Doc & Dora to Doc & Aurora

[holtzchick]

I would agree with everything Lisa said, (Including the cute earrings ) but yes, it would be much better to have their cages facing the same length and even potentially closer, just so they can touch whiskers but they cannot nip or pull fur or bite if they wanted to.

My buns would LOVE nipping each other through the bars when I first got them next to each other during their out times... It caused a lot of issues and I had to block off their cages with cardboard for the first few weeks while they got adjusted to each others scent and I didn't date them at all for 1 month. I also switched cages daily. Sometimes, I see Phoenix still go to nip at Hippo through the bars and I make sure I stop it! I don't spray her I just watch very closely and I will go kneel down where she is and simply stroke her to calm her down and move her face away. Normally it ends up very well with them laying next to each other without a problem.

I know it's tough since online, there is different advice on bonding every where you look and some places suggest you should let a little fur fly to allow them to establish dominance but I found with my two it ended in them fighting. Now I avoid any nips or fur pulling at all costs and it's really really working. They're not so bad and I think Phoenix is working on her nipping problem because she hasn't nipped me in a while I actually thought maybe I would allow one nip to see if they can handle it and they definitely couldn't so I didn't date them for a few days after now they're right as rain so to speak.

I know you really want them together, if you go back through the middle of my blog when I got Hippo, I tried to rush it and it really ended in frustration and tears (lol) for me! Now they both have separate out times but they're not hostile with each other anymore so I don't need to watch them like a hawk, at first it was a PITA....

I honestly noticed a HUGE difference and improvement when I modified their cages to be lengthwise so they were forced to spend time closer together whether they liked it or not because right now with your cage set up it looks like doc can only go see Aurora when he feels like it which will prolong the process.

Sorry for the documentary!

Oh and Aurora is probably just territorial since most females have that problem, Phoenix is the exact same way.

 

[Chrisdoc]

I think you should go with what Michelle says as she´s had the most recent experience with this type of bonding and seems to have encountered the same problems.

I agree on the nipping, it can become more full blown and you can end up with a serious fight on your hands and that´s not good so unless you know it´s not going to go any further, you should always try to stop it. Mine do sometimes nip but they are quite good in that they will then go their separate ways and that´s it but I´m quite good at reading them now so I can see the signs.

It is a long process but better to do it bit by bit than try to rush and go backwards rather than forwards. Small steps will eventually lead you to the finishing post. We´ll be here cheering you on all the way.

Love the earrings as well.

 

[Ilovemyrabbit]

I just read through you're blog. I'm sorry you lost Dora she seemed like a sweet bun.

I don't know much about bonding but I really hope these two will work out together. Don't give up hope!

And beautiful bunny earrings BTW.

 

[lyndym]

Ilovemyrabbit - Thanks for reading! And for your kind words on Dora, she was super sweet. <3 I will not give up hope!

Thanks for the earrings compliments, hahaha. The vendor my mom got them from included an Etsy card, so she must also sell on Etsy. If you've never been on that site, it's great! So many cute handmade things. I think it might have been Lisa mentioning she wanted a rabbit necklace, I'm sure Etsy has lots of options!

The new set up seems to be working out nicely, though now I can no longer sit back and enjoy a relaxing rabbit play time! If I even try to sit on the couch I'm up every minute or so policing the nipping situation, so mostly I've just been sitting on the floor near the cages.

As per everyone's suggestion, I turned the large cage long ways the morning after I moved everything. They're the same length, so each bun is fully visible to each other at all times.

Aurora's still been the more aggressive one by far, but only when Doc is out and she is in. She's toned it down a lot though, so that's good. Doc's tried to kiss with teeth several times, mostly when he's in and she comes over to check him out. It looks more innocent to me when he does it vs. when Rory nips and claws, haha. I think it was last night, Doc went to see Rory and right as I went to make sure they behaved, he put his head down close to hers through the cage! I pet him and reached awkwardly through the top of the cage to pet her, too.

So mostly that's how things have been going. I sit on the floor with little carrot bits handy to occasionally give out when the bun on play time goes up to the bun inside. Aurora definitely puts her ears back every time Doc comes over, but she'll calm down after I come moderate. Sometimes I interact physically with the closets bun, or I just talk to them and things calm down. I have a spray bottle for when things get heated.

Actually, I just posted this and then got some pretty good pictures of them "together." Doc is out, Aurora is in. He came up to her, so I gave the last bits of carrot out since it's almost my bed time. I started petting him, and he immediately put his head down for me. Rory seemed interested, so I started giving her head and nose scratches through the bars. She didn't settle as much as Doc, who was practically in loaf position, but she was purring a bit too. This lasted for a good few minutes, and even after Doc got up to chew some toy, she stayed in a relaxed position for a bit.

Everyone else's blog has interesting stuff going on, I need something to tell you all about! I sadly don't do anything super interesting. I should just make stuff up and see if anyone catches me.

 

[Chrisdoc]

It sounds to me that it´s positive, they´re not getting into any real scraps and it´s normal for them to be a bit nippy which is why you´re right to nip it in the bud. But the end sounded good that they were both fairly settled and contented.

Can´t wait to see the pics and yes, no relaxing bunny time when you´ve got them to supervise. Same happens here still when I let Snowy and Houdini out together although I´m relaxing a bit more now as they seem to be fairly comfortable with each other and are good at turning away if they have a little niggle.

 

[Ilovemyrabbit]

It seems to be going in the right direction. I think in the end these two will be bonded. And the setup does look a lot better.

Yes, post the pictures. I can't wait to see them.

 

[holtzchick]

LOL... it's okay, I don't do anything interesting either!
Sounds like fantastic progress though! As long as you're consistently making sure no nipping is being done through the bars, the behavior should settle down fairly quickly!
I think you should post a picture of them side by side.

 

[whitelop]

It sounds like they're making good progress!
I can't wait to see the pictures!

My life isn't that interesting either. It only seems interesting because I have one crazy animal and a crazy brain. hahaha.

Ugh, please don't talk about etsy. I can't go on there because then I'll definitely buy something! Its bad enough that I have a strange love for pinterest and I'm on it way too much. And doing the crafts I see on there. My life is filled with enough internet crafts and goodies.

 

[lyndym]

Okay guys, I have some pretty good pictures from the past few days of play time in the new set up. Better things every day!

All settled in, sort of hanging out!

I think this was the first night in the new set up.. Rory's a little wary, Doc just wants to say hello.

They're like, okay, I guess we'll loaf together.

Tonight, she laid down right next to him!

Then later, she gave him a flop!

There has been no nipping recently, knock on wood, but I have been really policing them. I haven't seen either one really go in for a nip, but I'm not sure if they would were I not hovering right over them all the time, hahaha. Rory's even calmed down a little with the incessant cage chewing and clawing!

Does anybody have any Easter plans? I'm going home for a Saturday night dinner with my parents and some family, and Sunday afternoon a bunch of my friends are having a pot luck brunch. I have to find something to bake! I much prefer baking to cooking, and oh man Morgan, Pinterest really helps on that one. Sometimes I go on there and look at the food page when I'm hungry late at night and say I'm looking at food porn, bahaha.

Well, now Doc is out, and ahhhh, the poor little guy.. He really wants Rory to love him. I was giving carrot bits and talking to them right outside Rory's cage, and they were each sticking noses through the bars because of the carrots. Then he goes and puts his head down because he thinks she can groom him, so I start petting him, and he starts purring like crazy. Makes me a little teary every time! It's okay, Little Guy, we're working on it!

 

[holtzchick]

Awh those pictures look great!! They look very comfortable with each other and the set up seems to be working well

Okay, now I'm thinking WTF.... I just read your post on Lisa's blog and you eat Pho.... Luke and I are huge fans of it.
Actually I'm not going to lie, I went to a club last night and we came home at 4/5am but we had to stop at a Pho place first... best soup EVER.

As for Easter plans, I believe my whole family is just gathering at my mothers house on Sunday morning for traditional Easter breakfast even though we didn't really do any of the other traditional things this year like prepare a basket and have it blessed etc.

I just re-read your last paragraph about Doc... Poor guy, sounds like a real sweetheart though!

 

[whitelop]

Awww! They look much more comfortable together! Poor Doc, he just wants to be loved! It looks like they're making moves towards loving each other.
I can't wait until they're together, they're so handsome together.

BTW, what is Pho? Is that a Asian food place? I don't think we have those in my general area. Michelle, you stopped at got soup at 5am? You sound like ME! haha. When I was a teen, I would drunkenly eat tacos at like 6 am before going to work. LOL

We aren't doing anything for Easter, unless my MIL has something planned. She probably does, because she's THAT kind of perfect b*tch. lmao. She can work 80 hours and be in 3 cities, but still come home to make an easter basket and food for the family. I hate her. hahaha.

 

[Chrisdoc]

Yes, I was thinking that, what is Pho ???

Not doing anything for Easter as working, have been working today and tomorrow and part of Sunday so my Easter this year has been cancelled lol. Can´t say I miss the procession anyway, saw them all years ago and they´re the same every year. People lining the streets and the images of Mary, Jesus, other saints going by and very solemn. I remember in Seville one year coming back to a friend´s house at 5 in the afternoon and people were already lining the streets, had chairs and a picnic and the procession doesn´t leave the church until about 10pm. And then, we had to wait until 3.30 am when it went past the end of our street. The statue and the cape and all those candles were lovely but I was not that impressed. It always seem weird to me anyway as all the Nazarenos who follow the processions remind me of the Ku Klux Klan except their pointy hats are dark mauve or black...first time I saw it, it was a real shock. That is Holy Week in Spain. By the way, Antonio Banderas was in the procession on Sunday night in Malaga dressed as a penitent and he was at another ceremony yesterday for the foreign legion being made an honorary member...what a mine of information I am lmao.

 

[Chrisdoc]

Lyndy, how rude forget to say how much I love the pics. They both look really laid back but Doc is looking for lurve....I´m sure she´s already fallen for him but is playing hard to get. Body language looks good and they are such a handsome pair. Can´t wait to see them together.

 

[qtipthebun]

Oooh they look so cute together. I love Rory's little wary face. And pho...yum. I love pho. Dang, now I'm craving it!

 

[whitelop]

No seriously guys...wtf is pho?

 

[Azerane]

Aww, they're so cute! Looks like they're slowly warming up to one another

 

[qtipthebun]

Pho is soup. Really epic noodle soup.

 

[lyndym]

Okay first of all I have to laugh since I thought Qtip's post said "Really ethnic noodle soup." But pho is amazing! It's pronounced like "fuh," it's Vietnamese noodle soup. The noodles are rice noodles, not like pasta, so they're a little lighter. It's all cilantro-y and has onions and sprouts, you can get all kinds of meats in it.. Usually beef or pork, and usually thinner slices that can sometimes come rare and cook themselves more in your bowl. Actually, I've been veggie for the past ten months or so, so I get mine with vegetables and tofu, but the non-veggie broth is SO GOOD. Kind of sweet-spicy? I don't know a lot about cooking. Anyway, it's delicious. I'm going tonight!

Thanks for the lovely comments, everyone! I agree - they do look so much more relaxed, especially Aurora. This afternoon I came back to find that they had re-arranged the litter boxes' positions and were sitting right next to each other! I took a picture because they were sitting with ears up in the exact same way since they heard me open the door, I'll include it in my next upload.

Michelle - Okay, I'm pretty sure the first time I had pho, Luke took me. He loves pho. I love going to eat with him because he enjoys any type of food! I dated a guy several years ago that would basically go eat at Chili's and that's it. (Ugh, to this day I will not go to a freaking Chili's.) Luke cracks me up when we get pho, he'll take an equal amount of noodles, veggies, and meat in the spoon and put a dollop of plum sauce or hoisin sauce or whatever on it. Every single bite goes this way for him. He is ridiculous. I've never had late night post-outing pho before, but I'm sure it's perfect after a long evening! One of my friends swears by it when she's hung over, but for some reason, at that point I just want fries. Bahaha.

Morgan - Doc so wants to be loved. I could tell even before Rory came home, he would purr way easily at pets. He usually did, but now it's like, BAM, instant rabbit paradise for him. He's just a big cuddler! Oh man your MIL sounds crazy, I don't think I could ever put a whole meal together, even if I had all the time in the world! Kind of like my mom, but I'm glad we're just doing Saturday night post-Easter dinner at a restaurant. We (she) usually cooks for our family (her, Dad, and me) and my grandma, great aunt, and aunt/uncle on my dad's side, but she and my dad decided to forgo traditional Easter dinner and hang out with their friends at the beach for a pot luck on Sunday. (They go every Sunday morning! It's like their church, hahaha. My dad's a surfer.) Anyway, dinner is usually a big production because my aunt and uncle have a strange diet where they basically eat plain chicken and plain veggies and no butter or garlic, so she's always making regular dinner and other dinner for them. (Also they don't drink, so we awkwardly bring our own wine and drink it ourselves when they host Thanksgiving.) It's a lot of work. Plus I've been trying out being vegetarian for the past while, so she'd probably be freaking out about that, even though I don't really care if there's a separate meal for me, I'll just eat whatever else is there that's non-meat! I like how you were seriously wanting to know what pho is, bahaha. Do you think you could find a place near you? That's what's great about living in LA, we have every cuisine imaginable! I tried Ethiopian food awhile back and am itching to go again, it was so tasty!

Chris - All those Easter events sound pretty cool. I'm not religious, but being able to see stuff like that would be really interesting to me. I always forget that other countries have these ceremonies for holidays since the American versions are always more commercialized. Not that I'm complaining, I love dying eggs and eating candy! I hope I'll be in another country for a big holiday some day. And in your response to the pics, yes, body language is definitely much improved! I think I realized that when I posted them, but after reading your comment, I scrolled up to double check and feel that much better about them!

Let's all get pho, you guys.

 

[whitelop]

Thank you for explaining Pho to me Lyndy and Tippy's mom! haha. I LOVE foreign food. I love Vietnamese food, my moms good friend was vietnamese and when I didn't eat meat, she made me rice things and tofu every week. She was amazing. I live like 20 minutes away from Charlotte, which is a lot of different restaurants. When we lived in downtown Charlotte, my mom and I used to eat at a Thai restaurant like every night. It was SO good, that was when I was like 12. haha.
We're going to Pittsburgh next week and I think they have a Pho there. I might have to go and get some epic ethnic noodles!

I didn't eat meat for like 2 weeks. If I even tried to eat it, I would get way sick and it was terrible. I had to wean myself back onto meat. I lost a ton of weight while not eating meat. I ate rice and tofu a lot and it was SO good.

 

[holtzchick]

No seriously guys...wtf is pho?

LOL... I don't normally drink, and last night was a serious exception which I had gotten into an altercation with the bouncer (complete ego trip!) and so I was so mad I was like HONEY, WE ARE STOPPING TO GET PHO...

Pho is a Vietnamese soup that is a traditional dish in the south of Vietnam which is the French speaking part. A lot of the recipe is heavily influenced by the French cuisine and I can't remember what the dish is called but it's specifically like a Beef broth soup, which is exactly what this dish is.

Theres so many varieties of it. Like it's all standard beef broth base and you can get different varieties of beef in there like brisket and you can also get beef tendon, tripe, lightly fat beef, rare beef. It can also be made with chicken, seafood (such as mussels, shrimp, crab, fish) or it also comes in a veggie version. The noodles are rice noodles and it is traditionally eaten with a little bit of basil and something that looks like dandelion but tastes like cilantro I can't remember and I always squeeze some lime in there with some chili paste

YEAH... I went there... I LOVE this soup and we have an obsession.... as in, before we were trying to save a little bit, we used to eat there EVERYDAY.... I'm sorry I just took this blog over with my Pho post but it totally deserves some recognition.

If you can try it, go for it! I think you'd love it! You can find it at any vietnamese restaurant. Also, Vermicelli is a very popular and versatile dish. ... Morgan, Canada takes your head to the crazy place.... Food takes mine there !! arty:

I'm not going to change my post because I got so into it, but I just re-read the updated posts to the blog...