Fluffypaws
New Member
Hi, I'm Meghan!
Pets are the bright spot in my life - I have a female betta, male crested gecko, 2 jumping spiders, 3 tarantula spiderlings and 2 adult rabbits. I've had Andy (my male bun) for just about a year now, and recently adopted a female (Esther) to bond together. I've read up on tons of articles and youtube videos, preparing to do as much research as possible.
I'd love to get to know you guys on the forum - I'm looking to chat with other pet parents that love their buns as much as I do. I live in the Midwest, got my bachelor of arts in '15, and work a full time job in financial services. In my free time I enjoy video games (PC and Switch), reading, spoiling my pets, and creating art - sewing, painting, drawing, etc.
Both my male and female buns are spayed/neutered, Andy is 2.5, Esther is between 2-4. I switched their toys for a week with their scents between pens before I placed them in a bathtub for 15 minutes on the initial meeting. Both of them mounted each other pretty quickly, and there was some fur pulling, so I pushed them away and petted them, ending on a calmer note.
This weekend I have been giving them extended sessions, and they have been doing well in terms of displaying non aggressive behavior. They have shared food, and Andy is flopping, walking around, stretching out and ignoring her at times. When approaching her, I only have to say BE NICE in a firm tone so that he backs down from thinking about mounting. He's clearly interested in her, flopping right next to where she sat in a (neutral, new) litterbox.
The concern I have is with Esther, mostly. She never has shown any fighting behavior, which is great! She's also very food motivated, and will lick raspberry mush off Andy's head. However, if left to her own devices, she would rather sit in a corner, not move, and thump (or escape) when approached by Andy. She does let him approach her from the front, but she clearly is spooked and almost "zones out" during the sessions unless I keep her engaged with food/pets. Is this a normal reaction that takes time for her to warm up? I'm guessing it may be because she is less familiar with adjusting to her new home? I'm just worried that she will never accept him and always display this behavior during future sessions. If you have any advice on this, I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences! Thanks so much!
Pets are the bright spot in my life - I have a female betta, male crested gecko, 2 jumping spiders, 3 tarantula spiderlings and 2 adult rabbits. I've had Andy (my male bun) for just about a year now, and recently adopted a female (Esther) to bond together. I've read up on tons of articles and youtube videos, preparing to do as much research as possible.
I'd love to get to know you guys on the forum - I'm looking to chat with other pet parents that love their buns as much as I do. I live in the Midwest, got my bachelor of arts in '15, and work a full time job in financial services. In my free time I enjoy video games (PC and Switch), reading, spoiling my pets, and creating art - sewing, painting, drawing, etc.
Both my male and female buns are spayed/neutered, Andy is 2.5, Esther is between 2-4. I switched their toys for a week with their scents between pens before I placed them in a bathtub for 15 minutes on the initial meeting. Both of them mounted each other pretty quickly, and there was some fur pulling, so I pushed them away and petted them, ending on a calmer note.
This weekend I have been giving them extended sessions, and they have been doing well in terms of displaying non aggressive behavior. They have shared food, and Andy is flopping, walking around, stretching out and ignoring her at times. When approaching her, I only have to say BE NICE in a firm tone so that he backs down from thinking about mounting. He's clearly interested in her, flopping right next to where she sat in a (neutral, new) litterbox.
The concern I have is with Esther, mostly. She never has shown any fighting behavior, which is great! She's also very food motivated, and will lick raspberry mush off Andy's head. However, if left to her own devices, she would rather sit in a corner, not move, and thump (or escape) when approached by Andy. She does let him approach her from the front, but she clearly is spooked and almost "zones out" during the sessions unless I keep her engaged with food/pets. Is this a normal reaction that takes time for her to warm up? I'm guessing it may be because she is less familiar with adjusting to her new home? I'm just worried that she will never accept him and always display this behavior during future sessions. If you have any advice on this, I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences! Thanks so much!
