Help! Bonding suggestions with my trio

[agnesthelion]

^^^^awwww so cute!! Glad the night went well

As far as too much space too soon, yes I just ironically was surfing the net about bonding and saw several stories about too much space too soon. I just read one where her buns were bonded for a couple weeks, or so she thought, let them free run and a fight broke out. It ended up good on the end but it's a good reminder that space can be bad. Kinda opposite when you think in terms of dogs, I guess, lol. More space to them is less of a fight but I think more space too soon can CAUSE fights with buns.

I also thought of you today because I was reading an article that stated the addition of a single female to two bonded males will almost always cause fighting between the males.

Moral of the story I think you tried but it just wasn't in the cards for a trio. Don't regret your decision. I think itnwas the right one

 

[Blue eyes]

Thank you, Lisa

Now I'm wondering if I'm rushing the out time and should wait until tomorrow. They've been in that cage since yesterday late morning...
...my hubby was thinking I should keep them in for 48 hours before letting them out. Now I'm thinking I should wait til tomorrow. :?:?

I should add that she used to let me know if she wanted out, but I've not yet seen any indication that she's anxious to get out.

 

[agnesthelion]

Blue eyes wrote:

Thank you, Lisa

Now I'm wondering if I'm rushing the out time and should wait until tomorrow. They've been in that cage since yesterday late morning...
...my hubby was thinking I should keep them in for 48 hours before letting them out. Now I'm thinking I should wait til tomorrow. :?:?

I should add that she used to let me know if she wanted out, but I've not yet seen any indication that she's anxious to get out.

Hmmmm, tough. If things are fine and they seem content I might agree with your husband and wait.....

Then again, you don't want them agitiated either. But they seem content? No banging cage doors or biting at cage wires?

Maybe before allowing total free run, try to block off the room/area a little so it's a gradual step up til free run. Don't give them the whole place yet, give them part of the place and go from there....

Man,if we could only all speak rabbit

 

[Mariah]

With my two buns, I have their cages side by side and their x pens are also side by side. I made the mistake of trying to bond before Papaya was neutered. Bad idea. He humped her and then they fought. I was so discouraged. It's now been 6 weeks (7 weeks on thurs) since Papaya was neutered and Kiwi is now starting to accept him. Last night was the first night they actually layed down sprawled out together!

I can't say right now if this will contine and if they will bond, but it's defintely a postive thing that they were laying together

 

[ldoerr]

I would wait another day or two before you let them out to run together. When you do let them out together give them a smaller area than what they will eventually have.

I am sorry that you had to return a bunny. That can not have been fun. I am sure that you were attached to him.

 

[Blue eyes]

Yesterday I let Sapphire and Mocha out of their 'new' downstairs cage in a limited area. I set up the x-pen so as not to give them too much space too soon. (thanks all for your suggestions)

Sapphire was just thrilled to be out again. She was binkying like crazy. Mocha, as expected, is reserved as he gets used to the new environment, but was also exploring.

But... best of all... today (2nd day out)... Sapphire came over to me and gave me all kinds of licking loving on my leg and (bare)foot!!! -- this is a first for her -- she's never done that before! I feel so privileged! :heartbeat:

 

[ldoerr]

Glad that things are working out

 

[agnesthelion]

Blue eyes wrote:

Yesterday I let Sapphire and Mocha out of their 'new' downstairs cage in a limited area. I set up the x-pen so as not to give them too much space too soon. (thanks all for your suggestions)

Sapphire was just thrilled to be out again. She was binkying like crazy. Mocha, as expected, is reserved as he gets used to the new environment, but was also exploring.

But... best of all... today (2nd day out)... Sapphire came over to me and gave me all kinds of licking loving on my leg and (bare)foot!!!  -- this is a first for her -- she's never done that before!  I feel so privileged! :heartbeat:

Yay yay yay! I think it sounds like things are officially at peace at your house I think these are positive signs and you have a bonded pair which, hello, is HUGE (to those of us who have worked on bonding at all, haha) and I think you made the right steps to get there. Congrats