Forum

OUR FORUM IS UP BUT WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF UPDATING AND FIXING THINGS.  SOME THINGS WILL LOOK WEIRD AND/OR NOT BE CORRECT. YOUR PATIENCE IS APPRECIATED.  We are not fully ready to answer questions in a timely manner as we are not officially open, but we will do our best. 

You may have received a 2-factor authentication (2FA) email from us on 4/21/2020. That was from us, but was premature as the login was not working at that time. 

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately! Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

What are we about?  Please read about our Forum Culture and check out the Rules

BUNNY 911 – If your rabbit hasn’t eaten or pooped in 12-24 hours, call a vet immediately!  Don’t have a vet? Check out VET RESOURCES 

The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum BONDING Just want confirmation that Im not a bad mom

Viewing 6 reply threads
  • Author
    Messages

    • Bunstar
      Participant
      26 posts Send Private Message

        I feel like suchs jerk to my 2 new bunnies. We adopted them separately from the SPCA and are attemptig to bond them but making them go in the car and stuffing them in a laundry basket makes me feel like an awful person!

        There has been no fighting. Day 1 I put them in a neutral room together and Hannibal kept chasing after Mabel but he was binkying after her so I think he was just excited.

        Day 2 we put them in the bathtub and lined them up side to side but Mabel kept jumping out.

        As I type this I am holding a laundry basket with them on the washer. There has never been fighting and I just feel like this is stressing them out and hurting their chances of trusting me ever.

        Thoughts? I have never bonded rabbits before.


      • MrBun&Daisy
        Participant
        166 posts Send Private Message

          Why do you feel like a bad mom? it doesn’t sound like you’re doing anything wrong. But why are you making them go in the car, was that just to bring them home from the shelter? if so that’s unavoidable and most buns do fine with a short ride.

          As for bonding them it sounds like its going fine. no fighting is great, and its not uncommon for them to entirely ignore eachother. In the bath tub mabel just may not like being in there. since they did well in the neutral room you could keep with that method. Why are you putting them on the washer?

          On the trust thing-rabbits will often forget something you’ve done. We’ve all had to something at one point that made them angry but was for their own good. you may get the cold shoulder for a day or so but usually all it takes is their favorite treat and they suddenly want to be friends again.


        • Stormybun
          Participant
          62 posts Send Private Message

            It doesn’t seem like you’re doing anything bad. The only thing I’d change is to stop the washer or any close-together stressing. Since the neutral room did so well, I’d continue that, Seeing how they got along really well, stress-bonding seems unnecessary at this point


          • Mikey
            Participant
            3186 posts Send Private Message

              You are not bad If they re not fighting, then you dont have to do stress bonding. I would put them in a small room together (such as the bathroom, but not the bath tub) and sit with them for about an hour or two. If that goes well, put them away for an hour or two, then bring them to the same room again for another hour or two. Continue until you cant. The next day, give them a bigger space to run around for a few hours. If there is still no fighting, then i would put them in the room/cage/pen you plan to keep them in the next day for a few 1 hour sessions a day. If there is no fighting there, i would assume they are pretty much bonded Their bond will cement over time as they get more comfortable with one another and learn how to play. As MrBun&Daisy said, ignoring one another isnt uncommon at all


            • tobyluv
              Participant
              3310 posts Send Private Message

                I have bonded 5 pairs of rabbits over the years and have had very good luck using an x-pen. My husband and I get in there with the bunnies, in case there is fighting or to stop any excessive humping. It’s too tall for the rabbits to jump out of. That forces them to be close, but not as close as in a basket. Even if the room itself is not neutral to either of them, the pen is. You can always put down a sheet or blanket in case the carpet or rug you are on might have either of their scents.


              • Bunstar
                Participant
                26 posts Send Private Message

                  Thank you everybody. I was doing the stress bonding because there is so much confusing info on the internet and I thought I had to. When they visited the vet for their checkup the tech told me to give them a neutral room but Hannibal kept chasing Mabel. Since chasing and humping were listed as aggressive behavious I intervened to ensure a fight wouldn’t break out.

                  So if there hasn’t been fighting I can try to just let them play in a room together and let them figure things out?


                • Stormybun
                  Participant
                  62 posts Send Private Message

                    depends on the rooms size, but i think that’ll work, just be ready in case they fight

                Viewing 6 reply threads
                • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

                Forum BONDING Just want confirmation that Im not a bad mom