Is giving up the right move?!

[Ffionwillsx]

Hi again, sorry I’m a broken record.

Having issues with my two buns and after some mishaps this week arranged to take Lola back to the rescue I got her from but I’m now having second thoughts – it’s been three months and she’s such a love girl I don’t want her to be out in the cold alone at rescue.

Log story short.
Oscar my original was adopted at 8weeks in January 2017.
Lola was adopted July 31st 2017. (She is now around 9/10months)
Initially I was very nervous, after some humping Lola had enough and a fight ensued I wasn’t prepared for the ferocity or the fur flying and I broke down.

A few days later I had family to help and Oscar went to mount and straight away a fight ensued. A few days later I started stress bonds in the car followed by a short session in a pen in neutral territory at my parents. This moved up to dinner tones together. I then did marathon bonding for two weeks.

Moved back to my apartment and went back a few steps as Oscar was freeroam all was fine (little mishap when I gave too much space too soon) by went back and fine. They lived together 24/7 for 5 weeks. Then I came home from work to a big fight.

They were separated for a month then I started prebonding. I then started short short sessions after a stressbond in the bath tub (Thai was following surgery and so again started with parents who I was staying with for over a month) all would be ok Lola would groom Oscar, both would lie down (not cuddling but close by) and Oscar would eat (Lola would only eat a tasty treat) however despite the grooming and positive signs a fight would ensue every day. I would put both buns side by side to snuggle then leave them roam the bath again for a minute or two without me intervening in order to end on a positive.

My problem is that I’m not getting anywhere now. Everything will result in a fight.

We moved back home and when I was setting them up Lola got out of the bunny room and into my bedroom and they fought under my bed. It lasted around a minute I would say then Lola hopped out and Oscar stayed there so I took Lola back. The next day I had just let Oscar out to the living area after putting Lola away and she jumped the gate. Oscar and her met in the hallway luckily I was in eyesight and saw it all they literally touched noses (sniffing) then fought. For the next twenty minutes Oscar was obsessively trying to get into Lola’s room (door closed) he was like a bunny possessed.

I contacted rescue and arranged to take Lola back but I really don’t want to. I’m not sure if I’m just being weak or negative or whether it is impossible. The bonding this time is nothing like the bond last time. There’s no mounting, Oscar will not groom (he never did much) but Lola will. But often Lola will start the nipping that turn into a fight – I’m not sure if it’s because Oscar will not groom.

I’m off work for the next 10days so I can alternate with the buns much easier – however having to unbodned bunnies is not an option for me in my apartment. Especially because I believe they should have a load of space and socialisation. I’m a teacher and so often on the evening I have to grade papers a plan lessons hence the reason I adopted a friend for Oscar – but it’s also unfair for both of I have to alternate between them.

I’d just like opinions from you if possible? I want to be told that I’m doing the right thing? Or if I’m givinng up too soon?

Please help

[Deleted User]

Personally, I would say that giving up Lola is the right move. Others may suggest that you continue trying, but I think you have tried everything that you can. And, given their history, they might just be holding a grudge toward the other one now. I had a similar-ish experience, but I tried actual bonding for only around a soild month and a half and everything went great for the first few weeks, but then they would just have constant scuffles even though they were very cuddly with each other and had lots of positives as well.

I truly didn’t want to part with my little Quincy, but I had invested so much time into them and they were getting progressively worse. The final straw that made me give up is that in our last session Quincy was relentlessly chasing Ophelia and I scooped her up and he began circling/grunting and scratching at MY legs like he was really trying to kill her. I decided it wasn’t worth the stress for me or for them. I know it’s a really hard choice. And especially for me because Ophelia seemed to really enjoy the bunny company, but I could tell that all the scuffles were getting taxing on them, and my patience was definitely running thin.

So I rehomed one and it was very, very sad. I actually cried several times in the weeks following because I missed Quincy so much. But other than the sadness, it was an amazing feeling to have that burden of all that stress lifted. I didn’t have to constantly spend all my free time breaking up bunny fights and stressing that they would hurt one another. Ophelia seems happier now too that she isn’t having to duke it out with Quincy.

All in all, I think you’ve done everything you could and I think it would be beneficial for you and the buns to move forward after such a painful experience.

Best of luck, it’s a tough decision for sure!

[Author]

Messages