Conan the Bunbarian & Xena Bunnier Princess

[agnesthelion]

Hmmmm? ,maybe their "fight"between the cages got them to sort SOMEthing out between the two of them if only for a little bit so then their following date went well.....? Who knows.

Broken record here but I take it as more proof that there isn't hate between these two but, like you said, a dominance struggle between two headstrong buns. Keep it up! You'll get there!

 

[Troller]

Date XXII

A decent morning date. They looked friendly enough, ate together and explored a bit. I dabbed some peanut butter (a HRS mentioned it) on the bridge of their noses and it didn't seem to do much of anything. Well Conan really tried to rub it off on everything, his carrier, the wall, so Im pretty sure he wasn't for it. I'll try banana next, something they both liked.

There was two brief tense moments. The first came when Conan was relaxed next to me and I was petting him. Xena came over, sniffed his ear then made the loudest snort and a stomp which angered Conan who lunged at her. Nothing happened cause he was under my hand and I think he was just trying to scare her off, but I have no idea what that was about. The second came when Xena was between my legs and Conan went over my leg and was a bit over her. It looked like he was sniffing her nose and might have been considering grooming when instead he nipped her. Looked like a bite, but Xena didn't react and nothing looked amiss on her.

Again, things were calm and I put them away at a nice moment when both were relaxed. So three okay dates in a row, some progress I think. Oh, I guess I could also add that the time of the date has been incrementally increasing with little incident so another good sign.

 

[agnesthelion]

Xena definitely sounds like she's a bit opinionated with her snorting and thumping, haha. But it's good again nothing huge happened! Seems like things are still moving in the right direction!

 

[qtipthebun]

Xena has personality. Lives up to her name. I love it.

 

[Ilovemyrabbit]

Yes, Xena definitely has a personality of her own! But the bonding does seem to going well.

 

[Troller]

Date XXIII

Very easy going on this one. Even when the little head to heads came, they didn't react too bad. Xena thumped and snorted but it didn't shake up Conan this time, and Conan nipped her on the nose but she didn't really react except to turn her head. I smeared a little banana purée on the bridge of their nose and while neither decided to groom the other to get at it both of them were obviously searching for the origin of the yummy smell. It was cute watching them twist, trying to find what was just above their noses. It feels like their settling in a bit, finally getting past their initial reactions and starting to more readily relax around each other.

Now to vent about my damned apartment. NY got hit with some unseasonable heat (82 degrees) following unseasonable cool (30s a few days ago). No big deal, except the heater in my apartment hasn't stopped. So in my apartment with all the windows fully open and a draft going it feels like 90 and probably more. I've had to real out the iced water bottles for the buns and soon the fan. When I went to talk to the landlord he told me yesterday he'll call the repairman but today he tells my wife that it happens every year (well it didn't last year) and sounded like he just wanted to ride it out (heats going through the whole building). Grrr, if there is one thing I absolutely hate is heat! But worse, while I'm suffering in my sleep during the day (I work nights) Fed Ex decides to ring my bell for a package for my upstairs neighbor. Sigh...I'm such a light sleeper and once I'm up I'm up so its become back to back barely 4 hour sleep sessions. Double sigh...and of course I work so I'll be zombie like again for work.

 

[qtipthebun]

Ugh, I remember that feeling. When I was living in Syracuse, we didn't have control of our own heat in our apartment. They'd turn it on around September, and it only had one setting, full blast, about 80 degrees. And they wouldn't turn it off until April. So, god forbid we had a day that was not snowy or cold....it was miserable! Even when it was -10 out, we'd still have to have a window open to let out some of the heat.
I feel ya...I hate heat (why do I live in Texas???)!

 

[agnesthelion]

Another good date! Progress is good!

As far as the apartment thing yeah being hot is not fun. As I get older I'd rather be cold than hot....especially trying to sleep. It's the worst thing ever. Our biggest heat complaint now is getting used to living in a two story house. We had a ranch before and I swear no matter how cool we have the AC it just doesn't cool the upstairs. Bleh.

 

[Troller]

Date XXIV

The morning bunny date went ok, not as good as the previous ones but I won't complain. No progress made, and they scuffled a little bit, some fur pulling, some jumping over but nothing too hard to break up and then pet them together after. Arter bonding I went to sleep and my wife mentioned they were fighting between cages again, but here's the interesting thing. Conan nipped Xena on the nose but she let it happen and didn't react and then he looked like he might have licked her. Xena was tapping him on the head with her from paws but Conan stood there for it with his head bowed for grooming, she wouldn't do that but would lick the floor near him. So something not bad at least is going on between sessions.

Yeah more heat today, but I did get at least 5 hours sleep so I'm somewhat functional at least.

 

[agnesthelion]

I feel like a drug pusher with this bonding article but what the heck I'll shove it down your throat too! Hahaha

http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/bond.shtml

I'm almost positive I've shared this with you before and you seem like a researcher like myself so most likely you have this bookmarked......but JUST IN CASE......lol...

But actually your two, and micelles pair, I always keep thinking about the wear them down method. The jury is out for me on what I think but I can't help but wonder with pairs that don't hate each other but kinda sulk about being bonded.......wonder if it would work...?

So again, no offense with over sharing...haha...I'm just such a fan of bonds that work out I try to brain storm solutions all the time.

 

[Troller]

I have read the article and saved it along with several others, though I thank you for mentioning it especially with adding the wear them down method. Friday I have the day so I might just consider doing just that. Though I wonder if I might be rushing, after all this Friday makes it two weeks. It's just I know they are so close. Also if I did do that I guess feeding and litter boxes shouldn't be available to wear them down...Somethings to think about. Anyway I'm off to start the next date.

 

[holtzchick]

LOL... Lisa, I am seriously considering the wear them down method for my two as well!!! It seems they don't hate each other also, just kinda in the middle but not completely oblivious to each others presence.

Xena sounds like my Hippogryff... He demands grooming yet when receives it prefers to lick the floor instead... perhaps Conan is just waiting for a groom back, this is exactly how my two are behaving and it's kind of frustrating but I'd prefer this behavior to full on fighting any day! I think with your buns though, it's just in the early stages which is why both are establishing their dominance! I'd say they're coming along well

If you do happen to try the wear them down method please let me know how it goes! I've been contemplating doing this for a while, but I've been at the bonding for months so I'm a little afraid :/

 

[Troller]

Date XXV

Nothing new to report. Pretty much the same behavior as before. A minor scuffle broke out but Xena ran and I was accidently in the way for Conan to chase. It was relaxing though as we say around minutes at a time in peace. 30 minutes long and all went ok.

And I'll let you know if I do the wearing down on Friday. It either that or the car ride to my moms house where I'll bond them there. Personally I think everything is all right it just will take time is all.

 

[Troller]

Date XXVI

Much the same as the previous date. They seem to be settling in to a sort of stalemate situation. What I'm really heartened by is when they do have their confrontations they usually break it up themselves. Progress...

 

[Troller]

Date XXVII

Today they went at each other nearly right out of the gate...err, carriers I mean. It looked like both were spoiling for a confrontation so I let it ride for a little bit. They would engage, break away, chase and engage again until the last time where they looked to be going at it for about 10 seconds and would escalate into worse so I broke them up. For the first time ever Xena pulled fur, but all in all no one was hurt and they settled down into a tense coexistence afterwards. So I'd say this date was a step back, but not too bad of one because neither looked too dismayed. However, I truly believe I got unlucky and have 2 dominant bunnies. They'll both bond in the end I'm sure, just it will take time.

Now something I didn't have time to mention after Date 26 (wow, so many) is that after the date I left them in their carriers on top of my bed to give them new scenery and me a chance to clean their cages. Xena decided to pee in her carrier 10 minutes into it. Now I know she can hold it in better then that, and this is the second time she has done this and I believe it's either her telling me she's annoyed at being in a carrier or annoyed that she is getting her carrier back after Conan was in it previously (I switch their carriers as well). She proved to me she was annoyed cause as I let her come out of her carrier and into her cage she decided to foot flick several time and splatter me with pee. Yay, she loves me . Heh, funny, but despite all this I actually believe she's the rabbit that likes human interaction and has the best possibility of becoming a lap bunny.

 

[holtzchick]

Awh! Some dates just go badly, most of the time you should stop the circling because it does end in a step back but I think yo know what you're doing you're still handling things well!

My two are also both dominant, but it's those times that make me melt when I see them laying side by side that make me the happiest!! Your buns honestly sound identical to mine right down to Xena the lap bunny

How often are you dating them now? Is it 2 or 3 times a day?

 

[agnesthelion]

Yep you and michelles pair remind me so much of each other. All four are headstrong buns. That's why I continue to credit Agnes with my two bonding without a scuffle. I don't think there's a dominant bone in her body! :spintongue

I think they will bond too, just as michelles....just takes time!

 

[Troller]

I've been dating them twice a day for now officially two weeks. Sadly though today I hurt my knee, felt something pop behind my kneecap doing of all things crossing the street. I mean here I am a guy who used to play sports and get hit all the time and come out all right, I can't cross the street correctly. Sigh...Well it was raining pretty hard and I think my foot slipped a bit, but still its a shame and a poor excuse. So due to that I had to suspend the date for today, and today I was going to try the wearing them down method. Oh well. We'll see how capable I am tomorrow.

 

[holtzchick]

Awh that sucks :-/ get the wife to give you a nice massage that always helps!

I was just going to check how the wear them down method worked. Hopefully your knee heals quickly

 

[Chrisdoc]

It does sound like they can´t sort themselves out but no out and out fighting so that´s still good. When mine are looking at each other in that way and now I can tell when that is, I use my commanding tone and they actually take notice lol and walk away...sometimes amazes me but they do. I laughed at her peeing in the carrier...just showing him it´s hers and spraying you, well she´s a little madam and I did laugh at her.