Bunny bonding

[feral]

We just lost our beautiful Tommy, he was such a sweet gentle bunny I miss him so much. His brother was so sad and depressed, i decided to get another bunny.

We adopted a stray who was only a year old, our resident boy is 7. She is very clever and more like a dog, wanting attention all the time and zooming up and down the stairs! He doesn't like being stroked but likes company, so very different characters and big age gap.

On the first day she vaulted all the barriers, and they had a big fight (bunny tornado). I rang the RWAF who gave me bonding tips and encouraged me to persevere.

It was hard work bonding them, my boy was terrified at first, but day 6 I think we cracked it! They did have a near fight, but after that they ate hay side by side in a small tray, she groomed him lots and I stayed with them the night. All areas are open, they are relaxed together and bunny is exploring and excited!

My question is, should I keep them separated for meal times? She is tiny but wolfs her food down. They're both food mad and I don't want squabbles, they've only eaten hay and dried herbs together.

 

[Omi]

I think it's beneficial for both bunnies to eat together, but only if that is a positive experience for both. So if it leads to squabbles, or if you think that one bunny is consuming more than a far share, then I would hand-feed foods that can be hand-fed.

I do that here, not because of squabbles, but to ensure that both bunnies get a fair share.

It's very early in their eveloping bond and I think you might find that behaviour change in time. My female bunny was frightened of her male partner at the beginning. However, she is very much 'in charge' now in every respect.

It does sound like they are doing well, which is good to hear. It must be lovely for you to know that your boy has a new friend.

 

[feral]

Thank you. I was hand feeding when Tommy was ill to make sure he got fed and the other didn't over eat.

I'm not sure who's in charge with these two, they both bowed heads to be groomed for hours, then the girl groomed the boy - I thought she would be dominant as he was terrified of her, but it seems neither is at the moment, they are getting on really well.

She arrive with a bag of burgess meant for baby rabbits and dwarfs, so I'm very slowly weaning her off which is a reason not to share, but I can just make sure they both eat the right nuggets and sit with them.

I'm giving them a tablespoon each of burgess twice a day with a handful of greens or kale or cabbage in morning and a handful of salads eg rocket watercress herbs in the evening. I've always fed that much but read really they only need one tablespoon of pellets per day, is two too much?

 

[Omi]

Thank you. I was hand feeding when Tommy was ill to make sure he got fed and the other didn't over eat.

I'm not sure who's in charge with these two, they both bowed heads to be groomed for hours, then the girl groomed the boy - I thought she would be dominant as he was terrified of her, but it seems neither is at the moment, they are getting on really well.

She arrive with a bag of burgess meant for baby rabbits and dwarfs, so I'm very slowly weaning her off which is a reason not to share, but I can just make sure they both eat the right nuggets and sit with them.

I'm giving them a tablespoon each of burgess twice a day with a handful of greens or kale or cabbage in morning and a handful of salads eg rocket watercress herbs in the evening. I've always fed that much but read really they only need one tablespoon of pellets per day, is two too much?

Regarding advice on the quantity of pellets each day, I don't think that it's necessary to opt for a precise amount. There are so many things to consider when deciding on how many to give eg how much exercise the bunnies get, the size of the bunnies, whether they consume a very large quantity of hay in addition to the pellets and whether their poos look healthy. Sometimes it's also going to be advisable to feed no pellets per day. This could be for a dental bunny, who could fill up on pellets and not eat enough hay for his teeth. I personally like to feed some pellets as that ensures me that the bunny is well, as not eating pellets rings alarm bells.

If you find that feeding two tablespoons per day suits your bunnies, then I would continue.

My two bunnies live outside and have a lot of exercise per day. They both consume an enormous amount of hay and other plants plus their poos look healthy. I feed the equivalent of 2 small eggcupfuls per day per bunny, which I imagine must be very similar to two tablespoons.

 

[feral]

That's good to hear, I think I will stick to the 2 tablespoons, it's what I usually do, I just started to read more and more that they should just have one tablespoon, it feels like nothing. They have unlimited hay too.

I fed them together this evening and they were fine, they had dandelion roots together too and apart from picking the last bit out of each others teeth, they were quite polite!

I only got the little one last Sunday from the RSPCA, I can't believe how well she has settled in and how much they like each other. I thought they would never bond, or it would take months and here we are, I'm over the moon. Perhaps I shouldn't speak to soon!

 

[Cinnabun14]

Aw, good luck with your bonding, she sounds like a lovely girl! How's it going so far?

 

[feral]

It's going really, really well! Better than I could ever imagine, they are good friends and always together. She is a very different character to his brother, she is really outgoing, loves attention and can be quite pushy, she is only little but knows what she wants - if you try to shut the door to a room she turns into a buffalo pushing really hard with her nose to get in! They have free range of the house, so doors need closing sometimes and they can also access the run outside 24/7 which she has started to excavate!

It's been an emotional rollercoaster as we lost our beautiful, gentle Tommy and then straight away we bring a new crazy critter into the house but I felt like I needed to do something for Jack as he looked so sad on his own it was heartbreaking. Also, if there's room for one more, it's one less in a rescue, and she is such a lovely funny girl, I've never known such an outgoing rabbit! So here we are! I feel like a bonding expert now! Well maybe not an expert, but I've experienced it and it was much harder than I imagined, but well worth it for both of them

 

[tonibun]

I am so pleased your Bunnies are happy together as they do really need a friend. I think a tbsp of pellets per day (only one) is about right as this encourages them to fill up with their hay, which is the most important part of their diet. There isn't much difference between junior pellets and the ordinary ones so you don;t need to worry. Your new bunny isn't a baby so she can eat normal pellets.

 

[joey&boo]

Yay, what a nice outcome. In my experience girl bunnies can be very good at getting what they want & are super entertaining. She sounds fun

 

[feral]

Thanks I slowly changed her pellets over this week to adult ones, so as from today they're on the same, although strangely the new bag of burgess adult pellets are smaller than they used to be, now they are identical to the dwarf ones!. I always worry about diet as my last bunny got stasis a lot, his brother didn't. They're still on a tablespoon each twice a day, but I might cut down a bit.

There are so many different opinions on amounts to feed of nuggets and veg. I find that 'a cupful" or "a handful" of veg really unhelpful, it could mean anything! I feed a "handful" of kale and pakchoi in the morning and a handful of rocket, watercress and herbs at night with celery and occasional carrot chunks and red pepper...

Yes she is very entertaining!

 

[feral]

They do have unlimited hay too - and eat a lot of it and grass.

 

[Cinnabun14]

I'm glad to hear everything's going well! She sounds like a dream (albeit a bossy one )

 

[feral]

Yes, she is a little bossy boots and really clever! She doesn't stop, I rarely see her still, my other bunny can't keep up. At the moment she's zooming the stairs and she's excavated the garden... she hasn't nibbled or dug indoors though, she's quite houseproud

 

[a reader of books]

Oh, she sounds so full of life How lovely that they're getting along so well and Jack has a new friend after being so sad and depressed because of losing Tommy, and she has a wonderful new home with a friend now, too

You're so right that there are so many different recommendations about how much to feed of what thing (and I agree that words like "handful" aren't very helpful!); it can be so confusing! I think it's partly because what works for one bunny won't necessarily work for another, and people tend to base their recommendations on what they've seen work with the bunnies in their care (whether that's people with bunnies at home, or vets, or rescues). I think what you're feeding sounds perfectly fine if they're doing well on it. If their poops looks good, and they're not gaining or losing weight, and they eat plenty of grass or hay, I think you've got a good thing going.

 

[Cinnabun14]

A houseproud bunny who loves being petted! I believe you have found a four leaf clover my friend!

 

[feral]

Yes, I think I am overthinking the eating. She is a 4 leaf clover and very entertaining!

 

[feral]

Trouble in paradise! She started off litter trained when she arrived, but since she bonded and got the run of the house and outside space she's let her toilet habits slip!...

She doesn't go all over the house but she does go infront of the litter trays instead of in them most of the time, there's a lot to clear up. Any tips on getting her to use the trays?

Thanks.

 

[feral]

They have 3 large trays with lots of fresh hay I change twice a day. One in the hutch, 2 in the house, she does use them but mainly poos outside of them now.

 

[tonibun]

Is she neutered?

 

[Cuthbert&Dillon]

Your girl sounds amazing and so glad that Jack is happier now.