Storm’s and Tinks Bonding Journal

[Stormybun]

For those that don’t know my rabbits: 

Storm is a neutered mixed-breed that is about one and a half years old (I’ve had him since he was two months). He’s very laid back but can be a brat if he doesn’t get attention the exact moment he wants it. 

Tink is a spayed dutch that the rescue estimated is between two and three years. She is shy and will hide from new people, but once she knows you she’ll come to the front of the cage to beg for treats and pets. We got her a few weeks ago and she’s already very confident and comfortable.

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Session #1 – 17 min.

I did this session as a bathtub session. I laid out some romaine also.

For the first five minutes, the two explored around.

Then the two sniffed each other and Storm attempted to hump her. But she ran away to the other side before he could get a grip each time. After his dominance attempts, they stopped at opposite sides to groomed themselves. Then for the last three minutes of the session, they sat nose to nose, but not nipping or grooming each other.

Besides Storm’s attempts at humping, this session was mostly them ignoring each other (and Storm being a little piggie for lettuce,) but I guess ignoring each other is better than fighting.

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Any tips/ ideas would be greatly appreciated since this is my first bonding! 

[Stormybun]

Session #2 – 20 min.

Let’s just say they’ve made progress 

So this session started out like last time, mainly Storm attempting to hump her. But, around ten minutes in, Storm slowed down and stopped trying to hump her. Instead, he just started to eat hay and relax. Tink was skeptical of the change in his ways, but she joined him at the hay pile and they munched together. Around the fifteen-minute mark Storm actually flopped down. 

Tink continued to eat hay and Storm eventually got up and continued his hay eating. I decided that was a good note to finish on.

[sarahthegemini]

It sounds like it’s going well so far! And what lovely looking rabbits you have!

[Stormybun]

Session #3 – 50 min

(No photos, forgot camera)

For this session, I was unable to use the tub, so I just set up a pen of similar size in neutral territory. It started out with them exploring the new area. Then they came face to face, Tink put her head under his, demanding to be groomed. Storm ( also wanting to be dominant) rejected her demand and tried to mount her face, but I used the dustpan to separate them before he could fully get on her. Around the ten minute mark, Storm did flop, but only for a few minutes. The rest of the session was basically the same, both rabbits wanting to be the “boss” and grazing on hay from time to time, but no fighting or nipping at all.

[Stormybun]

Sarah, Thank you! (Storm and Tink say thanks also! )

[LittlePuffyTail]

Sounds very promising. Keep up the good work, bunnies!!! They make an adorable pair.

[Stormybun]

Session #4 – 1 hr.

They first came nose to nose. Tink put her head under Storm’s, requesting to be groomed. While Storm denied her request, he didn’t try to mount her face like the last session. Overall they barely interacted in this session and just ate hay. Storm only attempted to mount her once or twice. Tink was also much more confident in this session.

They did each flop out near the end.

Since they just sat around, barely any interaction, I plan to increase the area a little in the next session. 

[Stormybun]

Session #5 – 1 hr.

I increased the space like I said, but it still started out like the last session. 

Tink flopped around forty-five minutes in.

Then they came nose to nose…

And Tink groomed Storm! I couldn’t get a good photo because I didn’t expect it, but here was the best I could get.

[sarahthegemini]

Great progress! And great pictures

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’m always amazed at bondings where there is no initial aggression. Luck you!!!

[Stormybun]

Session #6 – 30 min.

Because of them mainly ignoring each other last session, I decided to increase the space even more. I thought if they can go through this session like the last few, no aggression, barely any mounting, etc, then they can move to the semi-neutral territory after this session.

This is how big their pen was:

It started out like the last sessions, them doing their own bunny-thing.

I think I can say Storm was more interested in the hay than Tink 

During the middle of the session, I think Storm groomed Tink, but I couldn’t fully tell because of the angle they were turned at. So either he groomed her or decided to sniff her forehead very closely. Just before the end of the session, Tink did give Storm a few licks on the head, but it was much more of a courtesy lick than a full on grooming.

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Like I said earlier, I think they’re ready to move to a semi-neutral territory. But I guess we’ll see tomorrow evening when I update you guys.

[Stormybun]

Session #7 – 1 hr 10 min

I moved them into a pen in a semi-neutral territory. It started out the same, them just ignoring each other.

They did lay together (I don’t know if this counts as cuddling) three or four times

I didn’t really see any grooming, though.

[LittlePuffyTail]

Seems like you are still having an easy go of it!

[Stormybun]

Session #8 – 1 hr 30 min

It was the same as yesterday, no fighting and laying side by side. The only difference was that this time there was some grooming and Storm mounted Tink less.

[Stormybun]

I didn’t have time to do a session today, as I had to do a bunch of housework. But, tomorrow, I think the buns are ready for a 3 or 5-hour session. I plan to use the banana on the head trick as my main obstacle at the moment is that both rabbits want to be groomed, but neither of them wants to do the grooming. If I’m able to overcome this obstacle and everything continues to go well, I think they’ll be very close to being able to move in with each other possibly in the next week or two.

[Stormybun]

Session #9 2 hr 20 min
I increased the space a bit, still no mounting or fighting, but no grooming or cuddling either. They did sit side by side like in session 7, that’s about it. I know some bunnies can have a platonic relationship, but how do you tell if they’re fully bonded?

[DanaNM]

Sound like things are coming along really well! Good job!

Looks like from your previous posts that they have groomed each other before in other spaces (without banana), so you should wait until that behavior re-emerges in the new area. They also look like they were fairly snuggly in some of earlier areas. 

If it seems like they aren’t progressing in the new area, you might start a session in the old zone, wait for them to get snuggly and groomy, and then move them to the new zone. You really want to cement the good behaviors in the new area before moving to new locations. 

You’re two are definitely close to being bonded, just keep being patient in this final phase! 

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Stormybun]

Session #10 2 hr 20 min (Monday)

Still no progress in the semi-neutral territory.

Session #11 1 hr (Tuesday)

I did like Dana suggested and tried the neutral space again. The rabbits did seem a bit more cuddly and groomed each other more.

[DanaNM]

That’s great!!  Sounds like they just need a bit more time in the neutral space to really solidify the good behaviors. How long are the sessions currently? Do they tend to go straight to being friendly in the neutral space, or does it take them a while? 

I would go for a longer session in the neutral space again next, and then maybe the following day, start out in the neutral for a couple hours (so they can be cuddly and groomy for a while), then move them (together), into the semi-neutral. 

Bunnies can be so stubborn, but it sounds like they are very close! Keep up the patience and good work!

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Stormybun]

Monday’s was two hours and twenty minutes and Tuesdays would’ve been two hours and forty minutes if I didn’t have to cut it short that day. But I think my schedule is clear enough this week to allow 4 or 5-hour sessions if I need to go that long. As of the last few sessions, I’ve been noticing that they started to explore the pen together, instead of just going to the other sides and not coming in contact until the twenty-minute mark. Which seems to be a form of progress to me. So if that counts as being friendly, then yes they tend to go straight to being friendly.

[DanaNM]

Cool, yeah I think that counts! Yes def try for the longer sessions, that seems like it might be the ticket! 

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Stormybun]

Session #12 4 hrs 20 min

There was no mounting and a lot more snuggly-ness and grooming. 

[DanaNM]

Yeah!! This makes me so happy!!

They are just too cute together! That look in the second photo cracks me up. Stormy’s like, “Ummm, do you mind? Can we have some privacy?”

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[LittlePuffyTail]

They are absolutely adorable together

[Stormybun]

Session #13 4 hrs

This session was a lot like the last session, no mounting, grooming, and lying together.

[Stormybun]

Session # 14 – 2 hrs

Since it was a Friday night and I had plans, I didn’t have the time to do a full session, but the bunnies got to cuddle and groom.

Storm grooming Tink

Cuddles

I thinking of doing something like three hours in the neutral territory and then going straight to one hour in the semi-neutral for today’s session later.

[sarahthegemini]

Things definitely seem to be going swimmingly! And how adorable do they look together!

[Vienna Blue in France]

@dana, rofl – that’s exactly what i thought when i saw the photo!!!!
And in the 3rd and 4th pics, its “groom me! No, groom ME !!!”

They look lovely together. They are identically colour coordinated as my two cats….

[Stormybun]

Session #15 4 hrs
I did a neutral session for the first 3/4 and then for the last hour I moved them to a semi-neutral territory. For the first few minutes in semi-neutral Storm did try to mount her, but this was expected because of the new area. Then after that, they calmed down and went back to cuddling and grooming like they did in the neutral territroy. My plan at the moment is to continue with these four hours sessions for the rest of the week, then, provided there’s no fighting, I think they’ll be ready to start cementing this weekend if everything continues at the same pace it has been.

[Stormybun]

I apologize for my lack of updates, basically, somebunny decided my laptop charger cord would make a delicious snack, so I’ve been laptop-less for almost the past week  (I’m looking at you Storm ). But anyways, to catch you guys up to speed, I was doing three or four-hour sessions every day of the last week. But on Friday, I deep cleaned the cage and tried to make the fleeces, toys, bowls, litter boxes, etc as neutral as possible, and moved them in. So they’ve been together about four days (as I’m typing this) no scuffles, and they’ve been eating from the same bowl, grooming each other, sleeping together, and just laying side by side. 

I’ll try to post some photos of their little afternoon naps together sometime in the next day or so, as it’s pretty late here and I think the buns are starting to settle down and get comfortable for the night.

[LittlePuffyTail]

That sounds great! Looking forward to pics!

I can relate with a bunny leaving you without a computer!! BINDI LOO!!!!!!!

[Stormybun]

Well, here’s the pics I promised 

[Author]

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