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Forum BONDING Precious & Luke’s Endless Bonding Journal

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    • Dee
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        I decided to write a bonding saga from beginning to end (hoping the end will be happy!). I will really try not to make this into a novel, since my posts tend to be quite wordy and I don’t want people to not read it based on time restrictions lol. This bonding has stretched into OVER 4 MONTHS due to my laziness and extreme fear of bonding rabbits. Luke and my bridge bunny, Nelli, has an accidental meeting that resulted in Luke clawing Nelli’s belly. She needed stitches, and although she was fine it really scared me that bunnies can do that much damage to each other within seconds. Anyway… I’ve already posted lots of this but this is to help me look at progress/issues as well, so here goes.

        Meeting #1- at rabbit rescue: Luke was terrified in general. Had just gotten in a brief spat with Bachelorette #1. Enter Precious, Bachelorette #2. Precious was not shy at all- saw Luke and began humping him vigorously. Lukie flattened to floor, immobile with fright. This continues, each humping becoming more brief until Luke relaxes enough to move. No aggression. Compatibility declared a success-peaceful ride home. Upon arriving at home, put bunnies in Xpen in kitchen. Luke refuses to move or eat, so out of concern for his GI health, we separate them.

        Meeting #2- kitchen with Luke free and Precious in Xpen: My mistake. Luke very nippy and aggressive to Precious through bars. Maybe remembering Nelli’s hostility through Xpen bars? Decide no more meeting through bars for safety reasons.

        Meeting #3- in laundry basket: Both bunnies frightened, Lukie more so. Patted them until they both relaxed and began to move freely. Very brief grooming by Luke!

        Meeting #4- semi neutral hallway- my mistake again: Luke obviously considered it his hallway. He followed Precious closely, sniffing at her butt. There was one weird encounter that ended in both rabbits backing off. Then someone went to mount someone (happened so quickly!) and there was a snort and suddenly both bunnies were tussling about. I grabbed Luke and popped them both in the laundry basket and smooshed them and patted them. Luke gave Precious a quick lick on the head before I separated them. Both rabbits were fine but Luke did get a tuft of Precious fur.

        Meetings #5-8- laundry basket: More relaxing, mutual grooming, no aggression. Luke becoming less afraid of Precious.

        Meeting #9- neutral territory made of new rug and Xpen covered with sheets, litter box, hay and water- both rabbits loose with me in there with them: getting Luke into anyplace is difficult. He hates to be picked up and will hide for days following being picked up. So I try to let him enter any bonding site on his own. Anyway, starts out well. Rabbits go around, exploring. Then Precious humps Luke, who submits. She keeps going back, but had to be removed because she is humping his head. Then they start wandering around again. Precious goes back to Luke and nips him lightly on the bum, which makes me nervous. Luke is tense. Precious rushes at Luke a couple times, but does nothing to follow through. Finally, they both go after each other in the litter box and I separate them. Pop them in the laundry basket and they are fine. They have issues going past each other. Luke is very lungy and tense, Precious is bossy.

        Meeting #10- laundry basket with baby food on heads: mutual grooming, very cuddly and relaxed. Climb over each other with no nipping.

        Meeting #11- Xpen with pillows on floor and sheets all around, figuring strange footing,might prevent aggression: Start in laundry basket, their peaceful place. Sit in the pen with them and take them out. They hop around, come face to face a few times with no incidents. A couple grooming standoffs. Luke is hanging out in the overturned laundry basket, and Precious stands in front of him. This sets him off and he snorts and nips at her face twice, but doesn’t even take any fur. I pet him and calm him, then pet her. She hops next to him and lowers her head, then Luke begins grooming and continues for a LONG time! Finally Luke stops. Precious gives him a very quick groom, then Luke goes to hop away. Precious follows, shoving her head under him. He ignores her and continues to explore. Then he is in the corner and Precious plants herself in front of him, asking for more grooming. He gives her a quick groom instead of getting scared and nipping- definite progress! Lukie dares to hop past Precious and she tried to nip him on the bum. I prevent this and keep her from trying again as Luke goes by. Seems Precious doesn’t like to be ignored by Luke. He is still easily put on the defensive, maybe because of Nelli and his brother who picked on him when they were very young.

        That’s it for now! Any input or advice is welcome. I need to relax and let them be soon. For now I think that my presence keeps Luke from getting too scared and aggressive, and keeps Precious from getting too bossy and nippy with Luke. But soon,they will have to work things out, which makes me very nervous.


      • Vienna Blue in France
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          OOOOhhhh reading your bonding with keen interest… sounds as if it’s going well !!

          I reckon once Precious realises that she will get groomed each time, she’ll back down a bit and by doing so give Luke the confidence to groom her without getting extra hassle. A bit of banana could help…? Or another car ride together ? Mix it about a bit. Stress meeting, then no stress meeting.

          Certainly neutral territory (sheets) is going well. Keep that up until very sure all is OK.


        • Dee
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            Thanks, Vienna Blue- I’ll keep updating! That’s exactly what I’m hoping- that Precious will become more secure in her position as Luke’s queen and ruler, and stop the humping and nipping his bum. And that Luke will see that Precious doesn’t intend to hurt him, just wants to be properly worshiped lol. It doesn’t help that Precious is over 6 lbs and Luke is not even 4. He’s such a little scrapper though, with his snorting and the comical way he squares off with his little legs set far apart like a wrestler. I would find more humor in it at the moment if I wasn’t envisioning bloody battles and astronomical vet bills ?.

            I’ll definitely keep up the created neutral territory- one thing I’ve learned is that it makes a huge difference! A car ride is a good idea too. I think if there is more aggression from Luke, it might help to see Precious as a comfort instead of a threat, and a terrifying car ride is just the ticket for that ?. The banana actually works great. I think the first groomings were due to that rather than affection. Whatever it takes!


          • Dee
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              Duplicate post!

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          Forum BONDING Precious & Luke’s Endless Bonding Journal