House of Mutts

Luvr of Wabbits and Polar Bears · Feb 23, 2009

I think it's time to update this on how your pair is now BONDED.

Raspberry82 · Feb 25, 2009

Sorry all!!! My life has been super duper crazy busy with treating an ailment I've had hanging around for a while, trying to keep my mortgage afloat amidst economy suckage and medical bills, packing up my house and preparing it to be unoccupied and moving to a new city with my bf for his job in 6 days, AND bonding my rascally fur babies!

Talk about exchausting!!!

But yes!! I have wonderful news which is also badly in need of pictures to accompany the news! And that is that FINALLY after 2.5 months my babies are bonded happily and living in the same cage!! Technically only Minnie is still a baby, but Max is SUCH a baby and so heavily attached to me, he will always be called that anyway :biggrin2:.

In the beginning, before Minnie hit puberty at 4 months, I started their bonding sessions in the bath tub, with lots of petting and nose rubs for each to keep them peaceful with each other. Max would NOT stop humping her.. lol.. and I wondered when that would even end, if it would. He can be such a little pain I wasn't sure Minnie would be patient and mellow enough to put up with him, even though she's extremely mellow and sweet-hearted. Thye got in about 6 bonding sessions, 4 in the tub and 2 in their kitchen playroom.

Then puberty hit and Minnie went "poo-everywhere on everything nuts" lol.. and had to be neutered by her vet. 10 days after that she was all healed up and given the ok for continued bonding.

But it wasn't that simple now! My bf had gotten the news that he was hired for a fantastic new job in SE Washington working for the government and was heading up there asap. So that meant I would be moving out of my home in 2 weeks where we have plenty of room for 2 roomy cages into a much smaller temporary apartment in our new city!! Uh oh!

I absolutely did not want to give up Minnie.. but what to do? Two bunnies and only room for 1 big cage in the new place??

They simply had to bond this week or else I would be faced with a decision I REALLY did not want to make. I decided either they would sort out their differences and bond or they wouldn't, so I set up our bath tub with a litter box with some of both Minnie and Max's poos/pee soaked litter, water bowl, food bowl, hay, and a ratty old towel they could mess up for the bottom of the tub.

They were put in there together at 4pm Wednesday afternoon.. I had plenty of petting sessions, and periods with the fan exhaust and sink water flowing to make them anxious and want to be with the other bunny. They stayed in the tub with me checking on them every couple of hours and overnight until 4pm on Thursday. A full 24hrs. Yes the tub was a MESS! Lol. But, there was no fighting, no hurting, just two bunnies content to be in each other's territories! WOOHOO. HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF!

But now for the real bonding test. Sharing 1 cage. Could they remain happy with each other? I chose Max's cage because it was cleaner and since he's the most territiorial of the two he'd be more comfortable with a little of his scent in the space. I washed it with non-toxic cleaner, put in another mix Minnie and Max poos and pee soaked litter so they'd keep up the good habits and it would smell like both of them. Food bowl, water bowl. And then the buns.

***Holding breath***

Max was still wanting to hump Minnie but it was becoming less frequent. Rare chases. They looked like they were doing just fine, but still had a few bonding kinks to work out amongst themselves.

Friday morning: I wake up to fill their food bowls to find Max grooming Minnie and Minnie snuggled up to Max. THANK GOD. Lol. They're officially bonded!!!

And just in the nick of time!

Since last Friday they have been snuggling and grooming each other more and more frequently. Last night I caught them snuggled in a big ball. SO CUTE. I love watching my bonded pair together.

I was told that bonded bunnies often lose interest in wanting human attention and as much snuggles from their humans. But this isn't at all true for my bunnies. They both want attention and snuggles from me every time I walk up to their cage and also from each other too.. haha.. silly bunnies. I'm glad because I adore their happy dancing and begging for pets and snuggles whenever me or my bf walk into the room.

So now both of my babies will be coming with us to our new home. I am so grateful they could bond so I could keep them both, they are so precious to me!

<3
athy

Luvr of Wabbits and Polar Bears · Feb 25, 2009

Yah. You already know that I'm happy they are finally bonded. I have 2 bonded pairs. 1 living with me and 1 at my parents place. The 2 with me love my attention and if they think the treats are coming they come running (well mostly Monsters). The 2 at my parents place don't seem to care when I go to visit. So I guess it's all in the personality's of the buns. I hope your trip to Washington goes well.

Becca · Feb 25, 2009

This blog has been mentioned in Today on Ro

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Raspberry82 · Feb 25, 2009

Thanks Becca!

Rebecca: Yeah! Thank god they're finally bonded, what a close call

ray:. Your bunnies are so fun to hear about. I think if I ever get another bunny in my life I'm going to name it Monsters.. that is so awesome for a bunny name :biggrin2:. Then I'll have all "M" bunnies too, hehe.

Raspberry82 · Sep 22, 2009

Gosh, I'm so terrible at updating my blog on here! Sorry!!!

So I've since moved to Washington from Oregon and life has been bumpy so far this year! Moved to Washington with my long time BF since he got a great job up here, but things in the relationship and life stresses got too topsy turvey between us and I moved into my own place this August. I love my new home, have a great roommate, and Max has room to run around, so good things all around!

I probably haven't mentioned this before, but for the past few years I've been fighting an illness known as Lyme Disease that you get from a tick bite, basically makes you feel exhausted, weak, and sick, with lots of nerve and joint pain to name a few of the issues. I've been getting a lot better, but it takes a few years to treat. The good news is, recently I made a huge jump in progress and have felt well enough to handle a part-time job again (after not being able to work for 4 years) WOOHOO!!!

inkelepht:

inkbouce::bunnydance:

I now work as an evening receptionist in a low-stress environment and I'm SO excited to be having a more normal life little by little and feeling better step by step. Saying it is a tremendous joy and relief is an understatement, but the best words I can think of at the moment!

I need to buy a new USB cable for my camera to upload new pictures, so until it comes I will be posting videos of me and Max to share as updates.

<3
Athy