Rebirth of the Phoenix from Ashes

[whitelop]

YAYY! It sounds like they're making such great progress!

I also can't wait for their wedding picture! I can't wait to see them together all the time and I'm sure you're excited about only having one enclosure and letting them out together instead of separately.
Have you thought about what their new home will look like?

 

[Chrisdoc]

Yippee...that is such good news, I think we´re all waiting for the big day...yes, bet you will be glad to have only one house and have them shacked up together.

 

[holtzchick]

lol thank you all but let's not get too excited just yet! I have not started planning their new enclosure. BUT I have news!!!

I don't know if this is progression or regression but I'm going to assume progression.... They were fine tonight but I made the date longer and by longer I mean A LOT longer.... for the first time EVER Hippogryff mounted Phoenix lol I don't think she was expecting it and so at first she seemed really surprised and didn't do anything so I let it continue and I thought maybe they would sort out their dominance issue once and for all BUT after Phoenix mounted Hippo!!!!

So here we go from two bunnies always nipping each other to not a single nip but a mount?!! Hippogryff was very aggressive and dominant about it, you could tell he was trying to show off. I'm actually very surprised that he's neutered because he's just so darn grumpy! Anyways, it didn't end in a fight although it did start some circling halfway through but as long as I stopped it, they went right back to being friends, AKA Phoenix grooming Hippo and them wanting treats. I obviously ended it on a good note and when I put them into their enclosures, they just flopped over and now they're laying beside each other.

I think they're moving ahead it's just a matter of time until they figure out who dominant bunny is, but is this how I should handle it... ? They seem fine and unmoved by the whole date.

 

[agnesthelion]

I definitely think that is progress! Mounting is common even in the most closely bonded pairs it can occur every once in awhile. I think it's "better" than nipping in the sense that it's less aggressive/ I want to fight you but more I just wanna be top bun.

I think you handled it perfectly. Prevent it from going to a fight but let them see if they will work through things.

More positive things again!!!!!! I don't want to jinx you but I think this could be it. They are on their way! Yay!!!

 

[Troller]

Sounds like you handled it very well. It was bound to happen and it seemed like they managed it well. I would think its progress though its the type that we caretakers don't care to see. But it's all part of the socialization to a happy bun couple. Keep us posted.

 

[holtzchick]

Hmmm.. I've known this but since they never mounted I guess I forgot, apparently it doesn't only sort out dominance but in lagomorph lingo, it also means "I want you"... Now I truly know they both want to bond with each other. I may give some short dates again and not allow the mounting for some time. They are starting to love one another :bunnieskiss

 

[Ilovemyrabbit]

Yes, I agree with the others it seems like you handled everything well. And mounting does seem better than nipping.

I can't wait, they are probably going to be officially bonded soon. Keep the progress coming!

 

[whitelop]

Awww! They LOVE each other! How sweet is that. They're such special buns and I can't wait for them to be together.

Hahaha. I can just imagine Phoenix mounting Hippo, I bet it was quite funny!

 

[holtzchick]

Awww! They LOVE each other! How sweet is that. They're such special buns and I can't wait for them to be together.

Hahaha. I can just imagine Phoenix mounting Hippo, I bet it was quite funny!

LOL... Yeah, I found it hilarious... she just had this shocked look on her face even as she mounted him!!!

 

[holtzchick]

Last night's date was okay in the sense that they got along well, whenever one of them tried to nip the other one for whatever reason is when it got aggressive but I stopped any nipping. I think it's just got to do with the whole dominance thing. They will eventually get over it and as long as I'm petting them both, they're loving it.

It's really funny because Phoenix will go to nip him and he'll freak out on her so she'll incessantly groom his ears or something like she's going to give him bald patches. I think she really loves him but not enough to be the submissive bun! They're both SO stubborn. I'm hoping with time, Hippogryff will realize that he's bat crazy about her and groom his lady back The last couple minutes of the date were excellent. They got into kind of a bad circle nip tussle that I stopped so I calmly put both cheek to cheek and stroked them. They both got VERY relaxed and into it, then Phoenix groomed him a few times and they got treats!

I honestly don't think it makes a difference on whether they're on carpet or tile, I mean they're certainly more comfortable on the carpet and less on edge too, so if theres anyone ever debating about it, carpet might be a good option for your buns too

 

[agnesthelion]

Yes thry both sound stubborn! As far as grooming, I noticed with my two it takes awhile to learn how to groom. I remember Archie groomed Aggie first and he was SO sloppy. I was like "boy, you need some help in the foreplay dept" ((like all men, hahahahah)) anyway as their relationship progressed Aggie was the groomer and now it looks natural like she knows how to do it, there is nothing forced between them, KWIM? So I think you will see things comrade along in that area with time.
I'm really loving all then date updates! Keep em coming!

 

[Chrisdoc]

I love reading about these two...I have just started humming " A Fine Romance"..it just popped into my head reading abouth Hippo mounting Phoenix and the grroming and the cheek to cheek...I am just loving it.

I cannot wait until this ends in them shacking up together lmao.

 

[lyndym]

Just catching up! Sounds like things are going great! Mounting is also good, though it's funny when non-rabbit people see them doing it and they think it's the most hilarious thing ever. (Same as how they think rabbits eating poop and humans obsessing over rabbit poop is nasty. ) I don't know where I mentioned this on RO or if you might already know, but be sure they they always mount in the correct direction. The lady at the shelter when I got Aurora said to always correct the top bun if they're mounting the face of the other since the bottom bun could easily bite the tummy of the top bun.

Hippo sounds a little like Rory in the skittish department. Sometimes the most random noises startle her.. this afternoon she was out and I was reading my Kindle on the couch and flipping the magnetic fastener on its case. She thumped! It barely makes a sound, but she was not pleased about it at all. Also my roommate came into the living room and was crumpling a piece of paper, and Rory flipped out and ran to hide. I guess it could've been my roommate entering, but she was standing there for a bit and when she crumpled the paper, Aurora booked it. And yet I can vacuum or run the blender no problem. I wonder a lot about her background, too, and what happened to make her so skittish. I think this is the root of our bonding problem - Doc is into it because he's basically only known life with me, but who knows what Aurora's experienced. It's a little sad, but I'm glad she has a better home now.

 

[Chrisdoc]

Wow, that is so true about noises. I noticed this week that some noises really freak them out. I was folding a ikea bag, one of those big blue ones and they all were racing about to hide. I was just so surprised. They don´t like the noises the mobile phone makes either, especially the pip when I get messages, they sit with their ears up. And they hated me coughing when I had the flu a few weeks ago, must be scary.

 

[Ilovemyrabbit]

Ash doesn't even mind noises he is such a chill bunny. He doesn't care if you drop things on him and he doesn't care about much noises, sometimes when I run the blender he acts a bit frightened he moves away from the noise, but normally he doesn't mind noise.

 

[whitelop]

I have to catch up on your blog, but I know you're Polish. Do you know anything about stuffed cabbage rolls? I had some this weekend and OMG they were so good. Some Polish ladies made them and it was the best use of cabbage ever. They had some kind of meat in them, I think it was like a corned beef hash or beef, then some rice I think, then some sort of sauce. I don't know if you know, but they were good and you're Polish and they were Polish. So since you're Polish, I expect you to know all Polish food stuffs out there. LOL

 

[holtzchick]

I have to catch up on your blog, but I know you're Polish. Do you know anything about stuffed cabbage rolls? I had some this weekend and OMG they were so good. Some Polish ladies made them and it was the best use of cabbage ever. They had some kind of meat in them, I think it was like a corned beef hash or beef, then some rice I think, then some sort of sauce. I don't know if you know, but they were good and you're Polish and they were Polish. So since you're Polish, I expect you to know all Polish food stuffs out there. LOL

LOL yes Morgan, I know a lot about cabbage rolls!
I'm going to assume that they made good cabbage rolls because if you go to the store and buy them they taste like crap! Normally my family makes them with pork and traditionally they're eaten with a tomato based sauce.
I myself can't remember the last time I made them but basically you have to peel the cabbage leaves one at a time and steam them for like 30 minutes until they soften. Boil rice... on a pan saute veggies like celery, carrots etc. and season with like a boullion cube or chicken broth... add to rice. Then you would get ground meat and raw mix it together with the rice/veggie mixture, the meat to rice ratio is probably 70/30 meat/rice.
Take the cabbage leaves and one at a time, add a tbsp full of the meat mix and roll them. In a pot, layer cabbage leaves at the bottom, followed by a layer of cabbage rolls and layer with cabbage leaves again... follow this step until the pot is full... also some people in Poland add bacon on top of the layers of cabbage leaves to make the rolls more flavorful, the bacon should also be raw.
Once the pot is full, cover with water and keep pot covered until the meat is cooked on a low simmer.

Voila. By the way, not sure if I mentioned this but I actually lived in Poland for a year... The food is so tasty but soooo fatty!! haha. Yeah, I know a lot about it.

Also, sorry for the late reply, I've been avoiding writing on my blog lol, just one of those weeks!

 

[holtzchick]

Okay, I've been a little bad with keeping the dates regular.. Recently I've just been a little frustrated with their nipping after the mounting date.
It's the first date they've had in like 4 days but I will say that I've noticed them regularly laying next to each other in their cages.

Hippo is still such a grump!

Their date tonight went pretty good I'd say! They lasted 15 min and I didn't want to push my luck so I left it at that. For the first time ever, I gave them a salad during their date which they took to very well... Phoenix didn't scarf it all down which I thought she would and Hippogryff wasn't aggressive about it at all There was a few attempts to nip but nothing serious.

At one point I was petting them face to face and Phoenix was nuts with grooming Hippogryffs ear and then she actually tried to mount his face! Needless to say, he got pretty pissed at her and nipped her and then she stopped, it wasn't a full on mount, she just tried to hoist herself up lol.
They're doing well though, still nippy through the bars of their cages which I know is a no-no but part of me believes that it somewhat helps settle their battle for dominance since I find after they have a nip war or grunt, they will lay down next to each other.

I don't need anyone to tell me the obvious, these two are so WEIRD. lol.

 

[whitelop]

Thanks for the recipe help Michelle! Yes, I had REAL ones! haha. When I was in Pittsburgh, we were at a party run by Polish woman and they cook all the food and they made them, they were SO good. I wanted to get into the roll and roll around with the meat. I was in love! haha. Then it hit me on the way home that you were Polish and probably knew something about them and then I did remember you saying that you lived there at one point and felt for sure you knew something about them. I can not wait to make these, too bad my husband doesn't like cabbage. But I told him that eating these rolls may make him like cabbage. BUTTTT I'm not Polish, so I may not be able to make them the right way!

I'm sorry your buns are nippy! I hope they can settle it and just become bonded already! Jeez, I just want to knock their heads together and be like "get over it!" Then they would be bonded. haha. In a perfect world...

 

[Troller]

Hippo sounds like my Conan, always nipping. Nipping itself might not be all bad, it's mostly and expression if aggression (out of my way) but sometimes it's also affection and want for attention. Glad to hear the date went smoothly if not exactly well: these things are such the marathons.