kirbyultra
Well-Known Member
hln917 wrote:
:rofl:
Bonding Kirby & Penny - Moving in
- Thread starter kirbyultra
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elrohwen
Well-Known Member
I think it looks like a great set up! You can definitely change it later, but it's a perfect temporary home for them. I left my guys in the temporary home for almost two weeks. And I actually think it works as a permanent home, unless you wanted to get rid of one of the xpens and just keep them in Kirby's original space, which I think is probably big enough. My guys have a 4x2 cage attached to an xpen, so 4'x8' total. Originally it was just Otto's space, but it's plenty big for the two of them.
They snuggled together before moving in, but didn't groom. Even now, two weeks later, I see each of them groom the other maybe once or twice a day, but very briefly. So it can take time for friendship to turn to love. I wouldn't worry about it at all.
Also, have you considered feeding them separately? Maybe dividing the pen in half and giving each of them food on their own side. Let Kirby have 30-60min in a small area with his food to eat what he wants, then put them back together with the remaining food. At least then he'll have a chance to eat what he needs. And he might learn that he needs to eat fast or lose out - my two bunnies are eating much faster together than they ever did alone. They used to leave most of their breakfast until 5pm, but now it's mostly gone by 10 or 11am because they want to make sure they get enough. Kirby won't starve himself.
They snuggled together before moving in, but didn't groom. Even now, two weeks later, I see each of them groom the other maybe once or twice a day, but very briefly. So it can take time for friendship to turn to love. I wouldn't worry about it at all.
Also, have you considered feeding them separately? Maybe dividing the pen in half and giving each of them food on their own side. Let Kirby have 30-60min in a small area with his food to eat what he wants, then put them back together with the remaining food. At least then he'll have a chance to eat what he needs. And he might learn that he needs to eat fast or lose out - my two bunnies are eating much faster together than they ever did alone. They used to leave most of their breakfast until 5pm, but now it's mostly gone by 10 or 11am because they want to make sure they get enough. Kirby won't starve himself.
kirbyultra
Well-Known Member
Thanks! I really liked giving them more space but my husband couldn't work at his computer desk with the pens connecting all wacky, so I had to edit -- New rabbit room configuration pic below!
Behavior wise, they did fine overnight. No fighting, no issues. However, as you'll see below, I had to separate them from living together anyway. I also had a problem with Kirby because when I moved everything around, he got confused about where his litter box was and he couldn't seem to find his hay basket. Penny pooped in every single litter box (there were 3) so he didn't think any of them were his. Poor bunny was eating scraps of hay off the floor
So I had to edit that too.
Here's what I started with this morning, which I showed you before.
I made it smaller, removed the 2nd xpen and replaced it with NIC panels to make right angles. Also made it a ton easier to connect the xpen to the condo! It is a really good amount of space for 2 buns and plenty of space for my husband to get to his desk on the far right (not shown).
I thought I was done but Miss Penny got her panties in a bunch and started to have herself a pee fest. I just couldn't take it anymore. I nearly had a meltdown because of how much she was peeing in a single afternoon. It's really, really sad, but I had to separate them again.
I made the most of the new setup however, and built a NIC door to separate them. If I leave the door in its "down" position, it swings like a doggie door so that Kirby can have his privacy to eat his food without barring Penny out completely. She can swing in if she wants. If I clip it in its "up" position, both buns can freely get into each other's space for play time. And finally, I can choose to clip it shut so that Miss Penny has to go home and pee in her own little space. I bought these NIC panels last year and never used them. Boy am I glad I had them today.
All told:
Husband's work space was enlarged by 50%.
Kirby's courtyard was shrunken by about 25%.
Miss Penny's Uri-nation was enlarged by about 25%.
Slave Helen's sanity level reclaimed about 50%. :scared:
Behavior wise, they did fine overnight. No fighting, no issues. However, as you'll see below, I had to separate them from living together anyway. I also had a problem with Kirby because when I moved everything around, he got confused about where his litter box was and he couldn't seem to find his hay basket. Penny pooped in every single litter box (there were 3) so he didn't think any of them were his. Poor bunny was eating scraps of hay off the floor
So I had to edit that too. Here's what I started with this morning, which I showed you before.
I made it smaller, removed the 2nd xpen and replaced it with NIC panels to make right angles. Also made it a ton easier to connect the xpen to the condo! It is a really good amount of space for 2 buns and plenty of space for my husband to get to his desk on the far right (not shown).
I thought I was done but Miss Penny got her panties in a bunch and started to have herself a pee fest. I just couldn't take it anymore. I nearly had a meltdown because of how much she was peeing in a single afternoon. It's really, really sad, but I had to separate them again.
I made the most of the new setup however, and built a NIC door to separate them. If I leave the door in its "down" position, it swings like a doggie door so that Kirby can have his privacy to eat his food without barring Penny out completely. She can swing in if she wants. If I clip it in its "up" position, both buns can freely get into each other's space for play time. And finally, I can choose to clip it shut so that Miss Penny has to go home and pee in her own little space. I bought these NIC panels last year and never used them. Boy am I glad I had them today.
All told:
Husband's work space was enlarged by 50%.
Kirby's courtyard was shrunken by about 25%.
Miss Penny's Uri-nation was enlarged by about 25%.
Slave Helen's sanity level reclaimed about 50%. :scared:
elrohwen
Well-Known Member
What are you long term plans with this? Remove the NIC barrier once they've got litter habits under control again?
Oh, and Hannah peed everywhere in their new pen for 3 days. I would honestly just throw them together again and see how it goes. They'll figure things out.
Oh, and Hannah peed everywhere in their new pen for 3 days. I would honestly just throw them together again and see how it goes. They'll figure things out.
kirbyultra
Well-Known Member
Penny has been peeing everywhere for a month though. I don't think she's going to stop until I give her a fairly stable environment and let her work it out herself first. Until then they'll just have to be playmates
KIrby had a little poop war with her overnight... well he won. I lost.
KIrby had a little poop war with her overnight... well he won. I lost.
elrohwen
Well-Known Member
Hahaha.
If it's been going on that long, then yeah, I'd work on it too. Then again, with how much water she drinks, I'm not surprised she can't hold it until she gets to her litter box
If it's been going on that long, then yeah, I'd work on it too. Then again, with how much water she drinks, I'm not surprised she can't hold it until she gets to her litter box
kirbyultra
Well-Known Member
Don't I know it! I have had to restrict her water big time. I only give her 1 bowl of water a day now. I give it to her in halves, twice a day. She still drinks more than any bun I know. My other buns hardly touch their water! I could sometimes forget to change their water for a day or so and it'd look the same as when I gave it to them. Not with Penny!
I plan to scale her down regardless. There's no reason for a bun to drink that much water, I think. She gets a big salad every day. My other buns get two salads a day, but it's because Penny makes extra cecals when she gets two salads. Plus she steal's Kirby's salad leftovers (like she is at this very moment! :grumpy) She definitely gets enough water intake - she just has to work on getting her tail into the litter box!
I plan to scale her down regardless. There's no reason for a bun to drink that much water, I think. She gets a big salad every day. My other buns get two salads a day, but it's because Penny makes extra cecals when she gets two salads.
Plus she steal's Kirby's salad leftovers (like she is at this very moment! :grumpy) She definitely gets enough water intake - she just has to work on getting her tail into the litter box!
kirbyultra
Well-Known Member
I am wondering... maybe I'm doing something right? Maybe my constant pleading and begging is working and the girl understands? Penny is peeing less outside of the litter boxes as far as I know. 1 accident yesterday. One accident this morning. Poops all over the place, but that's nothing compared to urine. Maybe it was a UTI and the Baytril is working. I don't know what to say...
In terms of bonding, I think it's safe to say they are bonded. :clapping:Their cohabitation has been really good. No poop wars. No fighting for food or space. Just hanging out with each other and selectively alone. So far so good. And it only took 30 sleepless nights :shock: I took Penny in on April 4, so 30 days on the nose.
Issue now is that Kirby and Penny's poop litter habits are degrading. For Kirby, I'm fairly certain he's confused due to all the changes. I think the rabbit room hasn't been stable for more than 4 or 5 days at a time the last month. I guess I'd be confused where the bathroom is too.
I'm going to remove all the hay racks and dump all the hay into 3 litter boxes in their area. Kirby notoriously goes to the potty in the first level of his condo. His litter box has been there since November 08 and he knows that's where he goes, litter box or no. :rollseyes When I moved his hay rack down to the floor, he started to eat there and poop there. Penny was worse: She ate there, and pooped and peed there. And she hops into the hay rack and pees on the rack... so, no more hay racks until everybody gets back into the litter box bandwagon !
:litterhealthy:
In terms of bonding, I think it's safe to say they are bonded. :clapping:Their cohabitation has been really good. No poop wars. No fighting for food or space. Just hanging out with each other and selectively alone. So far so good. And it only took 30 sleepless nights :shock: I took Penny in on April 4, so 30 days on the nose.
Issue now is that Kirby and Penny's poop litter habits are degrading. For Kirby, I'm fairly certain he's confused due to all the changes. I think the rabbit room hasn't been stable for more than 4 or 5 days at a time the last month. I guess I'd be confused where the bathroom is too.
I'm going to remove all the hay racks and dump all the hay into 3 litter boxes in their area. Kirby notoriously goes to the potty in the first level of his condo. His litter box has been there since November 08 and he knows that's where he goes, litter box or no. :rollseyes When I moved his hay rack down to the floor, he started to eat there and poop there. Penny was worse: She ate there, and pooped and peed there. And she hops into the hay rack and pees on the rack... so, no more hay racks until everybody gets back into the litter box bandwagon !
:litterhealthy:
elrohwen
Well-Known Member
The continuing poop is normal. I would wait a week or so before you worry. Just pick it up and throw it back.
Yay for Penny not peeing everywhere! I hope the Baytril was the answer for her.
Yay for Penny not peeing everywhere! I hope the Baytril was the answer for her.
Mrs. PBJ
Well-Known Member
elrohwen wrote:
I just vacuum everyday well when I start working it may be every other day. I gave up on pooh but I don't have a pee issue.
I just vacuum everyday well when I start working it may be every other day. I gave up on pooh but I don't have a pee issue.
kirbyultra
Well-Known Member
Mrs. PBJ wrote:
Looks like the hay rack removal is starting to work, though. Miss Penny got all her giant poos in the box. Kirby hasn't dumped a pile on the floor either. Yahoo!
Can't vacuum these poops, Kat. They're the size of a large marble. Penny's a big poop girl lol Plus her poops are usually a little wetter than other buns. They aren't mushy, but they are definitely less hard than the other buns'. Gotta hand pick em up. Picking up 50 poops in the morning is so not the way I want to wake up LOL
Looks like the hay rack removal is starting to work, though. Miss Penny got all her giant poos in the box. Kirby hasn't dumped a pile on the floor either. Yahoo!
elrohwen
Well-Known Member
Yay! That's awesome!
kirbyultra
Well-Known Member
Kirby and Penny are sleeping next to each other-ish. It's so cute. Penny's sleeping in the hidey box that Kirby never uses. Kirby doesn't usually sleep over in that corner. But there they are, next to each other.
