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Forum BONDING Bonding woes with Charlie & Layla *BONDED*

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    • Cassi&Charlie
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        Well Charlie & Layla have been bunny dating in neutral territory for two weeks now and they were going great. There was mutual grooming, flopping next to each other and sleeping, eating together and no chasing, humping or nipping.

        So I thought – hey lets put them in semi-neutral territory cause they’re doing great.

        Ah no, Charlie immediately launched at Layla and pulled a chunk of fur from her bum (no broken skin though, phew) and Layla ran, Charlie chased and we were back to square one.

        So I put them back into neutral territory and they seem to forget the whole bunny butt biting incident and everyone is happy again.

        As I’ve mentioned previously, Layla is a master of locks and yesterday evening I was somewhat suprised to see Layla casually hopping by me as I was watching TV. Luckily Charlie was lounging on the couch with me and I was able to prevent attack bunny rampage II but he definately wanted to attack her because I practically caught him mid-launch.

        Her cage door now has a locked padlock on it and I’ve become so paranoid that I even hid the key in the top drawer!

        BUT, this is the crazy bit – This morning I pattted Charlie next to the fridge, made myself a cup of tea, sat down at my table, which is next to Layla’s cage and did a double take – Charlie was in her cage casually eating her pellets! I don’t know how, can my bunnies teleport themselves?

        He wasn’t attacking her, just eating her food. She didn’t appear to be concerned about him being in her cage but I obviously took him out anyway.

        How can I get him to stop chasing her? Is the territory not semi-neutral enough? It’s an x-pen that they are both allowed in and put in at various times. Should I scrub it out with vinegar? They seem completely happy together in neutral territory and I want to move on with the bonding but I don’t know how too.

        Help!

         


      • jerseygirl
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          Ok – I have no advice on bonding as never been there before but just wanted to say -hahahaha! How are they getting together? Lucky they are both fixed! It is a cage right? Has a top and bottom? Are the bars spaced apart that they can sqeeze thru? I thought maybe they’re jumping in or lifting the base and scooting under but if it’s a cage……………?????????? When there’s a will……….lol.


        • jerseygirl
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            EDIT: Bugger! Another double post.  Admin?  Pretty Please………

            Ok – I have no advice on bonding as never been there before but just wanted to say -hahahaha! How are they getting together? Lucky they are both fixed! It is a cage right? Has a top and bottom? Are the bars spaced apart that they can sqeeze thru? I thought maybe they’re jumping in or lifting the base and scooting under but if it’s a cage……………?????????? When there’s a will……….lol.


          • Cassi&Charlie
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              Your a double posting fiend jersey girl hahaha


            • jerseygirl
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                Awww. I know! It’s because I’m anal! I post then go back into edit my errors. Then i re submit/cancel/re submit and then there you have it! Grrr!


              • MarkBun
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                  The next step would be to have both of them in a neutral place 24/7 for about 2 weeks. AT least that is what was needed with Maryann and Dono.


                • Cassi&Charlie
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                    24/7 Markusdark? Will they kill each other? The only neutral space in my house it the shower & I don’t think thats going to work. I’ll have to create a space then, but how do I make sure they don’t kill each other while I’m sleeping? I’ll get out the vinegar and start work!


                  • MarkBun
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                      There will eventually come a time when you will need to begin putting them in together 24/7. If Charlie was in her cage eating her food and not attacking her, that is a good sign (he wasn’t trying to oust someone who ‘staked a claim’ in his house). I had to put Maryann and Dono in the bathroom for 2 weeks straight. There was the occasional nip here and there but never an all out fight. What you want to do is start it on a weekend, early in the morning. If they get into a major fight, scoop them up, put them in a carrier and give them a 15 minute time out on the dryer. Then back into the enclosure.

                      The more you keep them seperated the more they’ll begin to accept the seperation as what it should be. Now, I’m not saying that they will go easily into this and if there is all out fighting, you won’t want to keep them in there and will need to take a step back in the bonding but you do need to try to go forward.  But do realize that there will be the occasional nip and chase, as long as it isn’t something that continues for more than a few seconds.

                      A way to create a neutral space in non-neutral area is to drape a sheet around the sides of the X-pen. You will create a new room within your room and they’ll see it as neutral. Try that for a couple of hours and if the fighting starts up, see if you can get them to stop while still in the X-pen together. If not, then you’ll need to continue with the shower bonding – maybe keep them in there for most of a saturday and then move them into the new neutral area.


                    • Cassi&Charlie
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                        Well all hell broke loose today. I created the neutral space, cage was practically doused with vinegar and they spent a pleasant night together last night. There was no fighting, npping or chasing (I was sleeping next to there cage cause I was paranoid) so I was feeling pretty good about this whole thing.

                        Unfortunately I had to work for 4 hours today & since I live 5min away from my work I thought I could duck back and check on them etc & it would all be fine. Well that all went out the door when I found myself on the wrong side of a locked door staring through the windows at my keys lying nonchalantly on the coffee table. But that was ok because boyfriend has keys & would be finished work 2 hours before me so they’d only be alone for two hours.

                        However when my boyfriend got home they’d some how escaped from the neutral space and clumps of brown Layla fur dot our flat. She doesn’t appear to be hurt at all, lucky she’s really fluffy but she’s a bit wary of Charlie, the incredible lunging bunny, probably for good reason.

                        I’ve put them back into neutral space and they seem fine together again ~ I knew I should have padlocked the cage door this morning!


                      • MarkBun
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                          Well it IS a good thing that they seem to be getting along in the neutral space. You need to keep them there for at least 2 weeks so that they become so accostumed to each other that when they are in other spaces, it is just like having their own tail there.

                          And, just an FYI, even to this day, I will find the occasional clump of Dono fur after Maryann has taken offense to something.


                        • Cassi&Charlie
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                            Well it seems to be working! They are sleeping together now but they still arne’t inseperable. They kind of just do their own thing most of the time and then when one falls asleep the other will come over and lie next to them. Is this normal?
                            There’s been no Layla fur since putting them in there together but Charlie still chases her around and when he catches up to her she flattens herself against the floor. I think this confuses him because then he mills around for a little while looking sheepish and wonders off. Silly bunny!


                          • MarkBun
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                              Sometimes you won’t get love but a good friendship. Maryann and Dono often do their own thing and sometimes even take naps apart from one another. But I do find them snuggling together from time to time. To me, it sounds like that you are nearing the end of the journey. After two weeks being housed in neutral space, you can then move them to their permament home. Make sure that the condo/x-pen/area is as clean and deoderized (with vinegar and water solution) as you can get it. Also, to help with it, I would suggest all new items – such as toys, litter box and food/water bowls.

                              And the chasing thing is something that also happens with Maryann and Dono – especially around feeding time.


                            • Dee
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                                Hi-

                                How’s the bonding going? Any news? I think actually leaving them together will be the scariest part. Thoughts of coming home to tufts of bunny fur everywhere- makes me nervous just typing it- lol. But I guess it’s gotta be done sooner or later! I know I’m takin it slooooowww- last night my two were getting along and I kept thinking,”I should seperate them while they’re getting along, cuz soon he’ll start his humping routine and it’ll be all downhill from there…” It’shard to just relax and enjoy them when it’s so new. Although the nice moments are worth it, for sure!

                                  Anyway, I hope it’s going well! We’ll get there eventually…


                              • Dee
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                                  It’s me again- somehow I missed your last post- I’m in such a hurry to post I end up being a babbling idiot. Congrats on them being together all the time!!! You are really just about there!
                                  Nelli flattens herself out on the floor when Ludicrous gets frisky- he is evidently more persistent than your nice boy Charlie, because Lude takes the opportunity to climb onto Nelli’s head, grab a couple nibbles of fur, etc. At least he is mixing some grooming in there now though…


                                • Cassi&Charlie
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                                    Deendabuns, sounds like my first few weeks. I was really suprised that after three weeks of intensive bonding, they needed another 2 weeks of time together – I never thought it would be easy but I really didn’t expect it to be so hard. This weekend is the big move, to their new house. I’ve got the vinegar ready , my cleaning clothes on we’ll see how it goes.

                                    Atleast you have a sense of humour about it dee! I think it helps


                                  • Dee
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                                      Yeah, a sense of humor definitely makes things easier. I find the buns so amusing, it’s hard not to laugh at their bizarre antics.

                                      So this weekend is The Move, huh? It sounds like you have really take your time preparing Layla and Charlie for this- I’m sure that will help them adjust. Have fun cleaning- lol. It’ll be worth it- it sounds so much easier jut to have one cage, bowl.etc.

                                      Good luck- I’ll be watching for news from you!


                                    • Lightchick
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                                        Well, C&C? How’d it go? Are they happily housed together?


                                      • Cassi&Charlie
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                                          Lightchick, they are happily housed together and seem to be getting along great. We’ve had no attacks by Charlie & Layla has settled in nicely. I’m hoping they’ll get closer as she gets older & less crazy but they are definitely good friends.


                                        • MarkBun
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                                            If you wake up and find a bit of fur that looks like it was yanked out or if there’s a tiny bit of nipping, don’t worry about it. Even the best couples have spats.

                                            Maryann nips Dono on occasion when I come to give the food. He’s actually learned to hang back until he sees Maryann take the first bite then he hops over and begins eating (since her mouth is busy).


                                          • Cassi&Charlie
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                                              Must be something about Dutches hey, cause my lil Charlie has dutch in him & he’s a bit sensitive…


                                            • Lightchick
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                                                That’s AWESOME C&C! So glad they’re friends! You realize, now they’re going to talk, and Layla will teach Charlie how to get into hard-to-reach places, and Charlie will teach Layla how to annoy and provoke your boyfriend!

                                                Now that you’re an expert, you get to help me when I get to bonding the Diva to the Ruffian!

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                                            Forum BONDING Bonding woes with Charlie & Layla *BONDED*