Bunny Bonding

[Krissa]

Hi, I haven't posted in awhile, I had lots ofthings to do because I am graduating from college in December:colors:Anyway, I did a forumsearch on bonding anddidn't get much so I decided to ask.

Frodo, my male dutch (neutered in July)is housed with Merry(unspayed female). I found male bunny this summer and I kepthim when I could not find the owners, he is Gandalf (neutered inSeptember) and kept in a cage next to Frodo and Merry. Merryand Gandalf get along fine, but Frodo is a vicious monster! I wouldlike to be able to get all three out at once.

I tried introducing Frodo and Gandalf in neutral territory. Theysniffed each other and then Frodo just attacked. My husband and I triedsquirt bottles, but eventually had to use pillows to get them apart.Gandalf was bitten and I felt soooo bad, I didn't realize that my cuteFrodo could be so mean.

So here come my questions, what kind of gloves should I wear forprotection (I need some brand names because I don't want bunny teeth inmy thumb)? Could this be occuring because Merry isn't spayed? And wouldputting Vaseline on their noses help in blocking each other's scent?

I am potentially getting a fourth rabbit that was found at the statepark I volunteer at. He is just such a cutie (the vet is 95% sure he isa neutered male) and extremely friendly. I will only take him in ifthey can find no one else who wants him because of Frodo being such aterror with male bunnies.

Oh and before I get yelled at for Merry being unspayed, she has anappointment in the middle of December for the operation. Every time Ischedule her spay appointment, she gets sniffles - but the vet says wehave it beat this time. (I think she catches it on purpose).

I hope it wasn't too confusing, thanks for the help.

 

[Shuu]

Even though I highly suggest waiting until Merryis spayed, if you'd feel safer when resuming this process when she'sall healed up, any kind of leather gloves should work fairly well inresisting bites.

 

[jordiwes]

Some things I've tried are:

Keeping one bunny in a cage in another room and allowing your aggresivebunny to find his way to this other room. then they can sniff eachother through the bars. If they attack each other through the bars,it's time for more drastic measures.

Keeping a small blanket or towel in each cage, then switching them to let them get used to each other's scents.

Try introducing them in a room with more slippery floors (like wood ortile). It's then easier to stop one bunny from making a beeline to theother. Try distracting them with pets and treats.

Stephanie has 3 bonded bunnies, I'm sure she'd have great advice.

Edit: Here was Stephanie's advice to me:

First, make sureyou do the sessions in a neutral territory. Iused my bathroom. Basically any smallish area/room where none of therabbits ever are, therefore there is no scent or territory established.I made sure to have some water and food on hand for them, plus a waterbottle (the kind you use tomist plants). Then I just satthere and did nothing and let them do their thing.

At the fist sign of aggression (ears laid flat back against the head),I would spray Abby and tell her NO in a loud, firm voice. I did thisevery time she was about to attack Valuran. Eventually she began toignore him, which is what you want. Finally, she went up to him andgroomed him, which means it's a done deal. Once you have grooming,their bonded.

This took me two full weeks to do. I would do these sessions two tothree times a day, from twenty to thirty minutes at a time. The firsttwo days I would take them in the same carrier on a short car ride, butstopped on day three. It was very frustrating and I very nearly lostall hope of success.

 

*********Oh and before I getyelled at for Merry being unspayed, she has an appointment in themiddle of December for the operation. Every time I schedule her spayappointment, she gets sniffles - but the vet says we have it beat thistime. (I think she catches it on purpose *********

First of all Altering your animal is YOUR choice .,what You feel is best for you and your rabbit, Noone has the rights to yell and scream that it MUSTbe done , Altering your rabbits givesthem a chance at a longer life without fearsof Uterian or Testicular Cancers , andunwanted pregnancies, it hasalso been said it Improvestemperment. I have both altered andunaltered rabbits and am hardpressed to say he unaltered onesare meaner or anything than the alteredones .As you have an altered rabbit thatit made absolutly no difference in.

If Frodo is a beastwith other rabbits youmay want to concider his life solitaryfrom the others , he just may not ever wanttobondwith any one . Howis He with You, is he calm, sweet , grouchy , nippy ? Maybe his best bond is with aHuman and that may be all youcan ask for from him . JMO,Would I stop trying to bond himwiththe others, maybe. If he isbeing overly aggressive thenyes. Its hard to care for arabbit who has been cut andneeds antibiotics , bites can go unnoticeduntill they fester into a largerinfection that requires surgery ,

Prime examples are Corkys Storyand what NaturesTee is going throughas we speak , Both and allrabbits have been spayed/ neuteredand still vicious fights canerupt out of the blue . Pleaseuse caution , thats all I cansay .

 

[Krissa]

Thanks for all the great advise. Frodo is thesweetest thing with people, he just doesn't like male bunnies. AlthoughI would like all of them to be able to be caged together, I wouldsettle for them to just to be able to be out in the same room withoutblood shed.

Thanks again all

 

[Bassetluv]

I agree that Frodo simply may not bond withother bunnies, and will be content being housed (and playing)separately. I do have one suggestion Iuse whenever attemptingto introducing rabbits to one another: harnesses. I put one on eachrabbit and allow them to size one another up...then, if a fight doesbegin (and quite often will), the harness is the safest way I havefound to be able to separate them...combined with gloves, if need be,to be able to loosen a tight grip one might have upon the other.Harnesses also give more control, so often you are abletoprevent a tussle right before it begins.

(I also like the suggestion of a water bottle...have never tried that before, but it makes a lot of sense...)

 

[Stephanie]

Try the tactic that Jordiwes posted from me. Itreally did work, and I had lost all hope before trying this. And I meanI had really lost hope, it was a bad situation with Abby attackingValuran viciously and fur flying and all of that.

All three of my rabbits are altered, and share one cage very happily.It can be done, just takes a lot of time and patience. Tookmetwo full weeks to get Abby to finally accept Valuran into the herd.