hungry bunny mouths to feed, but also four volatile bunnies bonding.
That's not any sort of good maths puzzle!
The bunny mouths will have to wait. Just hope everyone out about is ok, especially Sandy who had her dental yesterday!
hungry bunny mouths to feed, but also four volatile bunnies bonding.
That's not any sort of good maths puzzle!
The bunny mouths will have to wait. Just hope everyone out about is ok, especially Sandy who had her dental yesterday!
Does the bond keep shifting then? Last night was my first night with no squabbling so we are slowly making progress, but it takes a while for them to sort it all out doesn't it, and yes my outsiders have had to wait for a lull in the bonding for their walk round and hay top up too.
Hope it settles soon.
Yes. We had a bad night and are still unsettled this morning although I can see progress with them. Its 99% to do with Thistle who I think was top dog in the trio and Clover has come right in at the top. But she is also anxious which is causing her to be quite nippy.
We now have grooming again (all ways, which is good), all be it sporadic grooming, in between the spats. No one is scared or bullied, but I think Thistle is 'testing', but she is the same with all of them, to a certain degree, so this might just be how she is, but Clover is reacting less and less to her. Thistle has been doing a nip on the nose when Clover asks for a groom, and then Thistle runs away. Clover was chasing and letting her know, but sometimes now she just ignores her, or she chases her but no nipping in return.
Despite saying all that, Thistle, Perry and Clover are all snuggled up asleep as I type. Maybe I should take my leave and nip the loo. :lol:
Absolutely.
Last evening we had a major scuffle based on them all trying to redesign the pecking order. But I think it remains the same as the early days so Pepper has simply been trying to confirm her dominance.
I can go to the loo luckily, but today is also cleanout day with 41 buns here today - I think I am going to struggle to nip in and out to do it until the OH comes home this afternoon. A quick hay top up will do until later.
I can see a change for the better with this three and with your four, I am sure it'll go the same way but with the extra possible combinations for heirachy possible, it's just going to take a wee bit longer.
You doing a 4 does make me realise that I just couldn't do one these days as my OH used to work from home so when I had to go out to work or do buns/chores he was a very competant helper in watching. Now he works away during the day, I can't. In fact doing a trio is now taking a bit of a risk time wise.
Fingers crossed for a good day today for your guys
:shock: 17? Agree with susie, puts looking after my 2 into perspective
I guess I got lulled into a false sense of security when we had 27 intervention free hours. :lol: I can see progress now from last night, that's for sure, so I hope that is genuine progress.
You can see where some people who only do a bonding once in their lives come unstuck can't you, because it all looks great for a while in the very early days and then BOOM it all changes. Even in pairs I can say that without exception, the situation willl alter 24-48 hours in no question. I wonder how many people believe that when the buns first go in together and settle, then think that the bond is done.
In fact I do know that some rescues only keep an owners bunny for a day or so (and sometimes only hours) before sending the new pairings home - I do wonder how there aren't more failures in the groups when they do this.
I have to say the more bondings I do, the more I learn, with proof positive that it really is a tricky process which needs a lot of effort to help work.
Right, off to make a cuppa now. This afternoon I shall be moving the trio out into a wendy house to test the water by increasing space slightly. If it doesn't look good, they'll come back into the puppy pen, but hopefully they are past the worst of the squabbling.
I don't know how you handle this bonding! I'd have a nervous breakdown... You're a stronger woman than me!!
Good luck! Hope the other bunny mouths don't organise a mutiny...!
I feel for you, as I really struggle to bond and feed mine at the same time. Its always a case of wizzing up the garden throw food in for one dash back in to check on buns and out again. Very time consuming and knackering with usually at least another 35 to feed and clean.
Hope it all goes well :wave:
See, this whole post interested me greatly. I've not had this experience with bunnies testing the waters previously and have done more than average amounts of bonding (can't not with all these bunnies :lol::roll.
Thankfully though, having read and been aware it might happen, it wasn't a surprise when it did. I even warned my parents so they expected it to go wonky for a while.
Said place I've chatted to you about recently put the rabbits together during the day, if they get on ok they consider them bonded. They don't get supervised at all, but checked on sporadically until 4.30pm. They would have missed all of this and just come in in the morning having no idea what has gone on. They won't/don't/can't (?) listen to the advice I give about bonding.
I'm learning a lot. I like it but I'm shattered! Yesterday I went to fill up my car at the petrol station after the vets (bunnies in tow :lol and just got there and had no idea how to fill up my car, which side the filler hole is on or anything at all. Just total brain fade. I've only had the car for 6 and a half years :lol:
Enjoy your cuppa and good luck with the space increase!
Absolutely and in my experience, most of the changes take place either in the early hours, late night, or dusk - mimicking when bunnies are most active, so these places that invite you to take bunny for a speed date are really not doing anyone any favours. Both rabbits are likely to be so stressed when plonked in together that they won't fight - that'll come later when they've been adopted and gone home and it's too late! Damage done.
Just starting to move the trio outside so that I can clean and watch at the same time. They are all very settled now so I think we can move on to the next stage.Yup.
Thanks to my kind mum I now have all my 17 fed, watered and hayed. The rest can wait for now.
Just starting to move the trio outside so that I can clean and watch at the same time. They are all very settled now so I think we can move on to the next stage.
All being well they will go home this weekend to a very happy mummy.
More laters.
:lol: What's to say I'm not! :lol: