Apebull
Well-Known Member
WOO HOO sounds like things are finally look good. And I love how Conan starts washing his face right away. Such a boy eewww get these girl cooties off of me LOL.
Conan the Bunbarian & Xena Bunnier Princess
- Thread starter Troller
- Start date
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I do so like seeing videos of the buns, they are just so lovely and wow, that grooming went on for quite a while and I loved how he just sat there cleaning himself up...looks like progress to me. I think you are so close, these two do look great together.
Troller
Well-Known Member
Date XXIV
More grooming from Xena, several times over the course of the one hour date lasting for minutes. Conan however is still being ornery, protecting his spot and chasing her off. Poor girl. Not sure if the dominant one displays aggression after bonding or what, it's something hazy covered in bonding research. Either way I got to be pleased that their progressing.
So tomorrow since I got more time I plan to let the date go longer. If things still sty positive I'll take them to another neutral spot to test if this goodwill just happens in the kitchen or could it be extended. Thanks for all the positive comments.
*****
More grooming from Xena, several times over the course of the one hour date lasting for minutes. Conan however is still being ornery, protecting his spot and chasing her off. Poor girl. Not sure if the dominant one displays aggression after bonding or what, it's something hazy covered in bonding research. Either way I got to be pleased that their progressing.
So tomorrow since I got more time I plan to let the date go longer. If things still sty positive I'll take them to another neutral spot to test if this goodwill just happens in the kitchen or could it be extended. Thanks for all the positive comments.
*****
Ilovemyrabbit
Elise - Introductions & Blogs Moderator
Tried to watch the video but it wouldn't let me. Hope tomorrows date goes well.
Troller
Well-Known Member
Date XXV
Ran this date about 20min longer, almost an hour and a half. There was grooming from Xena but also lunging by her. I'm not quite understanding Conan's aggression. Partly demand for grooming on his terms, partly protecting the one spot he's claimed in the kitchen. So do I continue in the kitchen as is, alter it to take away his comfort spot or try another space. Putting a new situation might be an all new starting point and set me back to square one. Decisions, decisions...
***
Ran this date about 20min longer, almost an hour and a half. There was grooming from Xena but also lunging by her. I'm not quite understanding Conan's aggression. Partly demand for grooming on his terms, partly protecting the one spot he's claimed in the kitchen. So do I continue in the kitchen as is, alter it to take away his comfort spot or try another space. Putting a new situation might be an all new starting point and set me back to square one. Decisions, decisions...
***
Troller
Well-Known Member
I'm taking this moment to vent about a crappy weekend. Tried to help the In-Laws and my owj family by buying a house together. Me and my wife more then have the yearly income to get a loan but currently lack the whole down payment, while the In-Laws lack the ability to sustain a long term loan and need to live somewhere with less remt. This and other reasons should have been a win-win, but while me and my wife have realistic expectations and a willingness to compromise my In-Laws lack vision and financial werewithal. So as of this weekend our hopes for a house have fallen through (after looking at over 50 houses where even the realtor suggest that we might want to go our own way cause the In-Laws are being unrealsitic). Me and my wife will just have to wait a few years to do it on our own, all the while watching our money get wasted on rent.
Add to this i go to look in on my disabled mom like I usually do and find a sweet parking spot which is unique in her neighborhood and as I'm reversing into the spot and nearly in I get side swiped! I believe the old lady was trying to make the light. So now I have a week of getting the car fixed and working out the insurance claim. Totally a crap weekend.
Luckily I got my rabbits though...
Date XXVI
Went ahead and did today's date in a shared play area. Both were excited and trying to make breaks out the enclosed area. They lunged at each other quite a few times in the begining but I was able to seperate them or spray them back. A lot of spraying back, and i got nipped a few times but mostly due to Xena demanding pets or me out of her way. Anyway the first 20 minutes were hectic but then they settled down and ignored each other for really the duration od the date (about an hour).
So while there was no grooming, no positive physical contact and a lot of tense moments I have to think it was a pretty good date. I mean this is not quite neutral territory (though both don't visit the living room often) so I expected territorial behavior. Tomorrow I'm going to run the standard kitchen date and I think flip-flop from now on.
***
Add to this i go to look in on my disabled mom like I usually do and find a sweet parking spot which is unique in her neighborhood and as I'm reversing into the spot and nearly in I get side swiped! I believe the old lady was trying to make the light. So now I have a week of getting the car fixed and working out the insurance claim. Totally a crap weekend.
Luckily I got my rabbits though...
Date XXVI
Went ahead and did today's date in a shared play area. Both were excited and trying to make breaks out the enclosed area. They lunged at each other quite a few times in the begining but I was able to seperate them or spray them back. A lot of spraying back, and i got nipped a few times but mostly due to Xena demanding pets or me out of her way. Anyway the first 20 minutes were hectic but then they settled down and ignored each other for really the duration od the date (about an hour).
So while there was no grooming, no positive physical contact and a lot of tense moments I have to think it was a pretty good date. I mean this is not quite neutral territory (though both don't visit the living room often) so I expected territorial behavior. Tomorrow I'm going to run the standard kitchen date and I think flip-flop from now on.
***
Troller
Well-Known Member
Date XXVII
The date is winding down. It was a conventional one taking place in the kitchen though for only the second time I let them be alone for some stretches. I made sure to stay nearby and listen out, but really only had to jump once and check on them when I heard a noise. Conan again was being a bit aggressive, Xena was lunging, nipping but also grooming, but they generally remained behaved through out it all. I'm pleaed out how this one went, though I wish I could figure out why Conan is grumpy on some occasions and others not.
***
The date is winding down. It was a conventional one taking place in the kitchen though for only the second time I let them be alone for some stretches. I made sure to stay nearby and listen out, but really only had to jump once and check on them when I heard a noise. Conan again was being a bit aggressive, Xena was lunging, nipping but also grooming, but they generally remained behaved through out it all. I'm pleaed out how this one went, though I wish I could figure out why Conan is grumpy on some occasions and others not.
***
Troller
Well-Known Member
Unscheduled Date I
Well...during the course of the day, during the span of near 9 hours when we were sleeping and then when I went out to do errands, apparently Conan's cage was either loose and he escaped or not locked at all. It was during Xena's run time so she was out. So when I got in to check on them in the pet room I find fur everywhere, Conan in Xena's pen loafing and Xena herself outside her pen also loafing. It look like Conan couldn't get back in his cage after squeezing out so he took her's, so I guess he won but then it was his fur that was predominately all over the place. Did a thorough check and both seemed well, intact and no visible injuries.
Date XXVIII
I wasn't going to have a bonding date but I wanted to again thoroughly check them with my wife helping. Since the best light was in the kitchen we did it one by one there, and since we were already there I decided to do a short 20min date to see how they behaved. I was fully ready to separate and put them away with no hesitation.
Turns out they were well behaved. No aggression to be seen, and Xena groomed Conan for a bit. So I'm really not sure where I stand on the bonding as of now. I'll look out for injuries I guess and maybe suspend bonding for now. Maybe not. I'll think on it.
***
Well...during the course of the day, during the span of near 9 hours when we were sleeping and then when I went out to do errands, apparently Conan's cage was either loose and he escaped or not locked at all. It was during Xena's run time so she was out. So when I got in to check on them in the pet room I find fur everywhere, Conan in Xena's pen loafing and Xena herself outside her pen also loafing. It look like Conan couldn't get back in his cage after squeezing out so he took her's, so I guess he won but then it was his fur that was predominately all over the place. Did a thorough check and both seemed well, intact and no visible injuries.
Date XXVIII
I wasn't going to have a bonding date but I wanted to again thoroughly check them with my wife helping. Since the best light was in the kitchen we did it one by one there, and since we were already there I decided to do a short 20min date to see how they behaved. I was fully ready to separate and put them away with no hesitation.
Turns out they were well behaved. No aggression to be seen, and Xena groomed Conan for a bit. So I'm really not sure where I stand on the bonding as of now. I'll look out for injuries I guess and maybe suspend bonding for now. Maybe not. I'll think on it.
***
I'm not that informed with bonding, but I should think that if the date went well, there would be no reason to take a break. Yes Conan got out and they had a fight, but it's also possible that they were able to have it out and come closer to deciding who was boss. It's entirely up to you, but I would keep going with it. 
Troller
Well-Known Member
Date XXIX
It was like a Jekyll & Hyde date. Tried it in a shared area, the livng room and they fought. I might have let a little aggression slide a little longer then I should because I was hoping they'd work it out but no such luck. The fight wasn't the worst they've had but it wasn't good either. I calmed them down and petted them side by side.
Then I played a hunch. Rather then putting them back in their enclosures I put them in the kitchen neutral area. Some initial lunging occured at first and then they both relaxed, kicked out their feet and Xena started grooming Conan...I mean I was even able to leave them alone while I went to vaccuum the living room from all the fur that flew! So it's like night and day with them.
**
It was like a Jekyll & Hyde date. Tried it in a shared area, the livng room and they fought. I might have let a little aggression slide a little longer then I should because I was hoping they'd work it out but no such luck. The fight wasn't the worst they've had but it wasn't good either. I calmed them down and petted them side by side.
Then I played a hunch. Rather then putting them back in their enclosures I put them in the kitchen neutral area. Some initial lunging occured at first and then they both relaxed, kicked out their feet and Xena started grooming Conan...I mean I was even able to leave them alone while I went to vaccuum the living room from all the fur that flew! So it's like night and day with them.
**
Apebull
Well-Known Member
Your buns are bipolar lol. I have no advice. Could you ask the bonding person you had come in and see what they say?
Troller
Well-Known Member
I'm at work and my wife calls me at about 5am. I pleasantly surprised she managed to stay up so long (we're night shift workers but on our days off its hard to maintain that) only to find out its a "your bunnies have been naughty call ." Apparently one of them, I'm pretty sure Xena, decided my wife's purse was fun to chew holes through...sigh. Poor wifey, first I get into a fender bender on Sunday costing us $$, and now my bunnies eat her purse. Well I better gets these rabbits bonded soon so we can start street performing to reimburse all these damages...
qtipthebun
Well-Known Member
Eating a purse? That's a new one. We had one rip the seams out of a down blanket once and throw feathers all over the place (I was not amused...I have a bizarre feather phobia), they've eaten pillows, and Q nibbled a hole in a couple of board game boxes, but never purses. Xena just wanted to look pretty, I guess!
Troller
Well-Known Member
Today I'm giving the buns a break from bonding. I figure tomorrow I'm off and I've been meaning to try a marathon bond date in neutral territory. So next date I'm going to set up the area for a long term stay and I got 10 hours to see what happens. Wish us luck.
Apebull
Well-Known Member
Good luck!
Ups and downs with these two but I think they really do want to be together so keep going.
Imagine her eating the purse, it´s amazing what they will have a nibble on if they´re in the mood. Nothing is safe from them lol.
Imagine her eating the purse, it´s amazing what they will have a nibble on if they´re in the mood. Nothing is safe from them lol.
Troller
Well-Known Member
Marathon Date I
An 8 hour date extravaganza...and I'm not sure it did any good. In fact it might have set things back. I set up everything for a long haul, a water bottle, food bowl and jumbo litterbox. The first ten minutes was exploring, then some eating and then on the the fighting over the litterbox. Now this isn't the first time they've had a litterbox at their date. When I first put a box in there was some fighting but that eventually went away. The difference was that was a smaller box, this one is a jumbo sized one (the one they're going to share when and if they ever bond) and I guess it was new cause for territorial fighting. The fighting wasn't the worst but it was bad. I almost ended the date but decided it would be better to soldier on.
There were long swaths of bunnies relaxing and then fighting. No chasing, just lunging, leaping and lying on the side to kick at each other. Two times I put them in the stress box (cramped quarters) to calm them down. The first time it didn't work, the second time calmed them down and after that they chose to avoid each other. However I could have sworn I saw Xena actually groom Conan in the box but that could have been wishful thinking. The date ended with an hour and a half of lying around loafing at opposite ends of the kitchen. So I guess that was as high a good point I could use to end the date.
Why I fear I might have set things back is only once did they actually lay a few inches apart, most of their time was spent at a distance. Well, when they weren't fighting over the litterbox. I tried to swap them so they'd take turns in it, I tried to put them in it both and pet them so they'd be together and calm in the litterbox but nothing worked. Or maybe it did at the end because they both sat outside the litterbox. To say I'm a bit disappointed is an understatement, but not because the bond is a failure, I just question whether it's wise to keep continuing. Conan seems to be getting the worst of the confrontations of late, missing a lot of fur and I notice some scratches on him but not Xena. Xena has gotten it too, but not for a while. I might be letting my ego get the better of me and not thinking about their welfare. It's just at some moments you see a spark with them, like they can get along. Even when they fight not matter how bad it is they never seem to carry animosity like I've read other fighting rabbits maintain. Anyway I'll sleep on it. At most I may have a normal bunny date tomorrow to see how things are and see in two weeks if I try another marathon date.
An 8 hour date extravaganza...and I'm not sure it did any good. In fact it might have set things back. I set up everything for a long haul, a water bottle, food bowl and jumbo litterbox. The first ten minutes was exploring, then some eating and then on the the fighting over the litterbox. Now this isn't the first time they've had a litterbox at their date. When I first put a box in there was some fighting but that eventually went away. The difference was that was a smaller box, this one is a jumbo sized one (the one they're going to share when and if they ever bond) and I guess it was new cause for territorial fighting. The fighting wasn't the worst but it was bad. I almost ended the date but decided it would be better to soldier on.
There were long swaths of bunnies relaxing and then fighting. No chasing, just lunging, leaping and lying on the side to kick at each other. Two times I put them in the stress box (cramped quarters) to calm them down. The first time it didn't work, the second time calmed them down and after that they chose to avoid each other. However I could have sworn I saw Xena actually groom Conan in the box but that could have been wishful thinking. The date ended with an hour and a half of lying around loafing at opposite ends of the kitchen. So I guess that was as high a good point I could use to end the date.
Why I fear I might have set things back is only once did they actually lay a few inches apart, most of their time was spent at a distance. Well, when they weren't fighting over the litterbox. I tried to swap them so they'd take turns in it, I tried to put them in it both and pet them so they'd be together and calm in the litterbox but nothing worked. Or maybe it did at the end because they both sat outside the litterbox. To say I'm a bit disappointed is an understatement, but not because the bond is a failure, I just question whether it's wise to keep continuing. Conan seems to be getting the worst of the confrontations of late, missing a lot of fur and I notice some scratches on him but not Xena. Xena has gotten it too, but not for a while. I might be letting my ego get the better of me and not thinking about their welfare. It's just at some moments you see a spark with them, like they can get along. Even when they fight not matter how bad it is they never seem to carry animosity like I've read other fighting rabbits maintain. Anyway I'll sleep on it. At most I may have a normal bunny date tomorrow to see how things are and see in two weeks if I try another marathon date.
Troller
Well-Known Member
Date XXX
A rather ominous or I guess raunchy numbered date. I only put them together just to see how they react to each other after the marathon. Any hint of an attack and I was going to put them away and quite possibly suspend bonding. Well no such thing happened but things seemed did feel a but strained.
The kitchen was bare yesterday, it was just the two of them. Conan came off relaxed in the area but skittish around Xena. He was always aware of her and if she approached he would eventually wander off. Xena was also relaxed but unlike Conan was friendly and appeared like she just wanted to be near him. He did something uncharacteristic for him, he came to me and loafed next to me. Protection from the big bad girl maybe? He has been getting the worse end of their scuffles. Well at one point next to me they did make nose contact and took my petting. The majority of the date was spent with their feet kicked out on opposite sides of the grounds.
So as a date in itself not so good. Looks like they took a step back. But considering the hectic days they've had I guess this is positive since neither was looking or wanting to fight.
**
A rather ominous or I guess raunchy numbered date. I only put them together just to see how they react to each other after the marathon. Any hint of an attack and I was going to put them away and quite possibly suspend bonding. Well no such thing happened but things seemed did feel a but strained.
The kitchen was bare yesterday, it was just the two of them. Conan came off relaxed in the area but skittish around Xena. He was always aware of her and if she approached he would eventually wander off. Xena was also relaxed but unlike Conan was friendly and appeared like she just wanted to be near him. He did something uncharacteristic for him, he came to me and loafed next to me. Protection from the big bad girl maybe? He has been getting the worse end of their scuffles. Well at one point next to me they did make nose contact and took my petting. The majority of the date was spent with their feet kicked out on opposite sides of the grounds.
So as a date in itself not so good. Looks like they took a step back. But considering the hectic days they've had I guess this is positive since neither was looking or wanting to fight.
**
Certainly a positive date considering there was no aggression etc. I certainly understand your point though regarding their welfare in terms of, how long is too long to keep persisting. Because it is entirely possible that they simply may never get along, or at least well enough to share living quarters on a permanent basis. Still, if you're seeing progress in their bond I can't see why it wouldn't be worth it to keep trying.
Troller
Well-Known Member
Date XXXI
Went through another date today. The first hour was them avoiding each other but lambchopped out. Conan stayed close to me again. I decided in the last few minutes to sit down next to Xena, so Conan followed and laid down next to both of us. Xena started to groom Conan and I thiught maybe the strained relations had passed.
I also played another hunch. Since i started at 7pm and didnt have to go to work until 10pm, I figured why not leave them there together, figuring if anything happened I would seperate them and call an end. In the kitchen I'm actually able to leave them by themselves with me within earshot. I trust them as long as nothing new is present. I did have the small litterbox in there and a plate of greens, but those are standard. Now without me physically there they didnt really remain close, not like before, but they didn't scuffle either. At some points I coupd hear and see Xena chase Conan off of Conan run off, but both did lie down and sit around. So 3 hours and it was a little tense but no fighting.
**
Went through another date today. The first hour was them avoiding each other but lambchopped out. Conan stayed close to me again. I decided in the last few minutes to sit down next to Xena, so Conan followed and laid down next to both of us. Xena started to groom Conan and I thiught maybe the strained relations had passed.
I also played another hunch. Since i started at 7pm and didnt have to go to work until 10pm, I figured why not leave them there together, figuring if anything happened I would seperate them and call an end. In the kitchen I'm actually able to leave them by themselves with me within earshot. I trust them as long as nothing new is present. I did have the small litterbox in there and a plate of greens, but those are standard. Now without me physically there they didnt really remain close, not like before, but they didn't scuffle either. At some points I coupd hear and see Xena chase Conan off of Conan run off, but both did lie down and sit around. So 3 hours and it was a little tense but no fighting.
**
