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Advice please - grieving widowed bun

Obligatory bonding photo...
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Thanks! I did not get much sleep camped out on the sofa next to them haha.

There's a lot of grooming and snuggling, they'll go for hours looking chilled, then Pepper will have a bout of chasing/mounting. Finx runs, Doris honks and then they settle down again.

Surprisingly given their personalities, I think he's trying to rule the roost. The girls are getting along together well, no aggression there. Overall we've had no fights, minimal fur pulling, so I think it's going well.

I do think the space is too small, they're in the 'hospital cage' as it was the most neutral area but it's only 4ft. I'm hoping to neutralise and then move them into Finx and Tango's indoor pen soon, but don't want to upset the balance at this time in the eve as Finx may be territorial there.

Currently trying to decide whether I can go to bed tonight or need to stay on the sofa again!

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It’s a difficult one, would you be within earshot of any scuffles if you didn’t sleep on the sofa? I agree, I wouldn’t move them or extend space too much until they’ve spent a couple of days without any humping/chasing. Do you have any puppy pen panels to make a pen?
 
It’s a difficult one, would you be within earshot of any scuffles if you didn’t sleep on the sofa? I agree, I wouldn’t move them or extend space too much until they’ve spent a couple of days without any humping/chasing. Do you have any puppy pen panels to make a pen?
Stayed on the sofa in the end. No puppy panels I'm afraid! The next space is their permanent home hopefully, it's not much bigger at 6x3ft because Finx and Tango were never shut in. It's only a few feet away from where they are now.
I'm not sure exactly what my logic is but I'm inclined to try it, I'm wondering if the current space might be frustrating them.

Pepper no longer seems to actually chase and hump, but the girls are still occasionally running and honking as if it's a learned behaviour [emoji849]
When they're not doing that, everyone is snoozing in a pile, snacking or grooming.

Finx used to run and honk at Tango every now and then, and Doris would occasionally hump Pepper previously. I think I'm seeing general rabbit pecking order rather than aggression.

Apologies for the essay!

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I think with bonding really the main thing is knowing your rabbits and their personalities:love: there’s no hard and fast rules and if you think it’s ok, based on knowing them and how they are, then it probably will be. It sounds like the girls just need to learn to trust that Pepper isn’t going to chase or hump them, in the main at least!
 
We have moved! So far so good. I've risked a litter tray but am watching closely and will take it away if they squabble over it.
I got over excited and moved their signs too. Prepare for photo overdose (sorry)!
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Aww :love: they certainly look very happy :love: I’m so pleased for you all :thumb:
Let's hope it stays that way! Thanks for your help [emoji4] it's good to have some shared experiences to draw from (and people who don't think I'm completely mad).

I think all being well I'll need to adapt some of their furniture before it goes back in, add some extra exits to some hidey holes.

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Let's hope it stays that way! Thanks for your help [emoji4] it's good to have some shared experiences to draw from (and people who don't think I'm completely mad).

I think all being well I'll need to adapt some of their furniture before it goes back in, add some extra exits to some hidey holes.

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No problem :love: I like their hay rack btw :love: where did you get that from?
 
Looks like a manor pet housing hay rack to me Zoobec.

What wonderful pics. Definately not overload.
 
Looks like a manor pet housing hay rack to me Zoobec.

What wonderful pics. Definately not overload.
Yep, it is. I built my own indoor house out of bits from a local recycling centre (and the shed haha) and then saved up to fill it with MPH furniture as my DIY skills are nowhere near that level of finish!

The hay rack is usually inside a castle but I didn't think that was a good idea for these guys quite yet.

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Yep, it is. I built my own indoor house out of bits from a local recycling centre (and the shed haha) and then saved up to fill it with MPH furniture as my DIY skills are nowhere near that level of finish!

The hay rack is usually inside a castle but I didn't think that was a good idea for these guys quite yet.

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It’s great :thumb: yes, I think you are right about withholding the castle for a bit. Frosty and Fern didn’t have ‘Frosty towers’ (cat tree hidey holes) given to them until a while after they had gone into the bunny room. Even though it was previously Frosty’s, he wasn’t at all territorial over it. I had cleaned it and steam cleaned it with vinegar mixture first :thumb:
 
We have graduated to living room play time... So far so good. Pepper was too busy binkying around the room to have his photo taken.

I'm installing an extra runaround door in their pen, to avoid traffic jams and make sure no one bun can own the entrance. Seems a bit more warren-like too.

Same with the MPH furniture, so far only double door items are allowed, trying to redesign the layout so it's impossible to be cornered. The hay bar castle will wait until my Mum comes to stay because she's much handier with the jigsaw than I am!
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Hi again!

Wasn't sure if I should make a new thread, I have a new question...

The trio are doing well inside their pen and I'm now trying to gradually allow time in the rest of the living room. Long term I want to allow access 24/7 as I did with Finx and Tango, the pen is too small to be a permanent house.

But, Doris appears to have forgotten all of her litter training and has chosen a spot where the TV unit makes a corner. I tried putting a forage box there instead as a distraction and she just moved up a bit. I really don't want to put a tray there but we have carpet!

Any thoughts? Is it too soon? There is no chasing in the pen but Pepper occasionally chases when outside of it.

More photos because I couldn't resist.
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Lovely photos :love: litter training sometimes seems to go out the window with new territory and/or bonding so hopefully it will settle down. Having a litter tray there might not be what you want but it might be worth it if she is hell bent on using that spot. Otherwise, If it’s poops I’d keep sweeping them up, wee I would soak up with kitchen towels and neutralise the area with white vinegar/water mixed 50/50. You could put the poops and wee soaked kitchen towel in their litter tray so she gets the idea.
 
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