible worrier though so any bump in the night was waking me up - even our boiler jolted me up because I thought world war bunny was breaking out but realised what it was as I got up. My other half if course slept through the night haha!!

Thank you x

Beautiful buns

It looks like things are going in the right direction for these two and hopefully in the not so distant future there won't be any barriers xx

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Monty's Human said:

Well, they look as if they are making a good amount of mess, which is always a good sign If a rabbit is tidy, be suspicious!

They are beautiful bunnies I hope you can get some sleep tonight and they don't keep being pesky!

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They certainly are beautiful

Aww thanks for all the lovely comments about my boys <3

So last night I got a good sleep with only being woken up once or twice by them jumping off their cardboard boxes.

This morning we have swapped them over to be on the opposite side keeping the territory neutral, and swapped some of their wee over too. Luther didn't care whatsoever where Truffle was very excited sniffing around and thumping. He stopped after a little while. So far they haven't had any more aggressive behaviour through the bars at each other and either get on with their own business, sniff through the bars or just flop around the room or next to the bars.

So still seems pretty positive. Just need to keep going for now

Sounds really good. Keep going as you are, I so no need to rush them into the next step.

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daphnephoebe said:

Sounds really good. Keep going as you are, I so no need to rush them into the next step.

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Thank you
Yes that's what I thought, I was shocked at how fast they become used to each other but I don't want to rush and blow such good progress. After a few swaps over this week of each side, is it advisable to let them be adjacent in separate runs outside too so they get used to seeing each other in other surroundings? Or would that just confuse things?

Truffle has been cheating a little now he's on the other side and is sleeping in the bottom of the bookcase in there so he doesn't see Luther. I think it makes him feel like he's in his hutch again bless him.

I'm so proud of them both so far, and I wouldn't have been able to feel confident without you guys!

Truffpuff said:

Thank you
Yes that's what I thought, I was shocked at how fast they become used to each other but I don't want to rush and blow such good progress. After a few swaps over this week of each side, is it advisable to let them be adjacent in separate runs outside too so they get used to seeing each other in other surroundings? Or would that just confuse things?

Truffle has been cheating a little now he's on the other side and is sleeping in the bottom of the bookcase in there so he doesn't see Luther. I think it makes him feel like he's in his hutch again bless him.

I'm so proud of them both so far, and I wouldn't have been able to feel confident without you guys!

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Yes you can do that. It shouldn't confuse things too much but they may do the weird aggression things through the bars for a few moments. It should be fine

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daphnephoebe said:

Yes you can do that. It shouldn't confuse things too much but they may do the weird aggression things through the bars for a few moments. It should be fine

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Fab thank you!

We had a bit of that this afternoon for a brief moment because Truffle got upset with me so took it out on Luther I think. But they have been fine since so far

So we are on day 4 this evening and they have switched back over to their original sides.

When they were in their last position which was the opposite sides from induction, there was a tiny bit of biting from Truffle through the bars but they soon went back to as they were before. Truffle tended to cheat a little on this side sleeping behind the door or on the bookcase but there have been lots of eating near each other and sniffing noses.

The only other notable thing at the momentis Truffle and us, he seems to rush at us and then slam the breaks on. There's no aggressive grunts etc just fast then stops like he does if he thinks he's getting a treat (he's like treating a great white!!). I wonder if it's just excitement? Or that he's having lots of different feelings at the moment and doesn't know what to do with them? I might be over anthropomorphizing lol!

They both got a cardboard tunnel (guinea pig sized) to chew because apparently our carpet is fun to scratch and chew!
*sigh* it will be worth it in the end lol!

Look at him asleep

The charging could be a territorial reaction, or as you say he just thinks he's getting treats.
If you can swap them once a day, his charging may calm down. It may not if it's treat related - it's difficult to tell when you're not there.

You're still doing brilliant and it sounds like they're happy x

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daphnephoebe said:

Look at him asleep

The charging could be a territorial reaction, or as you say he just thinks he's getting treats.
If you can swap them once a day, his charging may calm down. It may not if it's treat related - it's difficult to tell when you're not there.

You're still doing brilliant and it sounds like they're happy x

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Thank you it's always good to know when it's going well and you're doing the right thing.


The problem we seem to have is i think they are getting a bit bored confined up there (despite having a tube each to chew, cardboard box each, boxes with hay in etc) so our nice carpet has taken a hit from them digging and biting it. It's mostly Luther so I made him a dig box with dry food to find in tissue paper but that did last long haha! I don't want to give them too much "stuff" and distract them from each other etc.

So I'm thinking your idea is excellent and we will swap every day rather than every two, get to the weekend which is when I planned on going outside with them (still divided) and hopefully this might break up the monotony for them.

I'm not sure when doing the next stage of putting them together if we need a new neutral space, or if we just use one of the sides in the room they are in now?

Thank you for your help. I don't know what I would do if I hadn't found this forum! X

Truffpuff said:

Thank you it's always good to know when it's going well and you're doing the right thing.


The problem we seem to have is i think they are getting a bit bored confined up there (despite having a tube each to chew, cardboard box each, boxes with hay in etc) so our nice carpet has taken a hit from them digging and biting it. It's mostly Luther so I made him a dig box with dry food to find in tissue paper but that did last long haha! I don't want to give them too much "stuff" and distract them from each other etc.

So I'm thinking your idea is excellent and we will swap every day rather than every two, get to the weekend which is when I planned on going outside with them (still divided) and hopefully this might break up the monotony for them.

I'm not sure when doing the next stage of putting them together if we need a new neutral space, or if we just use one of the sides in the room they are in now?

Thank you for your help. I don't know what I would do if I hadn't found this forum! X

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You should in theory be able to use the room they're in now. Just wait until you can see they're choosing to spend most of their time together.

You could always get a couple cat litter trays, put them as a mirror image either side of the bars and put some hay & dried forage/herbs in it. This'll allow them to forage together which acts as a bonding exercise and boredom cure.

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