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Bonding Dilemma (Help!)

Sarah1991

Warren Veteran
Hi all,

We've had Fearne for a little while now, she's been spayed more than long enough for hormones to have calmed down, we even went as far as to buy a brand new home for her and Finnlay so they were on neutral ground when we were bonding them. It seemed to be going well, they had been in the hutch and run together for almost a week, before one morning they had a big scuffle over food and Finn got his foot bitten.
Since then, we've tried twice more to put them together, with little success, they seem to do OK for a few days each time and then suddenly erupt into a fight over seemingly nothing, although usually I feel its food motivated, food is scattered its literally as soon as they know they are getting fed the fighting starts, Fearne seems very attached to her food, I wonder if it comes from having rubbish food where she came from.
I'm at a bit of a loss, they just seem to greatly dislike each other now, I'm wondering what I should do, at the moment Finn is in the bottom of the hutch and run and Fearne is in the top and i'm swapping them daily so one isn't in the smaller bit too long, I'd like to say we can afford another hutch and run but we just can't, this one was around £300-400 (I spent birthday savings on it) and its just not possible. I'm also feeling rotten because I'm constantly getting the ''I told you not to get another rabbit'' talk from my other half and my family, I thought I was doing the right thing, I didn't want Finn to be alone, but now I feel I've made the wrong decision and maybe he only wanted to be with Milo and he isn't willing to accept another rabbit?

If I had known that Finn wouldn't have liked another partner I'd have maybe decided to leave him as a single bunny, but obviously I didn't think that was the best at the time.

I don't know, I'm feeling pretty low about it all.
I feel like a terrible bunny parent.
I miss Milo.

:(
 
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Hi all,

We've had Fearne for a little while now, she's been spayed more than long enough for hormones to have calmed down, we even went as far as to buy a brand new home for her and Finnlay so they were on neutral ground when we were bonding them. It seemed to be going well, they had been in the hutch and run together for almost a week, before one morning they had a big scuffle over food and Finn got his foot bitten.
Since then, we've tried twice more to put them together, with little success, they seem to do OK for a few days each time and then suddenly erupt into a fight over seemingly nothing, although usually I feel its food motivated, food is scattered its literally as soon as they know they are getting fed the fighting starts, Fearne seems very attached to her food, I wonder if it comes from having rubbish food where she came from.
I'm at a bit of a loss, they just seem to greatly dislike each other now, I'm wondering what I should do, at the moment Finn is in the bottom of the hutch and run and Fearne is in the top and i'm swapping them daily so one isn't in the smaller bit too long, I'd like to say we can afford another hutch and run but we just can't, this one was around £300-400 (I spent birthday savings on it) and its just not possible. I'm also feeling rotten because I'm constantly getting the ''I told you not to get another rabbit'' talk from my other half and my family, I thought I was doing the right thing, I didn't want Finn to be alone, but now I feel I've made the wrong decision and maybe he only wanted to be with Milo and he isn't willing to accept another rabbit?

If I had known that Finn wouldn't have liked another partner I'd have maybe decided to leave him as a single bunny, but obviously I didn't think that was the best at the time.

I don't know, I'm feeling pretty low about it all.
I feel like a terrible bunny parent.
I miss Milo.

:(
Do you know which one is the instigator?
 
Do you know which one is the instigator?

I'm not 100% sure, I think the first time it was Fearne (food related) but when its happened recently I think it was Finn. :roll:

I'm thinking after the first scuffle he doesn't trust her now?
 
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It's very odd isn't it. I really don't know how to advise you.

I know. It is odd. I'm just feeling a little lost, there's absolutely no way I can get any more rabbits to bond with the two of them, we haven't any more room! I don't want to let either of them down but at the minute i'm worried they're not as happy as they could be.
 
I have to tell some to mine to calm down like Laurel and Oscar - they get too excited so I say calm down firmly and they do! Have you tried this?
 
I can't say I have tried telling them to calm down, but I really don't think it would work, they just run around like lunatics when the food arrives and then begin attacking one another, its like a switch is flipped.
I'm really not sure what to do, I may just have to accept that they won't ever be friends properly? They seem capable of being around each other but as soon as they get close it starts, i.e. like last night when we were cleaning them out Finn ran up to her and instantly began biting her on the bottom.
 
Are there any rescues that do bonding near you and is paying for someone to have a go at bonding them something you'd consider? I'm no expert but precisely because of that if I was in your position I think that's what I'd be exploring next.
 
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