How do I know when to move on to next steps?

[lily2521]

I’ve been posting a lot here lately as I get help from everyone through the bonding process (thank you!!)

I’ve only been bonding Gizmo and Nova for about a week now, and overall I feel like things are going
great. I’ve seen grooming each other, mounting, mirroring, laying near each
other, flopping (never seen Gizmo flop in the 1 1/2 years we’ve had her!), eating in front of each other, etc. No aggression whatsoever
from either rabbit.

The only thing I’m still seeing that I’m not sure if I need to give more time, is Gizmo still mounting Nova, and Nova seeming to not like it.  Gizmo chases her a bit, if the chasing gets too much energy behind it I stop it, but then Gizmo mounts Nova.  Nova doesn’t lash out or get aggressive but I can just tell she doesn’t like it.

Other than that I feel like it’s great, I feel like I can leave them alone (although I’m not doing that yet).  When I put them back in their pens after bonding you can tell they’re still very interested in each other, laying near each other, still checking one another out, etc. even though they cannot touch through the bars. 

How do I know when the rabbits are ready to ‘move in
together’?  I’m not sure when I’ll know to move on to the next steps,
or what I should be looking for?  Or if I should just continue the bonding sessions for now?

[Vienna Blue in France]

I’m no bonding pro (started 10 hours ago! LOL ), but it doesn’t sound yet as if they are safe to be left alone full-time.
Continue bonding sesssions until Gizmo stops mounting Nova, or until she stops seeming to you as if she doesn’t enjoy it.

Does Nova happily groom Gizmo, or only when she asks for it?

Just a little tip : It may be helpful if you kept the bonding questions in your intial bonding thread, so that we (and you) can look back and see the progression of your process… and it will save you retyping the explanations each time

[lily2521]

Posted By Vienna Blue in France on 11/11/2016 12:47 PM

I’m no bonding pro (started 10 hours ago! LOL ), but it doesn’t sound yet as if they are safe to be left alone full-time.
Continue bonding sesssions until Gizmo stops mounting Nova, or until she stops seeming to you as if she doesn’t enjoy it.

Does Nova happily groom Gizmo, or only when she asks for it?

Just a little tip : It may be helpful if you kept the bonding questions in your intial bonding thread, so that we (and you) can look back and see the progression of your process… and it will save you retyping the explanations each time

Thanks for the advice – I found that when I replied to my own post a few days ago about the chasing/mounting I wasn’t getting a response, so I wasn’t sure what to do. 

Nova grooms Gizmo on her own some of the time, and responds to requests part of the time, but I’m seeing more of that behavior from Gizmo.  I’m also seeing that they’re still doing the nose-to-nose standoff to see who grooms who, but that standoff isn’t lasting nearly as long as before.  It’s about 50/50 as to who gives in and grooms first when that happens. 

[lily2521]

I just came back to my post today because I’m feeling like maybe they’re ready to move on but I’m still not 100% sure? Since I first posted this a few days ago, we still have not seen one bit of aggression from either rabbit.  Gizmo is still chasing and mounting a bit but it seems to be lessening. I noticed she chases Nova a bit, Nova still runs away, and after about 10-20 seconds Gizmo just gives up and flops onto the floor. Nova happily grooms Gizmo, quite a bit actually.  Gizmo not so much, she’s done it a little bit but not nearly as much. It’s funny because Gizmo will groom herself (sometimes I think she grooms herself in front of Nova on purpose), Nova will go up to Gizmo when she’s grooming herself, and puts her head down to try to encourage Gizmo to groom her instead, but Gizmo just goes on with her own business grooming herself, completely ignoring Nova’s request. I can sit in there with them for an hour or more (I feel okay leaving the room for a few minutes at a time, as long as I can hear them so that if Gizmo starts chasing I can still keep an eye on it) and most of the sessions have become quite boring, aside fro the occasional chase/mount from Gizmo.  Otherwise it’s just mainly flopping or grooming between the two of them. I’ve also noticed a difference in Gizmo’s demeanor overall (for the better!)  She’s been much more active and inquisitive instead of her normal lazy self.  I thought she was happy before, but to me she actually seems happier overall now, even when they aren’t together bonding.  I guess because I feel like bonding is going well, I just don’t know what to do next?

[Theo&Leo]

Hey Lily, Are they both spayed/neutered? Assuming they are, if its hasn’t been a solid 2 months that could be why there is still mounting going on. It sounds like your well on your way to having a bonded pair. If you keep them on a tile floor it should help eliminate the chasing part of it. As for the mounting I would just let it go on for a few seconds and then break them up each time, hopefully eventually your bun will lessen how often they are mounting. Fill the space with lots of distractions so that they just get used to going about as usual. (Veg, Hay, Cardboard, Toys) You could put them in a carrier together on the dryer if your looking to really create a solid bond however I only used that method when trying to get my three bonded because they would fight. As soon as they have spent a solid few hours together with no issues then you can leave them unsupervised just check on them every so often.

[lily2521]

Posted By Housebunnydiaries on 11/16/2016 1:34 PM

Hey Lily, Are they both spayed/neutered? Assuming they are, if its hasn’t been a solid 2 months that could be why there is still mounting going on. It sounds like your well on your way to having a bonded pair. If you keep them on a tile floor it should help eliminate the chasing part of it. As for the mounting I would just let it go on for a few seconds and then break them up each time, hopefully eventually your bun will lessen how often they are mounting. Fill the space with lots of distractions so that they just get used to going about as usual. (Veg, Hay, Cardboard, Toys) You could put them in a carrier together on the dryer if your looking to really create a solid bond however I only used that method when trying to get my three bonded because they would fight. As soon as they have spent a solid few hours together with no issues then you can leave them unsupervised just check on them every so often.

Yes, they are both spayed (both female).  Last night we had a good 45 minute session, with no humping or chasing at all!  Just flopping and grooming.  I think over the weekend I’m going to try a longer session to see if they’re truly good together for several hours. 

[lily2521]

I wanted to come back with an update to see if anyone could offer more advise. I feel like things are going really well, I’m just not sure what to do to really seal their bond and make it more solid if that makes sense.

Over the weekend, I put them in a 4×4 pen, with a litter box, toys, water, etc. and just watched how they did. After about 3-4 hours in their they did great, no fighting or aggression at all.

But…we’re still seeing chasing and mounting from Gizmo. Nova has gotten savvy to Gizmo and runs away, or when Gizmo does manage to mount her she knows how to get out of it, she doesn’t just sit there and take it like I know some rabbits will do, but she doesn’t get aggressive either. She just hops or runs away, and if Gizmo tries again, she hops away again.

In between that happening, Nova groomed Gizmo quite a bit (still not seeing Gizmo groom Nova), Nova requests grooming from Gizmo but Gizmo doesn’t comply. They eat together, they will flop down and just chill for a while (sometimes right next to each other, sometimes not so close). They shared a litter box for a moment, but I notice that when Nova is in the litter box, if Gizmo comes over, even just to sit and eat, I think Nova things Gizmo is coming to mount her, so she runs off.

Like I said, overall I feel like it’s going well, and I think I’ll continue to do bonding sessions in this now bigger space we have set up if that’s the best way for now? I’m also switching the rabbits out to each others cages every day so they get used to the scent of the other rabbit in their living space.

Because they did so well for such a long time, should I just put them in that 4×4 pen together anytime we’re home with them to supervise, or should I move forward and try to have them in the same living arrangement, or is it still too soon? Anything else I can do? Like I said I think things are going well and they seem to like each other, I just feel like I need to make that bond stronger, and hopefully the chasing/mounting will settle down?

[Theo&Leo]

Hey Lilly, Your situation is a bit harder to determine whether to go forward. All seems positive and well except the mounting and lack of grooming from your one bunny. In the past I have experienced having rabbits together for over 4 days without issue and a fight still broke out. Your definitely almost there but until your rabbits have spent a few hours supervised without any issue then I wouldn’t push it. Having said that you could try the larger space because it will give your rabbit room to stay away from the other if she isn’t liking the mounting however you will have to supervise them a lot more because they may start chasing. If you really want to try and “seal” the bond then honestly just put them in a carrier together. They don’t seem like fighters and the stress of being in the carrier would bring them together. You may actually be surprised at their response together in the carrier. I had my 3 bunnies in the carrier and the one bun Riley whom I thought would fight my other female Rose actually ended up being the one grooming her and trying to comfort her while she was stressed. It’s worth a try if anything and isn’t going to harm your rabbits as they will be more concerned with where they are and whats going on around them. Hope this helps!

[Vienna Blue in France]

Oh how I wish I could put my two in a carrier but they would harm each other before I could close the door…

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