Introducing Pepper and Dotty

[Linz_1987]

I desided to start introducing the bunnies againlast night, and put them in the kitchen together. It went absolutelygreat! I was so pleased. There was no fights what so ever and theyspent the hour together grooming each other.

So since it went so well last night, i desided to put them bothtogether in the garden. But there was a big fight again. Pepper didntwant Dotty on her terriotory. I dont get it because they were reallygreat friends last night. I have put them together again in the kitchenand they are grooming each other etc again.

I would of thought since they are great friends, they would be ok in the garden together? What shall i do?

 

[naturestee]

It takes more time than that. You haveto be patient. Put them in the kitchen together everynight. Do this for at least a week. If they aregetting along well, then try them in the garden. They mightstill fight there, but the bonding time in the kitchen willhelp. Pull them apart when one starts threatening theother. Garden gloves and a squirt gun help. If theyare being really violent, go back to the kitchen and do that for twoweeks, and so on.

Check out the Top Picks for more information. There's a great link in there and I know I've posted it for you before.

 

[Linz_1987]

Hey, bad news!They were getting on fine groomingeach other etc.I left them alone in the kitchen for not evena minute (they must of changed their opinion on each otherwithinseconds?!)and they had a massive fight again.I had to take Dotty to the vets because her eye lid was hanging off:?. The vet said to just leave it and it will drop off. Ifeel sorry for her. I shouldnt of gone out the roomalthough they were getting on great so i thought it wouldbe ok for a minute. But obviously not.

My parents are making me take it back to the rescue centre because'that is the last straw'. If only i had more time i bet they would ofgotten on fine in the end. But damn parents always get in the way!Pepper will just have to live on her own :XThey dontunderstand that it takes time. Like trial and error. They say its notfair on Dotty getting hurt, but it was my fault and wouldnt happenagain because i wouldnt leave them alone for even a second together.

So bye bye Dotty it was nice to have you around!

 

[Shuu]

Don't blame your parents. You rushed it. Ifthey're fighting at all you shouldn't let them out of your sight everif they're together. If you hadn't rushed it like you did therewouldn't have had to have been "trial and error" as you say. It's sadthat it takes a hurt and now homeless rabbit to teach this lesson.

 

[Linz_1987]

It was my mum who was rushing me. Every morningshe would moan at the rabbit being in its cage in the house, and how itsmells, and how she has 2 hoover round it every day. She is soprotective over her house. She would ask me every now and then when iwas going to start introducing them together again. I couldnt stand hermoaning any longer and tryed it out. Animals were a real mistakeentering this house with her moaning at every little thing you couldthink of. It really has become a problem.

Although it is not just my mum. I have now realised i have rushedthings a bit and have learnt my lesson. But it shouldnt mean to makethe poor bunnie homeless.

I believe it will work out, if i give it more time. But i dont know ifi should bother if it makes my mum shout and moan about it all whichcauses arguements with every house hold member. You mightthink i am over exagurating but really im not.

 

[naturestee]

I'm sorry this had to happen. I'mreally not trying to be mean, but it might be best for the new rabbitto go to a different home. The reason I say this isthat it really seems like you were rushing the bonding process, whichas you have seen can have some bad consequences in territorial andsocial animals like rabbits. They fight to decide who's theboss, and rabbits have been known to kill each other.Whatever your mother was saying, it was your responsibility to bondthem slowly and carefully.

Could you try finding a new home for Dottie yourself before sending herback to the shelter? Just make sure that they (or theshelter) are aware of her eye injury. It might require eyedrops or could be prone to infection now.

 

[Linz_1987]

You learn a lot from owning animals, and icertainly have learnt alot the past month. Therefore i am now awarethat what i was doing was wrong and shall never be done again in thefuture if i desided to bond more rabbits (this time when i have a houseof my own!) but then again it has put me off the idea of ever trying tobond rabbits again.

I suppose i could find a new owner myself, although the foster owner ofher before was very keen on keeping her anyway. I will have to see.Thankyou for all your help in the past. I did try to take it but wasrushed anyway.

 

[Linz_1987]

My old8 year old spayed female, and myunspayed female (pepper) quite young then, were really easy to bond. Ididnt really read up on rabbits being very terriotoral animals and howto bond them,and didnt realise the risks i could of had. Isimply put them both in the garden together and they got along like ahouse on fire. There fore i suppose i gathered every rabbit would bethe same. As i have learnt the past month that is not thecase. I was just rather lucky the first time really wasnt i.

 

[Linz_1987]

I have had a long talk with parents and we haveall agreed to keep Dottie and to take everything slower. As I have nowlearnt not to rush anything so i would never do it again, cos i knowwhat might happen if i do. None of us wanted to make the poor bunniehomeless. Ive been letting them play together in the kitchen and theyare fine. I think i am going to do this for like a month before i putthem in the garden again, just to make sure! They groom each other andthere has been no sign of violence etc. So a month of this should doit. Some of you might not agree wiv me keepin it, but please stick withme and there will be success! Thankyou ppl!