Rabbitches
Young Bun
Hi all,
I’ve not been on here in a while - needed to take a break as I was having recurrent ileus issues with Vera and it was a bit much reading other health stories and I was making my anxiety worse, so please accept my apologies for not being a good community contributor!
Vera has still been having the episodes, she has had a full work up including CT scans and nothing found (with exotic vets) so am trialling diet etc and hoping it’s down to something like moults.
She had an episode a couple weeks ago and she and Margot went in together as always. They had to go in separate cages side by side to monitor Vera’s eating and pooping but had allocated play time together. In for four nights, Vera a little quiet as expected but was back to normal after a day and a half.
When we got home o put the carrier on the floor and opened it as normal, both hopped out and went to investigate their home. Nothing had changed from when they were away in hospital. Went and got some veggies for them as normal and later sat in my room (where they live) watching TV, revising etc.
I noticed Vera was staying in one hide, so I picked her up and checked her, all fine. After a couple hours sat with them I realised Margot was chasing Vera. No biting and stopped when I clapped or when Vera jumped on the bed, Margot has never chased before, it’s usually Vera doing the chasing but never in a mean way. I kept an eye and left them together and just mainly stayed in with them but it seemed Vera was uncomfortable with Margot and the next day I had an exam and I really needed sleep and also wouldn’t have been comfortable leaving them alone while I went to my exam.
I dug out their old two story cage and made it into two separates and put them in next to each other, sniffing and nose touching distance and alternated cages and running about time. I now have a fence that I have used to divide my room in half and switch them over each night and my house mate (Vet nurse) is sitting with me when we let them have 5mins together.
They sleep next to each other against their sides of the fence and have groomed through the fence but when the fence isn’t there, they actively ignore each other, sniff, head down to groom, them it’s almost too much and there is a lunge and a grunt and a thump. No biting, minimal fur pulling.
I have for the last two weeks been sleeping in a single mattress on the floor inside my double frame (they used under my bed as their ‘warren’ and I don’t want either of them thinking they own it, plus it’s easier to swap them over without having a big bed in the way and if they had the bed they would be able to jump the fence) and I really want to get them back together. I spoke with RWAF who were fab, and said I may need to get my big girl pants on, but I just can’t, I am too invested because they are my babies and as soon as one runs or they go near each other, I panic! Which obviously doesn’t create a calm environment.
I am appealing for recommendations of behaviourists/ people who are experienced in bonding who I could pay to sit with us? To hold my hand basically. I haven’t had to do bonding as they have always been so close so I think I am stopping it too soon and feel I won’t be able to progress unless I have an experienced, friendly person keeping my blood pressure down.
This is really impacting me, I don’t care that I am basically sleeping in a giant hutch right now, but I will be having surgery soon which will impact my ability to get around the fences etc.
So sorry this is long- please help us!
Much love, 2 beautiful bun girls and their stressed mum!
I’ve not been on here in a while - needed to take a break as I was having recurrent ileus issues with Vera and it was a bit much reading other health stories and I was making my anxiety worse, so please accept my apologies for not being a good community contributor!
Vera has still been having the episodes, she has had a full work up including CT scans and nothing found (with exotic vets) so am trialling diet etc and hoping it’s down to something like moults.
She had an episode a couple weeks ago and she and Margot went in together as always. They had to go in separate cages side by side to monitor Vera’s eating and pooping but had allocated play time together. In for four nights, Vera a little quiet as expected but was back to normal after a day and a half.
When we got home o put the carrier on the floor and opened it as normal, both hopped out and went to investigate their home. Nothing had changed from when they were away in hospital. Went and got some veggies for them as normal and later sat in my room (where they live) watching TV, revising etc.
I noticed Vera was staying in one hide, so I picked her up and checked her, all fine. After a couple hours sat with them I realised Margot was chasing Vera. No biting and stopped when I clapped or when Vera jumped on the bed, Margot has never chased before, it’s usually Vera doing the chasing but never in a mean way. I kept an eye and left them together and just mainly stayed in with them but it seemed Vera was uncomfortable with Margot and the next day I had an exam and I really needed sleep and also wouldn’t have been comfortable leaving them alone while I went to my exam.
I dug out their old two story cage and made it into two separates and put them in next to each other, sniffing and nose touching distance and alternated cages and running about time. I now have a fence that I have used to divide my room in half and switch them over each night and my house mate (Vet nurse) is sitting with me when we let them have 5mins together.
They sleep next to each other against their sides of the fence and have groomed through the fence but when the fence isn’t there, they actively ignore each other, sniff, head down to groom, them it’s almost too much and there is a lunge and a grunt and a thump. No biting, minimal fur pulling.
I have for the last two weeks been sleeping in a single mattress on the floor inside my double frame (they used under my bed as their ‘warren’ and I don’t want either of them thinking they own it, plus it’s easier to swap them over without having a big bed in the way and if they had the bed they would be able to jump the fence) and I really want to get them back together. I spoke with RWAF who were fab, and said I may need to get my big girl pants on, but I just can’t, I am too invested because they are my babies and as soon as one runs or they go near each other, I panic! Which obviously doesn’t create a calm environment.
I am appealing for recommendations of behaviourists/ people who are experienced in bonding who I could pay to sit with us? To hold my hand basically. I haven’t had to do bonding as they have always been so close so I think I am stopping it too soon and feel I won’t be able to progress unless I have an experienced, friendly person keeping my blood pressure down.
This is really impacting me, I don’t care that I am basically sleeping in a giant hutch right now, but I will be having surgery soon which will impact my ability to get around the fences etc.
So sorry this is long- please help us!
Much love, 2 beautiful bun girls and their stressed mum!
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