Well, they had their second date today. I thought it went pretty well. Peter was more assertive this time. It seemed like he and Little-Bit traded places. He was following Little-Bit around a bunch and I thought for sure he would mount her! He was very curious. He wound up lunging at her a few times. I could be wrong but don't THINK either party got an actual nip in. Little-Bit actually didn't lunge at all but she didn't like Peter's lunges either.

I am not certain -should I squirt at lunges too or just nips? I didn't squirt at any just-lunges.

I don't know but it seems to me like Little-Bit got to test the waters with Peter the first date they went on and Peter got to test the waters with Little-Bit this time. After the first ten minutes or so both settled down and laid down at a distance. They were both still eyeballing each other intensely but Peter seemed to become his usual floppy chill self. Though he would joust his head out really quickly at Little-Bit if she got too close. Little-Bit was still pretty tense but I think she's beginning to realize that he doesn't actually pose a threat to her. There was a LOT of ignoring and a LOT of staring.

After we threw a little oat hay into the works it seemed to ease the nerves of both bunnies considerably. Little-Bit is dead-to-the-world when she's eating hay (the world could be exploding behind her and she wouldn't notice) and Peter didn't seem to mind sharing it with her. We ended the session after both bunnies layed out in SEMI-close proximity. Little-Bit faces Peter when she's laying down, but Peter doesn't mind turning his back to her when he's laying down at all. Actually he flopped and closed his eyes several times with his back to her. She even sniffed his feet and belly while he was flopped and he barely flinched!

I think they've come a good distance today. Still tense of course but I think they've begun to get the hang of it today.

I also think that Peter's assertiveness/ aggression today may have something to do with the fact that 1. He's getting more comfortable being in the house, and 2. I took him to the vet yesterday and he FLIPPED OUT. Like, REALLY bad. (Thank God Dr. Hall is so attentive to the fact that bunnies can hurt themselves and that she knows how to restrain them when they do, because...God...the last time I'd had a bunny spook like that....) He was so exhausted and scared when we got home that he just hid for the rest of the afternoon. He was fine and dandy by the end of the evening, but I think that he may have still had some residual apprehension with being picked up today.

Oh I will! I just didn't get a lot of shots yesterday because nothing much different happened. Lol. There is one of them sitting togeher and Peter putting his head over Little-Bit's back though. That only lasted for seconds of course, but it's on camera none the less. :p

Oi geez, I apologize for the lack of updates but there hasn't been anything to update on. I had to take a longer break than expected because I got a random arm injury in the middle of the week. As pathetic as it sounds I literally have NO idea how it happened but somehow I managed to bruise a few of my muscles pretty badly and could barely move my right arm at all for about three days. Today it finally seems to have healed itself. THANK GOD. So we had our third bonding session today.

I have more pictures and I took some video this time, so I'll have to make sure and upload those.

Today was 2 and a half hours long. The first two hours were pretty non-eventful. Lots of ignoring, lots of staring, lots or requests (and denials) for grooming from both buns. It was very clear that both bunnies very much want to be top bun, but there hasn't been any mounting yet. Just lots of thumping/ grooming requests. Finally at about the two hour mark Little-Bit seemed to get fed up and became super super insistent on being groomed...and Peter gave in! He groomed her several times tonight (and came over and groomed me too, it's like his kisser was suddenly switched on). Little-Bit tolerates it when he grooms her head and ears but she freaks out and runs/ growls when he tries to go anywhere past her shoulders. (Hey, I don't blame her. I wouldn't want anyone trying to go past my shoulders on the third date either!)

So I think tonight was a good step forward. The only real problem continues to be Little-Bit's hypersensativity to...well everything. Movement, sound, touch. She's very defensive, but at least we've gotten to first base. Should I be concerned that neither is mounting though? Should Little-Bit groom Peter at some point?

Also, when should I bring a litterbox into the equation?

That's a great session! On mounting - I wouldn't be worried in the least. Grooming is not always present between two buns either. I would encourage Little Bit to groom if Peter is requesting it, getting denied and becoming aggressive because of it. Otherwise, I'd leave it be. She's probably learning how from getting groomed by him.

As to her hypersensitivity, I think this will lessen as they become accustom to each other. It's been a while for her since she's had someone down there at her level (other than yourself). Jersey still comes skittering out of corners when Rumball has entered and it's spooked her.

I hear you on the mysterious injuries!! I had/have this with my knee for a month. No idea what happened. Maybe you've been picking Peter up for cuddles. Repetitive strain injury?

I have noticed that he gets a bit "jealous" when I am rubbing her for too long and will sneak up and try to mount her when she is all zen like that. I won't let him and he boxes at me with his paws. He threw in a few nip attempts this morning - not hard bites, but nips for sure and the front digging paws motion. I turned him away with my hand and blocked her out of sight. Maybe i am inhibiting their bond, but I feel like she has done a really good job sharing her space and some uninterrupted grooming with no one sneaking up and jumping on you only seems fair.

I know it is silly but I keep thinking "If I was at the salon having my head massaged and shampooed and suddenly my not quite kinda boyfriend jumped on my head and starting humping away - I would be PISSED"

which is what I am thinking Little Bit is experiencing...the not-kinda boyfriend, but I like him but GEESH every time I turn my back on him its like he thinks it is an invitation.

It sounds like a really great start - they seem to have compatible personalities, and they will sort themselves out. The ignoring stuff is a bit, well, anticlimactic...BUT so much better than fighting!

I assumed Coco would be dom Bun..but Jackson was much more assertive in the bonding phase. Once bonded, Coco is Certainly Top Bun, an she has mounted him a few times to remind him...especially when he was giving the half hearted grooming. He's a MUCH better groomer now, and even offers to her without her asking, but it took some time.

Once Peter gets with the Adoration of Little Bit program, she will relax.

And I hear you about the vague injuries. I had to go to the Chiropracter for a Month to sort out something I did to my neck one night while sleeping - we think I tried to pivot on my head while I was asleep and yanked out half my neck muscles!

Well if bonding session #4 had a title it would be: 'Peter discovers how to mount; Little-Bit wears Peter out' . Viva la vida loca indeed!

I did a few things differently tonight: I removed myself from the pen (and was perched at the door ready for a fight to break out of course) because they both were trying to use me as a distraction from each other in previous sessions, I did not give them hay this time because it served as a major distraction for Little-Bit, and I made their enclosure slightly smaller so they were forced to be in close proximity.

But really, tonight was pretty good on the whole. It seems like we're making a rather straightforward and linear progress with every session. Still lots of ignoring, still lots of staring, still hypersensativity on Little-Bit's part. This time Peter was grooming Little-Bit here and there after the first five or ten minutes. (And after some chasing.) Actually he groomed her a LOT tonight. He was really into it too, got all up onto her ears and stuff. (Little-Bit visibly enjoyed it.) Peter seemed to enjoy it too. He did several head binkies and one half binky after he was done one time. But once again she was adamant about letting him get past her shoulderblades...

..lo' and behold the first time she DID let him groom past her shoulderblades, it was backwards mount-fest timefor Peter!! I almost couldn't believe what I was seeing when it happened! This big, big boy enveloping my tiny Bitty bunny. It was definitely the hilight of the night! I know I'm not supposed to let him mount her on the wrong end like that, but it's very, VERY apparent that he won't be able to get a mount in on the right end with her. At least not for a very long time. (She bolts or about-faces every time he hops up in back of her.) Peter has been such a sweetheart and so patient with Little-Bit that I think he deserves to have his....in some awkward fashion. Bitty is not a nipper, and honestly when he was on top of her like that all she wanted to do was scramble out from underneath. I don't think she would have the presence of mind under that circumstance to...well...you know..

At any rate, needless to say his mounting her has NOT helped in the way of easing her hypersensativity with him. Two steps forward and one step back though, right? Thankfully she doesn't seem to be entirely put-off by his stunt. She still asks to be groomed...and gets what she wants. She just freaks out if he tries to go any further. (And he does...with alterior motives apparently)

The terribly funny thing though is....(REALLY it's terrible, quit lauging! xDDD)....Peter was TOTALLY EXHAUSTED after trying to give her a go two or three times only to have her run off. (And with grooming breaks in between!) He flopped out and was totally wiped out, eyes drooping and everything. Poor Peter baby! I think that if he stood any chance of having the upper hand in this relationship at all, his stamina (or lack thereof) would ruin it.

My bunnies are so funny. God, they're like polar opposites. xD Little-Bit, can you share some hyperness with Peter? Please..?

Bah, negative session tonight, but I suppose it's part of the process. MAJOR excessive mounting from Peter. He didn't tire this time. Again, he'd start by grooming her head and move in for the good stuff. Of course she hated it and made these desperate little squeaks every time it happened. It takes everything for me not to just give in and 'rescue' her with those little cries of hers. (>< His weight being on top of her worries me a bit too..) I do separate them after two mounts in a row, but it got to the point where it was almost like every time I'd let go of him he'd shoot off like a rocket to mount her again.

Uggh. TELL me this is temporary. TELL me this is something normal that they'll work through one way or another. Am I doing right by separating after every second mount in a row? Should I separate more? Less? I think Peter gets his point across amply clear when he just does even one, but I don't want to insult him or make him feel like asserting his dominance is not okay when I separate them.

We ended the session in an ignore, but Little-Bit was clearly clearly freaked out beyond relief. It took me forever just to catch her in a 3'x3' area. (And she was making those heartbreaking little squeaks UGH!) How should I proceed from here? Should I take a break and let Little-Bit calm down a few days or no?

Then would I be correct in assuming we should try some stress bonding, ie car ride or laundry?

Also should I shorten their sessions? I've been doing them at about one and a half to two hours.

xD Oh, lucky! See I think the problem is that Little-Bit doesn't know how to mount. Doesn't know how to be a bunny in general. >< Otherwise I'm almost certain she'd mount him, because she's really insistent about grooming.

So I'm taking a break tonight only because I don't have time. End of term cram time. But at least this gives me some time to get more input from everyone. I really, REALLY need input. So many questions..

Should I stop excessive mounting?

Should I let him mount as he wants?

Should I be worried about Peter's weight bearing down on Little-Bit?

Should I encourage Little-Bit to groom Peter? (Banana on the head)

Should I encourage Little-Bit to MOUNT Peter?

Should I try a stress bond?

Should I make their enclosure larger than 3'x3' now that his main objective is mounting her?

Should I be in there with them?

Should I step in when Little-Bit squeaks versus when she grunts? (Because yes there is a difference - squeaking means she's VERY fed up and desperate.)

Is it normal for him to be so gung-ho about mounting her?

And most importantly...how long will this incessant mounting last?

I apologize for the bombardment...but. xD

My thoughts are: Don't make the enclosure larger at this stage.
Provide Little Bit a escape place as Baleful mentioned. So something like a small box she can run into that Peter can't really fit into.  Maybe put 2 exits so she doesn't feel cornered if he decides to poke his head in. 
I think then just see it she can handle things herself. You could try giving Peter a verbal or audio prompt to leave her. Or a squirt of water if he just won't stop. She sort of needs to learn to handle him and let him know in bunny language what is and isn't ok. He needs those cues from her. So if she leaves and hides from him, he might learn of better ways to interact with her - hopefully. I wouldn't worry about encouraging mutal grooming. I tend to think the bunny doing the grooming enjoys this as well as the one receiving the grooms.
Do some more sessions as you have been. If things are just a repeat of problems, then try some stress method then put them into the current bonding space directly after for a session.
Hope this helps.

Last night was a good session. Uneventful but good. The presence of the hutch definitely improves things 100%. It puts Little-Bit at ease. So thank you guys for suggesting it! Lots of ignoring. Peter mounted Little-Bit twice but she didn't seem like she was frightened anymore. She still didn't allow it to happen, but she wasn't scared. xD Peter still grooms her. He also started digging inside the hutch trying to move it and Little-Bit was very VERY interested in what he was doing. Lol. Little-Bit actually laid out twice in close proximity to him about maybe four or five inches away, once facing him and one parallel to him.

I keep feeling bad because Little-Bit never engages Peter in anything and I don't want him to feel rejected, but he got excited and did a few binkies in the pen last night so I guess it's not too bad.

Oh! And also I have a question for you guys. What does it mean when a bunny shoves its nose underneath another bunny's stomach? Because Peter keeps doing this.

Gosh Mimz, that's tough! I didn't even know that you had to have Pip and Mimzy separated because of his sniffles. Poor babies, hopefully he'll be able to get back in the game soon.

Yeah I've been better about letting the mounting go on without my intervention. For the past...three or four sessions(?) I haven't interfered at all. Like no, really, I've sat outside the pen and refrained from even talking to them while they're bonding, trying to make myself as scarce as possible. (The buns try to use me as a distraction from each other, lol.)

On the bright side Little-Bit has NOT been squeaking.  Or at least not to the degree she was. Mostly disapproval grunts now. I credit this mainly to the presence of the hutch and the fact that because of it Peter can't really get in more than one hump at a time. It's not continually mount-run-mount-run-mount-run. THAT'S what was getting Little-Bit so worked up. Haha, Peter has to mount her backwards too. It's literally impossible for him to get in a forwards mount because every time he even touches her with his nose on the butt or flanks she bolts and about-faces. :p Poor Peter. But luckily I don't think nipping is in Bitty's bunny vocabulary. She's never intentionally nipped me before and I haven't seen her nip him at all so far. (Perhaps once or twice when she FIRST met him, but it was the first time.)

Regardless of his mounting her I think we're on the downards slope of the initial aggression period. Little-Bit is still a little defensive around him but I think she's beginning to mellow out. The little spazz just needs to spend some quality time with him. I'm just happy that neither of them are fighters.