Walnut, Bell, Pepsi and Feebee - Nipping, Help Needed Please, Post 9

Bonding has comenced

At 12 o'clock all four were put in the bath (neutral place). I scattered some food around so as soon as they were in there they started eating. When eating had finished there were a few scuffles but then everything carmed down

Pepsi been humping the girls and trying to hump Walnut but Walnut dosen't let him. Walnut had humped the girls to and managed to hump Pepsi once.

There has been lots of grooming as well
Pepsi has groomed everyone.
Feebee has groomed everyone.
Bell had groomed Pepsi.
Walnut had groomed Pepsi and Feebee.
So all we need is for Bell to groom Feebee and Walnut and Walnut to groom Bell.

Me and my mum are having shifts of sitting in the bathroom and watching them. This is my time off

Its all quite calm at the moment.
The only problems are that sometimes Feebee just nips somebun and they get annoyed, its not like a bite its just like she testing to see what they taste like (she does it to my fingers too) What do you think she is doing??
Also whenever Pepsi tries to hump Wally, Wally gets angry and makes a big fuss of it.
Appart from those to its going great Touch wood

Please send some bonding vibes

Thanks:wave:

p.s. Will add some pics in a min

Some piccies














Hey I got a secret, listen in...



Sorry theres so many
There not in good focus because one of the buttons on the camera is stuck and thats the button you have to press to make it in close up mode so its now stuck in close up mode:roll:

Very cute! I love the one where the bunny has flopped!

nipping and humping is normal especially at the beginning, be prepared for more of that and lots of stress for you! lol Looks like a great start though so just hold your nerve and keep going!! Beautiful bunnies :wave:

Looks to be going better than mine did!

Looks to be going very well! keep at it
No bath for you tonight then?! :lol:

:wave:Well done, and brilliant photos . . . I love the 'sharing a secret' photo

The Agouti bun is taking it in his stridge i see - total flop!

Haven't been able to update this becuase have been so busy with the rabbits, and whenever I come on here I have to check up on all the new posts and photos then don't have time to update here:roll:

Anyway, I need some advice please
Well, they are now together as a 4. We kept them in the bath for a few days then they went into the old run. There were a few scuffles and some chasing which I know is normal. There was one problem however, Feebee nips everyone. I know that this is normal as well but she dosen't do it in the "get out of my way" sort of way she sneaks up on them looking like shes just sniffing them so we don't react and move her away, then suddenly nips them on their back or nose and they go flying into the air and retaliate by starting a fight, which we stop staright away.
She especially picks on Bell and Bell then retaliates. So whenever she nipped her we would but them in the carrier together for 15mins and they wouldn't fight in there then put them back with the boys.
So yesterday it was going really well in the run we thought we would let them run around in the big aviary run. Everything was fine, there was chasing again but I didn't worry about that because nobody got near enough to hurt eachother. However whenever Feebee came anywhere near Bell, Bell ran away like she was scared of her, every single time. Even when Feebee just came to sniff her. We thought maybe she could tell Feebee would nip her so got away to stop a fight.
Bell is still scared of Feebee today. I hate to see her like that, she looks terrrified and bolts around to find somewhere to hide. So what we have tried is putting Feebee in the carrier and the other three have the whole shed. The three are like best buddies now, no chasing at all and lots of grooming and following eachother around.
Bell is much more confident now with everyone and not so uneasy, she can relax now with Feebee in the carrier even though they are still right next to eachother. We are trying to make Bell less scared of Feebee by making them eat next to eachother etc... and show that Feebee will not always nip Bell.
Was it a good idea to put Feebee in the carrier or not??
What would you suggest to stop Feebee nipping her, or to make sure Bell is not scared of her??

Its doing my head in, why are bunnies so complicated!!!

Oh forgot to say, because of the nipping we can't trust them together at night so they sleep with a divider inbetween the two pairs so they can hear, smell and see eachother but can't hurt eachother, its probably not the thing to do but it seems to be working with us because they get on fine in the morning again.

Thanks for any advice:wave:

claireb1 said:

Looks to be going very well! keep at it
No bath for you tonight then?! :lol:

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I had to stick with a shower:lol::lol: My dad was a bit annoyed though he likes his baths:roll::lol:


Thank you everyone

Yes Bell is the agouti she was so relaxed then

nursecroft said:

nipping and humping is normal especially at the beginning, be prepared for more of that and lots of stress for you! lol Looks like a great start though so just hold your nerve and keep going!! Beautiful bunnies :wave:

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Certainly lots of stress!!!
Thanks

The nipping should settle, its Feebee re-asserting herself as boss which will happen at the beginning, Bell is reacting in the right way by running away. You can intervene and say 'no' Teddy was very nippy with Dreamer to start with and was pushing his luck so I have just stopped him and restrained him gently with a firm 'no'. He doesnt do it anymore but its taken a couple of months to stop.

nursecroft said:

The nipping should settle, its Feebee re-asserting herself as boss which will happen at the beginning, Bell is reacting in the right way by running away. You can intervene and say 'no' Teddy was very nippy with Dreamer to start with and was pushing his luck so I have just stopped him and restrained him gently with a firm 'no'. He doesnt do it anymore but its taken a couple of months to stop.

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Ok so just stop her and it should stop and Bell should feel safer after a while??
Oh and what did you do at night time to stop Teddy nipping? Thanks

wally4eva said:

Ok so just stop her and it should stop and Bell should feel safer after a while??
Oh and what did you do at night time to stop Teddy nipping? Thanks

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I had them indoors so if i heard Dreamer whizz round the cage Teddy got a squirt! Once they were outside there was nothing really i could do unless i saw Teddy nip Dreamer, there needs to be a pecking order and as long as the bunny getting nipped now and then has plenty of space to get away and isnt unhappy or showing signs of stress id let them sort themselves out.

nursecroft said:

I had them indoors so if i heard Dreamer whizz round the cage Teddy got a squirt! Once they were outside there was nothing really i could do unless i saw Teddy nip Dreamer, there needs to be a pecking order and as long as the bunny getting nipped now and then has plenty of space to get away and isnt unhappy or showing signs of stress id let them sort themselves out.

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Ok thanks
Bell was stressed before I think but now she carmed down a bit and is getting closer to Feebee but runs away when she goes to nip her. Thanks for the help