  FrankieFlashMichigan
1694 posts  | |
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| 10/21/2012 02:45 PM |
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Most of you know we got another bun, saved her from a humane society that was known for killing rabbits for no reason. We hoped she and Bunjamin would get along. We kept them in separate sides of the house until we could get all her medical test back and make sure she couldn't give Bunjamin anything (she was found outside).
Well we've tried two short dates after we got the medical clear. In neutral territory or course. With me and my bf in the pen with them (I'm a nervous momma). We're trying to go slow at this.
Let's just say after this last one, I'm not sure either of them really wants a friend.
The first session had positive signs where it look like she was grooming him but once in a while he would jump back and we assumed she nipped to hard. He did hump her on the first and second session. The first time we let it happen but tonight (second session) she seemed to not want it (plus he kept trying to hump her face and we worried somebun was going to get hurt). When we'd separate him I had him up against my leg and he stayed there for a while teeth chattering pretty loud.
He marked the neutral territory both times. The second time being way worse (when the 15-20 mins were over there was at least 50 poops. And he peed in the hay box and sprayed which is super unlike him. I'm really doubting that he wants a friend right now.
I bawled my eyes out after trying to take him back to his room he made a suicide jump from about 2 feet and landed on my dad's treadmill. I feel horrible, I don't think he's injured because he is acting fine (as he's throwing around a box right now) but he could've easily been injured. He's not great for being held but he's never been that bad. It was like trying to hold a stick of butter. And I know how to hold rabbits properly that was just an analogy. OH and he made a really strange noise when we were on way back to his room.
Her reactions to him are simple. She bows for pets and does that fake grooming thing. She tolerates humping, once and a while runs away. But she seems more interested in getting out of the pen. I think she is afraid of Bunjamin.
I'm not sure I'm going to continue with bonding but if I decide to I need all the advice I can get.
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| 10/21/2012 02:55 PM |
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Aww, I am so sorry it's been a plop of a time with them! Did you think of doing smaller bonding sessions and possibly getting yourself out of the neutral territory or hiding yourself behind a barrier. My girl was a total brat with our boy until I finally just removed myself from the situation and BAM -- some dominance battles and after another session they were doing pretty good!
I wouldn't give up yet! Whether they like each other or not there's going to be a MILLION poops. I swear, my floor looked like a barn yard for like a month after bonding ended.
I would definitely smaller, more simple situations with them. Or possibly stress to help them get a little closer. |
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FrankieFlashMichigan
1694 posts | |
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| 10/21/2012 03:04 PM |
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I've wondered about that but I worry there would be a fight without someone in there at least. Good to know the poop thing isn't a horrible sign. It's just hard to see a litter trained bun have such horrible habits. And he was laying the really smelly ones out tonight. Almost gassed us out. lol
We've been keeping it simple. Just the buns and some hay. We did do the smushed banana thing but I didn't smush it well enough because Bunjamin sneaked it off her head and somehow his ended up under her chin :/ |
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 peppypooTexas
 Forum Leader 1928 posts | |
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| 10/21/2012 09:27 PM |
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Especially since you have your boyfriend to help you out, I think stress testing would be a good idea. Go for a car ride perhaps? One person can drive while the other one plays bunny referee to break up fights.
Also, I'm not sure how your living area is arranged but once the girly bun has a clean bill of health, maybe you could set them up in pens/condos next to each other in a neutral territory, so they can spend some time getting used to each other.
I really hope it works out...they both are so adorable! |
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| Tammo (RIP), Milo (RIP), Peppy, Remi |
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 MonkeybunHillsboro, Oregon
10107 posts | |
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| 10/22/2012 03:43 AM |
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It doesn't sounds too bad to me so far. Don't give up yet  |
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  Sarita(Dallas)
Forum Leader 14847 posts | |
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| 10/22/2012 04:40 AM |
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Don't give in so quick. I think this is normal behavior for both rabbits - keep trying. |
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FrankieFlashMichigan
1694 posts | |
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| 10/22/2012 05:11 AM |
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thanks so far for all the encouragement. We kinda split the house down the middle with my dad. We are currently using one of my dad's living rooms to house sweets since bunjamin runs our whole half of the house. I could set him up in xpen when I'm home today next to her condo and see how that goes (but it's kinda her territory?) but if we move her condo into his room (which there is room for) it's not coming back out lol. Plus it's not neutral since it's bunji's room. We spoiled him bad lol. I don't think we have a completely neutral space big enough for two condo's or two pens. Just one pen. :/ (OH and she got clean bill of health-yay!) I figured out what the noise bunjamin made and he honked at me!  I've never heard really a peep out of him but he did not like being transported last night. we could definitely try stress bonding. How long do you do the car ride for though? |
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MonkeybunHillsboro, Oregon
10107 posts | |
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| 10/22/2012 06:27 AM |
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Do either of them go into a bathroom? That and the kitchen are what I use for neutral territory. No bunny likes stepping on the evil lava floor  |
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FrankieFlashMichigan
1694 posts | |
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| 10/22/2012 08:02 AM |
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Bunjamin actually frequents our bathroom lol. But he's gotten used to lava floors since half our half of the house is hardwood floors. Of course with rugs like stepping stones. And my dad's bathroom is super tiny. Actually they are all. I miss our old place just thinking about this.
But I thought about the kitchen. It's just small. I'm going to ask my dad if he'll let me re-arrange one of his living rooms for a month or so to try to build two pen areas. The condo's aren't really easy to move. |
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FrankieFlashMichigan
1694 posts | |
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| 10/22/2012 08:03 AM |
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Or did you mean bathrooms for bonding session? I totally thought you meant put condos in there lol duh!
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MonkeybunHillsboro, Oregon
10107 posts | |
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| 10/22/2012 08:39 AM |
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No, bonding sessions It does have to be neutral for them though. |
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FrankieFlashMichigan
1694 posts | |
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| 10/22/2012 11:07 AM |
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Okay so maybe my dad's bathroom would work. Neither of them have been there before. And then I could sit with them but not be super close. |
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 Skipper's MamaFlorida
1089 posts | |
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| 10/22/2012 12:36 PM |
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You can do it FF don't give up! =] |
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FrankieFlashMichigan
1694 posts | |
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| 10/22/2012 06:58 PM |
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So today's session in my dad's bathroom went alright. They ate their piece of apple an inch apart with no issues. She tolerated the humping that inevitably occured and he let me stop him from chasing her when she had enough where as yesterday he was crazy. And they cuddled right next to each other as long as I pet them.
I made a spontaneous decision to put an xpen next to her condo on a scrap piece of carpet we had and put some of Bunjamin's stuff and him in it. So they are getting to know each other. I'm sleeping with them- in a chair on the other side of the room of course! I didn't know if I should seperate them when it's going well them being close but not able to really do more than nose touch. Bunjamin still is super marking boy but if I sweep them up, he puts less back down. He also chinned his litter box. Silly boy.
Our next plan is to clean his room to make it slightly more neutral and put her condo in there and have them both have condos in there next to each other and each will get designated out time. Hopefully this is the right move. We also heard that switching condos every day or two helps them get used to each other's smell. So we thought a day or so after we move her condo we'll start doing that. |
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MonkeybunHillsboro, Oregon
10107 posts | |
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| 10/22/2012 07:09 PM |
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Sounds good so far Switching pens definitely helped with my girls, and with my boys even though i did have to stop the boys sessions due to other issues not related tot hem at all... So good idea on that |
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 LittlePuffyTailNew Brunswick, Canada
Forum Leader 9468 posts | |
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FrankieFlashMichigan
1694 posts | |
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| 10/23/2012 04:40 AM |
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Thank you guys for the encouragement. Last night Bunjamin was super silly in the pen next to sweets. He was doing binkies galore! I thought he might be trying to show off for the lady  But I don't think he's rested while in the pen. Everytime I check he's awake, not even loafed. We think we might give him back his room during the afternoon so he can actually sleep. He gets cranky with no sleep I just hate to break them up since they've adjusted to each other. Although this morning they are both hiding in their huts. haha |
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Skipper's MamaFlorida
1089 posts | |
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| 10/23/2012 07:44 AM |
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Glad things are going better! =] |
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FrankieFlashMichigan
1694 posts | |
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| 10/23/2012 02:23 PM |
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From last nights pellet time  I think that's pretty good right? (But notice all the poos. There's double that now. lol
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| 10/23/2012 02:28 PM |
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Hahahaha, all that marking! I know how it is! Try three buns doing it everywhere. Oy vey! I'm glad to hear everything with them is going slowly but better! |
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Skipper's MamaFlorida
1089 posts | |
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| 10/24/2012 03:03 PM |
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So sweet! =] I think it's a good sign that they can eat near each other. |
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| 10/25/2012 05:06 AM |
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^ Agreed. Once I could put them together with no fights, I put a bowl of veggies in there to see what they'd do and shockingly, they all ate together out of the same dish no problems! I was such a proud bunny momma! Let us know if there have been any updates lately! I love hearing about others bonding experiences. |
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FrankieFlashMichigan
1694 posts | |
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| 10/25/2012 09:14 AM |
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Sorry I didn't wanna update if no one was interested. PLUS it's been super busy so we haven't done any face to face, neutral territory bonding sessions. Just letting them get comfortable with each other. We did move her condo into Bunjamin's room:
Yesterday we took turns who got run around time (we separated them by cage and pen over top. I really want to avoid a fight since they can't pretty much ruin it so I'm not letting them get that close without supervision.)
When we had them in the pen on Sweets side of the house, Bunjamin was crazy. He marked everywhere, sprayed (which he never has done before this bonding thing). But as territorial as he was, he was doing binkies:
Today they are going up north with us to my parents. Part of the way we'll do some stress bonding in the car. Wish us luck!
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Skipper's MamaFlorida
1089 posts | |
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| 10/25/2012 01:17 PM |
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Good luck Frankie! I hope it goes well. Bunjamin looks happy. =] It seems like things are going relatively smooth. And I agree with TL keep updating! =] It gives me hope that when we get our second bun we can do the whole bonding thing. =p |
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| 10/25/2012 01:25 PM |
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Bonding is very stressful and can bring lots of tears but just remember to stick with it! It is also a roller coaster! One day you can think it went great and the next they could fight! it doesn't mean they wont bond though! Also don't move forward to soon! It is best to start out in small neutral areas and stress them like a car ride or a laundry basket on a running dryer. If they do fine with that move to a bathtub or if you don't have one, a small bathroom. If you give them to much space to quickly it makes things worse! I moved from having a bathtub to a pen and they must not have been ready because they ended up fighting (that was 1 fight out of maybe 2 they had the whole bonding process. Another thing to remember a lot of the time (at least with my buns) I would have to take a step back before I took a step forward. Another good thing to do when your are in a bigger area then a basket or a kennel is to do a few minutes of "stressing" before the session and then if they get really wild during the bonding session put them back in the basket and stress them again. I hope this helps! I had a VERY emotional bonding experience and I am sure everyone on binkybunny thought I was crazy for crying so much but after 8 months they finally bonded (I took a month or two off in there though so I was only bonding for 7-6 months of it. It probably would have gone faster if I would have been consistent and did 1-2 bonding sessions a day. It is good you have your bf to help you though! It is hard being the only one bonding! |
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FrankieFlashMichigan
1694 posts | |
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| 10/25/2012 02:20 PM |
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OH gosh. Thanks for sharing Mocha. I sure hope it doesn't take that long but it's easier now that they live in same room. |
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 CinnabunMomin the TARDIS
1171 posts | |
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| 10/26/2012 02:56 AM |
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Looks like things are slowly progressing! Bunjamin doing binkies....*bun naps* |
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| 10/26/2012 03:26 AM |
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What a cutie Chinning his litter box! I wanted to get a second bunny but Ruby tried to kill me for coming home smelling like another bunny! Definitely keep the updates coming, I want to know what I'm in for when I brave bonding! |
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FrankieFlashMichigan
1694 posts | |
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| 10/26/2012 10:22 AM |
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*slaps CM's hand*
And I know the chinning the litter box is pretty funny. If the poops, the pee, and the whole thing didn't smell like him lol. We're making progress I feel. They cuddled the whole trip (with lots of pets of course) and they're in their own room right now. Tonight we'll do a session in the bathroom since there is so much neutral territory at my parents house. And they have 4 dogs to avoid. Really only 2 of the dogs they have to avoid but I don't let any of them in there unsupervised and the supervised ones are old or scared of the rabbits lol. |
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FrankieFlashMichigan
1694 posts | |
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| 10/26/2012 06:12 PM |
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okay I need help! We don't know if what happened tonight while the bonding session was good or bad.
Scenerio: neutral territory, a bathroom at my parents house. With litterbox, hay and willow leaves.
Sweets was very timid and barely moved while bunjamin was completely comfortable. They had a bow war like usual. We stepped in so there would be no fighting but everytime she doesn't groom him when he asks he humps her. Like 3 or 4 times in a row. We heard we were suppose to let it happen as long as she wasn't running away or he wasn't doing her face so we let it happen.
Well tonight during the humping he started pulling her hair. Sometimes hair would come out. Before we could stop it he jumped off her and groomed her face. Kisses and nibbles on the ear. Nothing hard. She jumped a little at first (I think she was just as shocked as us) but didn't move at all during this.
So was the fur pulling bad or good. She never jumped or tried to get away during any of it and I wonder if the fur that came out was loose because they are both shedding. I don't want to put them together again until I know whether this was good or bad. |
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