-
Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.
Lillian and Leo 's bonding adventures - day 1...U/D 19 March vet visit now
- Thread starter Craig 1965
- Start date
Craig 1965
Warren Veteran
This is lovely to hear - 2 happy bunniesDon't forget Parsley is high in Calcium!
Oh- I did not know this. Oh drat. I’m trying to keep Lillian down on calcium intake and this isn’t good.
She is weeing healthy amounts - just cleaned her en suite area out, but I will reduce parsley to only small amount.
Thank you for this advice TB.
I wouldn't worry too much about Parsley.
https://www.harcourt-brown.co.uk/articles/free-food-for-rabbits/calcium-and-rabbit-food
https://www.harcourt-brown.co.uk/articles/free-food-for-rabbits/calcium-and-rabbit-food
Craig 1965
Warren Veteran
Thank you omi. That’s so useful.
Cuthbert&Dillon
Mama Doe
Oh lovely - excellent news
Craig 1965
Warren Veteran
An interesting day today with the newly bonded bunnies. This has been their first full day together.
I bow my head to those wise RU'ers who said that Leo would reduce his amourous activities. From yesterday to today, there has been a marked decline. Oh, excuse me a moment, I'm just about to go and tell a rabbit off........
Rught, I'll tell you about the telling off in a moment - you won't believe me.
So, Leo has reduced the humping, but still makes advances. They both went out into the garden at about mid day and spent the next 5 hours outside. Leo was 'invisibly attached' to Lillian with a piece of string - he was never more than 2ft away from her. There was plenty of lawn mowing (saves me a job when it eventually stops raining) and some rest time. When the rain started at 5pm, they mysteriously came in. No arguments, no drama. There has been no agression whatsoever but I would say Leo is still 'learning' about rabbit protocol. He presents as totally excited and overwhelmed - and thinking about it, Leo has been on his own all of his 4 years 11 months. He has gone from his usual family, to foster care, to us all within just over a month. It must be emotional overload for Leo. But he is adapting and settling and hopefully in time he will learn.
They have shared food from the various food bowls without issue. Leo and Lillian have settled under the living room table and seem relaxed with each other.
And so we get to the 'telling off'. Now, you recall Lillian and her bell ringing for food (I still haven't recorded this but will). Well, 10 minutes ago, as I was eating tea, ...'ting' went the bell. My wife who sits at the table (where bunnies are) said "that was Leo".
"What?" said I. "Leo?" Are you kidding me? So I had to rush in and grab some food, put it down and go back to my tea (I eat on the sofa). No sooner had I sat down than ..."ting" went the bell again. "That was Leo again" said my wife. Up I got, more food (dried food this time) and put that down. And all the while, Lillian is hiding behind Leo and I swear she is sniggering. Now, Leo has never heard the bell. Never seen it. And he's using his chin to ring it (the same as Lillian as it happens).
No sooner do I sit down, than ..."ting" - Lillian this time. So up I got again, dried forage and then back to my tea.
They learn quick, don't they?
Leo is still quite nervous about some situations. He hasn't got used to the sounds and manors in the house - but he's only been in a day so it'll take time. But I think both rabbits are content. It must also be hard on Lillian because I know she took the loss of Henry hard. We all did (and I still do). Moving forward for us and Lillian is Leo, and priority one is to give Leo that safe warm loving home that he deserves. That is our responsibility and acceptance when we adopted him. Priority two is to try to get Leo paired in order to enrich and fulfil his life - which we seem to have done.
I'll post some videos and photos when I get time. I've been busy today preparing for son coming back from uni next week so haven't had time to do video and photos.
Thank you all for following and for your wise and accurate advice and guidance. You are all brilliant.
Craing xx
I bow my head to those wise RU'ers who said that Leo would reduce his amourous activities. From yesterday to today, there has been a marked decline. Oh, excuse me a moment, I'm just about to go and tell a rabbit off........
Rught, I'll tell you about the telling off in a moment - you won't believe me.
So, Leo has reduced the humping, but still makes advances. They both went out into the garden at about mid day and spent the next 5 hours outside. Leo was 'invisibly attached' to Lillian with a piece of string - he was never more than 2ft away from her. There was plenty of lawn mowing (saves me a job when it eventually stops raining) and some rest time. When the rain started at 5pm, they mysteriously came in. No arguments, no drama. There has been no agression whatsoever but I would say Leo is still 'learning' about rabbit protocol. He presents as totally excited and overwhelmed - and thinking about it, Leo has been on his own all of his 4 years 11 months. He has gone from his usual family, to foster care, to us all within just over a month. It must be emotional overload for Leo. But he is adapting and settling and hopefully in time he will learn.
They have shared food from the various food bowls without issue. Leo and Lillian have settled under the living room table and seem relaxed with each other.
And so we get to the 'telling off'. Now, you recall Lillian and her bell ringing for food (I still haven't recorded this but will). Well, 10 minutes ago, as I was eating tea, ...'ting' went the bell. My wife who sits at the table (where bunnies are) said "that was Leo".
"What?" said I. "Leo?" Are you kidding me? So I had to rush in and grab some food, put it down and go back to my tea (I eat on the sofa). No sooner had I sat down than ..."ting" went the bell again. "That was Leo again" said my wife. Up I got, more food (dried food this time) and put that down. And all the while, Lillian is hiding behind Leo and I swear she is sniggering. Now, Leo has never heard the bell. Never seen it. And he's using his chin to ring it (the same as Lillian as it happens).
No sooner do I sit down, than ..."ting" - Lillian this time. So up I got again, dried forage and then back to my tea.
They learn quick, don't they?
Leo is still quite nervous about some situations. He hasn't got used to the sounds and manors in the house - but he's only been in a day so it'll take time. But I think both rabbits are content. It must also be hard on Lillian because I know she took the loss of Henry hard. We all did (and I still do). Moving forward for us and Lillian is Leo, and priority one is to give Leo that safe warm loving home that he deserves. That is our responsibility and acceptance when we adopted him. Priority two is to try to get Leo paired in order to enrich and fulfil his life - which we seem to have done.
I'll post some videos and photos when I get time. I've been busy today preparing for son coming back from uni next week so haven't had time to do video and photos.
Thank you all for following and for your wise and accurate advice and guidance. You are all brilliant.
Craing xx
nap91
Mama Doe
amazing updates Craig, I'm sitting here with a big silly grin on my face imagining them with the bell
Me too
can't wait for a video!
Cuthbert&Dillon
Mama Doe
Brilliant news and I am off to update the nickname thread to say Tingting!
keletkezes
Wise Old Thumper
Chibbs had to learn how to be a bunny again: she'd been alone in a hutch all her 5yrs and we were very lucky she took everything in her stride, no drama, but did need to 'catch up' with Lopsy quite a bit It's great to hear Leo's learning fast, especially the important stuff like how to get food :lol:
It's great to hear Leo's learning fast, especially the important stuff like how to get food :lol:
kattymieoww
Warren Veteran
Sounds positive,both bunnies training you to fetch food.Brilliant.x:lol:
Craig 1965
Warren Veteran
Leo is still frantically and constantly humping Lillian - it's day 4 now and I'm concerned Lillians demeanour is presenting as fed up. She can't go to the toilet or even eat in peace.
Apart from seperating them - which as I understand things is not recomended after a bond, is there anything else I can do to give Lillian some sort of break? Or is this just going to have to continue to it's natural conclusion which at the moment is the case that Leo is not giving up at all.
Thanks
Craig x
Apart from seperating them - which as I understand things is not recomended after a bond, is there anything else I can do to give Lillian some sort of break? Or is this just going to have to continue to it's natural conclusion which at the moment is the case that Leo is not giving up at all.
Thanks
Craig x
nap91
Mama Doe
In my experience it will lessen but will take time. It took a good few weeks for Phillip to stop doing it to Snowy once bonded and even then he still did it from time to time! In the end we just made sure when we sat with them, we’d distract Phillip for a bit so Snowy could have a bit of a break! Also made sure she had lots of hidey places which were too small for Phillip to mount her in.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
