Fluffy Snow
New Kit
Hi all,
I am new here but am hoping you may be able to help, I've had a stressful weekend after we had our two 4 month old minature lop boys Fluffy and Snowball neutered on friday morning.Sorry for the detail that follows, I am just trying to paint a clear picture.
They have lived together since birth (we got them at ten weeks) and here they live in a converted wood-lined outbuilding with a tunnel access to a large outdoor run. They have been sharing an indoor hide box (we had two and they only used one so removed the other to make more space)and a single litter tray, but have separate feeding and water bowls. They are always snuggled up together, go out to their run together at the same time and generally really happy contented brothers. Only twice have I seen Snowball mount fluffy, both times when they were running around in their run.
As recommended, we set up an indoor pen for them in the house upon their return from the vets, creating a separate sleeping area/tunnel with blanket and two snugglesafes. First evening back home they were dopey and quiet but started eating drinking and pooping. The next day Saturday they continued to improve, were less sleepy and eating normally etc. Suddenly on saturday evening Snowball started headmounting Fluffy, there was quite a commotion as fluffy started running away and was chased by Snowball who caught him and kept mounting him. as it was only 24 hours since surgery we were concerned for their wounds and decided to put a divider between them in the pen (wire so they can still see and smell each other). The sleeping tunnel is also split in the same way with blankets to lie on either side of the divide. we added a litter tray so they both have one in their area. Snowball seemed to be cross with this divide and we had about 30 mins of kicking his back legs, and throwing his food bowl around. Fluffy seemed to just relax and lie down.
On sunday morning we opened it back up for an hour and all was well, they ate together and seemed normal but then the mounting and chasing began again. we let them get on with it for a little while but then fluffy kept trying to lie down by himself but Snowball wouldnt leave him alone, mounting his head again. So we put back the separater again. Since then, they both appear to be behaving normally, sniffing each other through the divider, sharing hay between the divider and are currently both lying on their sides in the sleep tunnel with the divider between them but touching.
It had been our intention to keep them together in the house until today and then move them back into their "outside" normal home with access to their run. However now I dont know what to do from here!
Should i keep them in the house side by side for longer?
Should I put them together and hope the mounting stops?
I'm keen to have them back in the familiarity of their home with outdoor access, but we cant monitor them out there and I'm terrified they could hurt each other if it turned into a fight. It's now been 72 hours since surgery. Any advice would be gratefully received, I am so anxious to do the right thing by them. It could be me but I feel they are sad apart.
Thanks in advance!
I am new here but am hoping you may be able to help, I've had a stressful weekend after we had our two 4 month old minature lop boys Fluffy and Snowball neutered on friday morning.Sorry for the detail that follows, I am just trying to paint a clear picture.
They have lived together since birth (we got them at ten weeks) and here they live in a converted wood-lined outbuilding with a tunnel access to a large outdoor run. They have been sharing an indoor hide box (we had two and they only used one so removed the other to make more space)and a single litter tray, but have separate feeding and water bowls. They are always snuggled up together, go out to their run together at the same time and generally really happy contented brothers. Only twice have I seen Snowball mount fluffy, both times when they were running around in their run.
As recommended, we set up an indoor pen for them in the house upon their return from the vets, creating a separate sleeping area/tunnel with blanket and two snugglesafes. First evening back home they were dopey and quiet but started eating drinking and pooping. The next day Saturday they continued to improve, were less sleepy and eating normally etc. Suddenly on saturday evening Snowball started headmounting Fluffy, there was quite a commotion as fluffy started running away and was chased by Snowball who caught him and kept mounting him. as it was only 24 hours since surgery we were concerned for their wounds and decided to put a divider between them in the pen (wire so they can still see and smell each other). The sleeping tunnel is also split in the same way with blankets to lie on either side of the divide. we added a litter tray so they both have one in their area. Snowball seemed to be cross with this divide and we had about 30 mins of kicking his back legs, and throwing his food bowl around. Fluffy seemed to just relax and lie down.
On sunday morning we opened it back up for an hour and all was well, they ate together and seemed normal but then the mounting and chasing began again. we let them get on with it for a little while but then fluffy kept trying to lie down by himself but Snowball wouldnt leave him alone, mounting his head again. So we put back the separater again. Since then, they both appear to be behaving normally, sniffing each other through the divider, sharing hay between the divider and are currently both lying on their sides in the sleep tunnel with the divider between them but touching.
It had been our intention to keep them together in the house until today and then move them back into their "outside" normal home with access to their run. However now I dont know what to do from here!
Should i keep them in the house side by side for longer?
Should I put them together and hope the mounting stops?
I'm keen to have them back in the familiarity of their home with outdoor access, but we cant monitor them out there and I'm terrified they could hurt each other if it turned into a fight. It's now been 72 hours since surgery. Any advice would be gratefully received, I am so anxious to do the right thing by them. It could be me but I feel they are sad apart.
Thanks in advance!