Truffpuff
Mama Doe
Hi everyone.
I have a thread (boy trouble) about trying to bond my two buns, both are male etc so I won't get into that.
Luther our new bunny who is kept upstairs currently will have been castrated 6 weeks ago this Friday. So last week and the week before I started putting Luther's wee in litter boxes downstairs. We have two young cat's so we currently have 4 trays downstairs and one in Truffle our first bunnies hutch. I started putting Luther's wee in the tray in the kitchen which is more where the cats sleep etc and it's next to a pet remedy diffuser so I hopped he would associate it as a good thing. After a few goes he didn't seem to notice/care so I started putting it in two of the trays in the living room which is more Truffles area, he still wasn't too bothered though he did get very interested and made sure he marked many times over the top.
So last week I brought Luther downstairs into the kitchen with me while I cleaned the bathroom with Truffle shut in the front room as he was just sleeping in his cardboard castle and he spent an hour or two with me and the cats. After I put Luther back upstairs Truffle was very interested in sniffing around the kitchen. He seemed ok just curious, after a while he did chase the cats once.
This weekend we thought we would let them swap "territories" because we are hoping eventually Truffle would be bored of this 'foreign' smell and we can start bonding with a barrier on neutral ground. I was downstairs with Luther and my other half was upstairs with Truffle and the cats. Both did exactly the same things, one or two thumps, lots of sniffing and exploring followed by chin scenting. After about 20 mins we swapped back. Luther didn't really seem bothered and after a sniff of his room he layer down and Truffle did the exact same back downstairs.
But throughout the evening he sniffed everything that Luther had been in or scented and he seemed fine but suddenly turns.... he bit me yesterday when I was tidying his hutch and if the cats move too fast or go near his hutch he chases and growls at them. It's been randomly carrying on since Sat and he's still seemingly in a grump today too.
I know it's going to take a long time to try and get used to each others smells especially with Truffle - he was the same when we first introduced him to the cats when they were babies and now they are best friends (usually). I don't know how to try and stop him chasing them especially after the event was a few days ago now, I just worry because unfortunately one of my 9 month old cats has a stress induced condition so I want to try and keep the peace as best I can. I don't know if for now I should just go back to putting Luther's wee in litter boxes downstairs because it was all a bit fast for Truffle?
I'm probably worrying too much!
I have a thread (boy trouble) about trying to bond my two buns, both are male etc so I won't get into that.
Luther our new bunny who is kept upstairs currently will have been castrated 6 weeks ago this Friday. So last week and the week before I started putting Luther's wee in litter boxes downstairs. We have two young cat's so we currently have 4 trays downstairs and one in Truffle our first bunnies hutch. I started putting Luther's wee in the tray in the kitchen which is more where the cats sleep etc and it's next to a pet remedy diffuser so I hopped he would associate it as a good thing. After a few goes he didn't seem to notice/care so I started putting it in two of the trays in the living room which is more Truffles area, he still wasn't too bothered though he did get very interested and made sure he marked many times over the top.
So last week I brought Luther downstairs into the kitchen with me while I cleaned the bathroom with Truffle shut in the front room as he was just sleeping in his cardboard castle and he spent an hour or two with me and the cats. After I put Luther back upstairs Truffle was very interested in sniffing around the kitchen. He seemed ok just curious, after a while he did chase the cats once.
This weekend we thought we would let them swap "territories" because we are hoping eventually Truffle would be bored of this 'foreign' smell and we can start bonding with a barrier on neutral ground. I was downstairs with Luther and my other half was upstairs with Truffle and the cats. Both did exactly the same things, one or two thumps, lots of sniffing and exploring followed by chin scenting. After about 20 mins we swapped back. Luther didn't really seem bothered and after a sniff of his room he layer down and Truffle did the exact same back downstairs.
But throughout the evening he sniffed everything that Luther had been in or scented and he seemed fine but suddenly turns.... he bit me yesterday when I was tidying his hutch and if the cats move too fast or go near his hutch he chases and growls at them. It's been randomly carrying on since Sat and he's still seemingly in a grump today too.
I know it's going to take a long time to try and get used to each others smells especially with Truffle - he was the same when we first introduced him to the cats when they were babies and now they are best friends (usually). I don't know how to try and stop him chasing them especially after the event was a few days ago now, I just worry because unfortunately one of my 9 month old cats has a stress induced condition so I want to try and keep the peace as best I can. I don't know if for now I should just go back to putting Luther's wee in litter boxes downstairs because it was all a bit fast for Truffle?
I'm probably worrying too much!