Rebirth of the Phoenix from Ashes

[Chrisdoc]

Now you´ve got me at it, I must google Bunny Foo Foo as never heard of the nursery rhyme and now I´m just curious to see what comes up as well.

Michelle crossing my fingers, toes and anything else they hit it off and settle down. Mine are still not back to normal but this is going to work, I guarantee, they will get bored before I do and we will get back to normal :yes:

 

[Ilovemyrabbit]

:yeahthat:

I REALLY REALLY REALLY hope that your two will work it out. Keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for a happy ending with the next bonding session.

 

[Chrisdoc]

I am so positive this is going to happen that it damn well will lol....they are not fighting through the bars and seem Ok when apart so I´ll gradually re-introduce them in a couple of days, think they need a little while to miss each other. As the enclosure has enough space for then to jump and move quite a bit, I´m not worried about them being in there for a little while each day while the other is out. Snowy´s in there now with Houdini out and Snowy was out this afternoon until around 8 so all is well. I will keep you posted

 

[agnesthelion]

Michelle I've got so much to catch up on! I'm still rooting for Phoenix and Hippogryf! I agree with Chris,,,,,this WILL happen
I've got alot of reading to do but wanted to stop in and say hi and I'll catch up soon! I've missed you!

 

[whitelop]

Michelle, have you put them back together for another bonding session? If you did, how did it go?
I think about them a lot. I don't know why, just the thoughts of them pass through my mind.

 

[Chrisdoc]

Me too, if this works on positive thinking or vibes, they will definitely get through this as we´re all rooting for them and thinking about them.

 

[agnesthelion]

Okay so I read the whole blog from where I left....

Oh gosh Michelle....what a roller coaster for you....

I'm uber curious where you are currently with them. I just love their personalities. Truly. You have to at least appreciate their tenacity. I can't help myself from chuckling at Phoenix's demand to be treated like a lady

And then Hippo. I had forgotten he had a mate before. This is just my own theory but given how closely buns bond, I've wondered if a rabbit who has lost a mate *might* be a bit more of a challenge to bond? And I say that not to be pessimistic! But only to give insight to Hippos mind.......

But even though I didn't have many bonding challenges, I SO understand how stressful it is you just want them to get along!!!

I just have a couple thoughts (only to try and help) but I've never been a fan of stressing before bonding. I see that as a last resort and useful only when two buns are fighting right off.

Also, changing of scenery can be beneficial too. Not drastic, but move from the bathroom to kitchen, bedroom, closet, etc. Rabbits are awfully "weird" when it comes to location.

And as far ad the rescue telling you to keep initial bonding sessions to like a minute....I was VERY slow at the beginning too. I bet my first session was 5 mi urea maybe? It's hard to remember but I literally was so intent on them ONLY parting on a positive note.

Lastly, the laying down when they are in their cages......of course sometimes this is a sign that they are comfortable with each other.....BUT sometimes it is a sign of a dominance war. Each bun will lay down almost as an insult to the other bun. As if to say "ha, I'm more comfortable than you and will NOT bow down". Crazy bunny lingo, huh? But again, I don't see this as a negative. I think it just shows there is a grooming hierarchy they need to work out. Now granted it's easier said than done because I'm not there, but do you it's something they need to eventually work out? I can't invasion their fights. Obviously the fights where they are on their hind legs and boxing and going at it needs to be stopped. But a nipping/grooming war could be worked out.

Oh Michelle, I'm just blabbing and thinking out loud i guess. I'm repeating myself but I just really want this tomwork for you because I know how much it means to you and how much work you've put into them. So I may be talking nonsense, lol, just trying to wrack my brain for ANYthing I can think of that may spark something to help you.......

Okay, done rambling. I'll be watching for an update. My fingers are crossed for some good news......

 

[agnesthelion]

Sorry for the typos. I'm on my iPad and typing is hard and then I can't go back and edit

 

[holtzchick]

Im so so sorry everyone to keep you all on your toes! I have not had the motivation lately to post since really, I have nothing to post about lol. As advised by many, I am actually not doing bonding sessions, I halted those on the first of the new year and I am not going to re-start bonding until the 1st of February if that. I am so so lucky to have great people to come to for advice that care about my two buns, nothing makes me happier.

Lisa, I love the link you had sent me and I love the little paragraph on tiring them out basically both in a play pen all day and something has to be worked out (of course not until later on!)

They were not I guess full out fighting with kicking involved, but they definitely held a grip on each other to the point where I had to pull them apart and it would have developed into a huge huge fight. Now with all the cardboard around the cages gone, I definitely have the patience to wait since I'm not itching to take the cardboard off. I think it could be stressing them that made it harder. I had read so many times that it's great to do blah blah blah but perhaps it was keeping Hippogryff in his shell, since he is very particular about the way that he wants things.

This time, I am really focusing my attention on him and getting to know him as closely as possible before I start the bonding sessions. It dawned on me though, I really want the bond to work eventually since I've gotten so attached to him. I love him so much, he's adorable! He plays for 5 minutes, gets all tuckered out and then flops anywhere that has the space to take him. Poor little guy looks like an evil koala bear and he's so cute! They are both sweethearts.

I don't have anywhere else I could bond them, since Phoenix has already been everywhere in my apartment (yes, including my walk in closet :/)... Since I had acquired Hippo though, I had been keeping her separate from the upstairs in hopes that that could someday become semi-neutral territory? Either that or I was thinking I could take them into my sister's apartment who will be moving in downstairs from me?

Hippogryff (whom I have dubbed Hipster Dipster, a play on Humpty Dumpty) is having his first vet visit today! I was supposed to take him a while back but I really procrastinated.

Chris, I looked at your blog and saw the lovely pictures of the festival. I will read up on the details My boyfriend saw the pictures and he was like wow yes she lives in a nice place (it's not easy for him to say that, he's been all over Europe since he was 10.... wish that were me!) .

Morgan, thank you so much for your concern it's sweet that you would come to check up on me! I'm so grateful to have you on here! I'm going onto your blog any moment

Lisa, thank you for the link! It was so helpful and you are such a great help! It's fantastic to have you back here and I'm sure everyone was hoping to find you back here! Looking forward to seeing more pics of Archie and Agnes in the future!!

Ilovemyrabbit, Thank you for the wishes! Any Ash updates? I guess I will find out!

OH, and I think if I ever run into grooming war issues again, I will see if anyone on the rescue group forum is free to come view a bonding session to give me exact advice! I feel like such a N00b! :spintongue

 

[whitelop]

I really hope that the bonding works out. I don't have much to offer, other than well wishes! I think its really sweet though that you're so close with Hippogryff now and that you care about him so much. hahahaha An evil koala bear! I laughed pretty hard.

Let us know how the vet goes! I'm always curious about weights, I don't know why. I just like to know how much animals weigh. haha. Its strange.

If you could try to bond them in your sisters new apartment, that would probably be awesome!

I'm going to leave your blog now, I'm in a total rambling state of mind. Like everyday

 

[holtzchick]

Thank you Morgan

I will totally show you what I mean before I log off!!

Hipster

Evil Koala Picture

All you'd have to do is invert his colors but he's got the dark nose and red eyes!

My sister also thinks he is cute but in a creepy way (it's not fair, only because of the red eyes, I think they're adorable!! )

 

[whitelop]

:roflmao:
I laughed so hard at that! hahaha. Thanks Michelle, you just made my morning 100% better!

 

[holtzchick]

LOL yeah, I thought so.

Hippogryff just got back from the vet, he weighs 6lbs exactly. He allowed the vet to check over his eyes, ears and even look in his mouth without grunting or biting I was so happy. Poor little guy gets SO stressed out easily! The vet was shocked at how rapid his breathing was because he was so scared, and then when he heard a dog bark in the back he got even more afraid and started breathing faster! That dog at his old home must have really scared him to death and I guess now I understand how hard it must have been for him to lose his mate who protected him from the big scary dog. (Kind of like Phoenix will! She is quite fearless!) He is back in his cage hiding in his tent and both buns are chomping on their salads

 

[whitelop]

Awww poor boy! It sounds like he does need Fearless Phoenix to protect him from the scary things in the world!

I'm glad he didn't bite anyone!

 

[Chrisdoc]

Michelle, how good that the vet visit went well. OMG that´s a big bun compared to mine, he´s nearly twice the weight of Bandy, I forget that all three of mine are quite small. He is just gorgeous and I have a weakness for red eyes, I absolutely love my little Snowy. Poor things, he must be terrified when he even hears a dog after what he went through, glad that Phoenix is watching his back.

I think you´re doing the right thing taking a break. I am also doing that with mine. Granted, it´s harder as I have to let them out separately but I´m not in the right frame of mind at the moment and maybe they just need to see each other through the bars but not connect physically so that´s how I´m doing it at the moment. However, I am still convinced that we will get back to our normal routines eventually. The worse thing for them when they are stressed getting together is seeing that we are stressed by what they´re doing so take a break, breathe deeply, positive thoughts and go back to it later. I am sure it will work out in the end but if you can survive the interim, you´ll reap the rewards.

 

[Ilovemyrabbit]

Well I'm happy that the vet visit went well. And Ash is 9 pounds so he's even bigger than Hippogryph.

 

[agnesthelion]

Aaaaah, I missed the notifications of postings on here. I swear I still can't figure out the notification stuff........lol...

But anyway, that is so funny about the evil koala! And yup, he does look like one!

Glad the vet visit went well. Poor guy was so scared I'd be curious what my two weigh as well. Agnes was 3.7 when she got spayed but I know she's gained, ahem, a bit of weight since. She's alot bigger than Archie. I bet he's just at 3 lbs if even. So 6 lbs sounds so big to me! I'm used to the little ones.

I will be watching for when bonding starts again. And you know I'll be rooting you on!!!

 

[holtzchick]

Wow, yeah, I'd forgotten how big my buns are! Peter was tiny weighing in a 2.5 probably if not less. Now these guys seem small to me AND to top it off I got to see Hippogryff's foster mom's Flemish who was 17 LBS! This thing looked like a beagle it was so big!!! LOL... I wonder if Monty or any of the other Flemmies on here are that big :/

Also, sorry if I'm not posting, but really nothing interesting is happening in this household... All is on standby until next month! Will make periodic boring updates though

 

[holtzchick]

Well I'm happy that the vet visit went well. And Ash is 9 pounds so he's even bigger than Hippogryph.

WOW, I thought Ash was about Phoenix's size, pictures really don't do him justice!

 

[Chrisdoc]

OMG, I can´t imagine rabbits that big, my two smallest are just around a kilo or just over so they´re tiny compared to all of yours. I didn´t realise either that Ash was so big, he looks smaller in the pics. And I think I spend enough on food for my three haha.