When they sit there face to face for some time, I'd suggest taking one of them and swinging them around so they're side by side. It helps a little with the bonding if they're actually touching one another and it's a less confrontational stance.

I do so empathize. While My two didn't have any overt aggression towards one another, it did feel like FOREVER for the bond to really take - although in reality it was just a little over a month.

I was always intrigued by the Dryer method of bonding, but never tried it ( where you put the both of them inside the open dryer) And I did have some limited success with the Basket on top of the washer while in the spin cycle to get Jacksons mind off of Mounting Coco and Coco's mind off of escaping Jackson.

I think the hardest thing was the tension ( on the human) We know how fast the buggers are - we know they can inflict damage on one another, but on the other hand...They HAVE to be together and start to sort it all out.

My two were in separate rooms. I allowed Coco to choose when she wanted to come visit Jackson - and she would hop out into the hall, and sit over at the gate where he was in my daughters room. Her room was neutral, as Coco had not been in that space at all. They spent alot of time staring at each other between that gate.

Coco folded the grooming card first - And grooms Jackson most frequently. Jackson rarely grooms her - but she has never allowed him to mount her that I have witnessed. She HAS mounted him. He usually looks befuddled.

Then the poo wars. God. I seriously thought that was Never end. But it has - and it does.

I think I read on one of the grooming threads that it can feel like there is NO progress and suddenly you look over and they are kicked out side by side - ignoring each other, and that this - in Bun language is a Great Sign.

Stick it out - I know there were times when I thought "I guess they don't LOVE each other, but I will settle for room mates" which is what I think of them as - not a great rabbit romance, but they seem happy and companionable. I think Maybe Markus told me his were more like room mates too..

I really like the video, Monkey. It shows how motiionless and lengthy a stare-down can be while the rabbits size each other up. Just the sitting in each other's presence is a session worthwhile. Is your car fixed?

My hubby's car is in the shop, but its likely to never come home. My car has yet to go in... *sigh*

MarkBun, I have been trying that more lately, making the 2 of them sit by each otehr whether they want to or not after a bit of a staredown I'll post the new vids soon

Does your car run at all, the one waiting to go in? You don't necessarily have to drive it, just let the engine run and sit with the buns. If they get nasty, you could honk (the horn).

Yeah it runs, its been what we've been driving since hubby's car is sick lol. might try the car later this week, its been raining alot and i dont want my babies getting cold or wet.

Like I said, just bundle up, put the two buns in an open box with blanket under them and hay and turn the ignition. You will have heat and the vibration from the car. It will be good.

More videos of last night

You are so lucky both of them like being petted ^^

Monkey actually hates it lol. She's tolerating it there cuz she really has no choice

I would try wetting Monkey's forehead. See if Moose tries to clean it up. Or you could go with banana there instead.

Neither of them has had banana yet, so I'll wait to try that until they've had a taste beforehand. Note to self: buy bananas today lol

Posted By Balefulregards on 01/04/2010 01:41 PM
I do so empathize. While My two didn't have any overt aggression towards one another, it did feel like FOREVER for the bond to really take - although in reality it was just a little over a month.

I was always intrigued by the Dryer method of bonding, but never tried it ( where you put the both of them inside the open dryer) And I did have some limited success with the Basket on top of the washer while in the spin cycle to get Jacksons mind off of Mounting Coco and Coco's mind off of escaping Jackson.

 

I'm guessing this was a mis-type... you wouldn't put the buns INSIDE the dryer...  lol.

I've actually heard of that.. putting them inside the dryer, not turned on of course, and turn the basin manually to get them off balance... wouldnt try it myself tho... knowing Monkey, she'd have it filled with poo in no time >.<

Oh wow. You're joking right?! I've never heard of that and I would never do it. That just doesn't seem safe or sanitary. Dryers have those bars that go around the drum and if the bunny slipped they could hurt themselves by falling on it or even rip a nail out. You can get the same effect from shaking them in a laundry basket gently...

Posted By Beka27 on 01/07/2010 05:38 AM
Oh wow. You're joking right?! I've never heard of that and I would never do it. That just doesn't seem safe or sanitary. Dryers have those bars that go around the drum and if the bunny slipped they could hurt themselves by falling on it or even rip a nail out. You can get the same effect from shaking them in a laundry basket gently...

 

I agree as I find this method questionable also. It would be hard to access for the human crouched down on the floor in front of an open dryer with two rabbits that would be falling over themselves in a desperate attempt to get any footing. I mean, slippery is one stressor but a curved smooth surface would be overdoing the stress in my opinion. Also, when I think of some of the rabbits I bonded I can imagine they would have flung upward and coming down in the dryer drum cold have hit their heads on those bars in an awkward angle. There certainly are safer, more straightforward setups.Having said this, I was talking with my friend about this and she actually saw it described in the bonding blog of the house rabbit network. I couldn't believe it. here is the link.

blog.rabbitnetwork.org/

this is what it says

An even easier trick is to put them in a cold dryer.  No, you won’t be turning it on. You’ll just out them in the dryer, and if they start to make a fuss, turn rotate the drum slowly by hand. This will be enough to keep the rabbits on an uneven footing and will allow you significant control over the situation. As a bonus, the steel drum of the average dryer will be easy to clean in the event of territorial wetting or pelleting. Side loading washers are generally too damp for this purpose, and rabbit claws can catch, bend or break in the drainage holes that line a washer’s drum. Simply putting the rabbits in a clean, dry bathtub will also provide a slippery footing and neutral territory.

.

Well, I've had to put a hold on the bonding... my knee just can't take it just now. Its hard being on the floor with them, hurts like heck. I just started physio for it tuesday, and all the exercises I gotta do for it every day are just putting me in agony. I'll just have to do bonding when I can

Hope your physio started working soon! Knee injuries are so painful cause you use your knees for almost everything. You poor thing!

Part of the problem I have with it is some of the muscle has atrophied.. so the whole thing doesn't work right. And my knee cap is in a weird place. My PT says its the most interesting knee she has ever seen lol. Monkey doesn't think so, she just likes to dig at my pants on it.

Could you move the session to a higer place, off the floor? You could throw a shower curtain on your sofa and sit with them maybe petting them both at the same time.

I suppose we could.. hubby is a little apprehensive about that, as monkey had taken to marking his side of the couch but then again, that was before she got fixed hehe

that's why the shower curtain. to protect the upholstery from urine.

Although I'd never do it, and nor do I expect anyone else to do it - I wonder how the buns would react if we did to them what they do to us...

well, i suppose that depends... although I'm not going to go poop on Monkey like she does to me! lol

lol ^^*shakes head*

Hope your knee feels better soon! It looks like things are going pretty well. I would deffinitely recommend banana on the heads, worked like a charm for mine but they are both bananas for banana Also, I hadn't been able to find Moose pictures but what a cutie he is in those videos!

I keep forgetting to upload pics of him lol. I got a sort of close up on his 2-toned eyes too. I gotta post that. Physio is going well so far, Still can't kneel down or bend my leg much but its getting there. I told the hubby we gotta get going on the bonding again this week. I'll do the videos, he'll do damage control lol.

MB, how do you go standing for long lengths of time? Maybe you could try a table top with a blanket down on it? You could even sit at the table actually.

Standing for long periods of time doesn't work either. My knee just isn't strong enough. And if I HAD a dining room table, that might be a good idea llol. The buns are in the dining room, without a table I'm thinking maybe just grabbing one of the pens and putting it around the couch, and I can relax and have the buns and hubby on the floor in there

I set up a small pen area in my bedroom (which was semi-neutral space for both) and I was able to sit on the edge of the bed within arm's reach of the buns and I used the small laundry basket to break them up when necessary... Sitting on my bed I was able to do hour-long sessions... on the floor I may have only been able to do a half-hour due to my back problems.