Second rabbit regret?

[Megamuffinandchip]

I know this probably is terrible, but I just needed a place to ask about this and to figure out what I can do to get over this feeling. So I adopted my baby girl Poppy almost a year ago, she is literally the light in my live and makes me feel loved more than anything else in this world. I started to notice that she was getting bored and sad when I left for classes or work, so I decided that since she had been recently spayed, I should get her a bunny buddy. I found a little Netherland dwarf rescue who I thought would be perfect. He definitely seems to get along with my girl, but is always CONSTANTLY humping her, so I can't put them together yet. He got fixed on September 19th for those wondering. I think he's cute and all, but I just can't get over this sinking feeling in my stomach. I don't know what's wrong with me! I feel such a loving glow whenever I see my Poppy, but when I see Sesame, it just seems like indifference. He is quite a messy boy and constantly makes loud honks at my girl, which tends to put me off, but Poppy was a little brat when I first got her and I didn't feel this way at all. Please, any help or insight could help me. I don't want to dislike the little guy and I don't think returning him to the shelter would be a good idea.

 

[JBun]

He's still hormonal. Messy hormonal and territorial marking(hormonal bucks can be disgusting and can be quite smelly) and honking is all typical hormonal buck behavior. It can take up to 8 weeks post neuter for hormones to fade. Usually by 4 weeks there will be a significant decrease though, and they calm down quite a bit, but some can take a bit longer to calm down.

Bucks can actually be quite sweet little buns, more so than females who are often quite moody even when spayed. Especially once bucks are neutered and you no longer have to deal with the hormones causing issues. Give it a few more weeks. You might be pleasantly surprised at what his true personality is like once those hormones are gone. Right now all you are seeing is the hot mess of a hormonal buck.

I would suggest waiting on the bonding until those hormones calm down, or you risk her getting upset with the constant humping, and reacting aggressively that could result in a fight(possibly a serious one resulting in injuries) that could affect any possibility of them being able to bond in the future. So maybe wait another week or two, then try rebonding. If he's still hump happy, wait another week or two before trying again. Right now bonding isn't even possible really, because all he is thinking about is mating.

 

[JBun]

Once you are ready to attempt the bonding again, make sure to go about it in neutral territory.
https://rabbitsindoors.weebly.com/bonding-bunnies.html

 

[Megamuffinandchip]

Thank you so much for all the wonderful info! I assumed that it would probably take a bit of time for him to chill, I guess I just got my hopes up, since the rescue I got him from said he was actually quite calm and very nearly litter trained. My fingers are crossed that this little boy can come around!

Also, I guess I could be biased, due to Poppy being my first bunny. I do absolutely adore my baby girl and all her marshmallowy squishyness. Sesame has my cognitive biases to overcome.

 

[JBun]

He probably was pretty calm... there at the shelter, when he wasn't around other bunnies. But you get a hormonal buck around a doe, or any rabbit for that matter, and all calmness goes out the door. They pretty much can't think of anything else.

And litter box habits, it's the same thing. There he might have been perfect, but a change of territory, plus a girl bun around, and all he can think about is marking territory, which unfortunately can include marking your bun as a potential interest as well. Even a neutered rabbit will usually do some territorial marking when in a new place, though that's usually just leaving little poops around and not with urine.

So rest assured that this is all very typical behavior, and that all he needs is time to settle in and those hormones to dissapate. Then you should start seeing the calm well behaved little guy he was at the shelter.

 

[poopandpee]

OMG I felt the same way about my boy when I got him, took me 1-2months to feel any attachment to him (I wrote about it on the forum before too). My friend also regretted getting a 2nd bun and took a while to warm up to him too.
He kept humping my girl bunny, made a "finish" noise and I touched his **** unknowingly, I was traumatised! He doesn't do that anymore and now honks while eating a new bundle of hay. He LOVES his hay.

Now, I like him more than my 1st bunny and contemplating returning her as her constant bad pee habits is getting to me.

 

[ichabodny]

We have two now as well and they actually bonded much faster then I expected. My boy was a rescue that had never been really help with affection and lived outside in a wood cage so when we brought him home, he seemed startled to have his huge pen and be able to run free. The first days he was really jumping high and doing popcorns all over the house. We added Morticia as a baby and just kept her in her pen with him free roam and he literally didn't leave the side of her cage. They bonded quite easily when I was ready but he did turn into a teensy monster for awhile after that. It took some weeks but he settled down.

I love my Gomez to death but will be the first to admit to wanting to pull out my hair sometimes when he was marking and probably would have been extremely agitated had he started constantly displaying male traits yours did. You'll eventually love the new baby, just give it time.

 

[Megamuffinandchip]

Wow, I'm so glad I found this forum, you guys rock! I'm definitely starting to come around to the little dude, even if he is a bit of an ***** at times. (He watched me clean up some pee and poop and then decided to pee there in front of me ). He gets slightly better as the days go on and I really appreciate the support from everyone here, it makes me feel so much better.

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

My situation is a little different. I adopted a doe who I named Athena recently. She was spayed, so i didn’t really have the hormonal aspect. But to be honest, I felt the same way about Athena when I brought her home a few weeks ago! She was tearing up my carpet, she kept eating all of Apollo’s food, she kept pooping everywhere, she was biting me, she kept making me trip over and she somehow managed to make so much noise with things I didn’t even think made sounds. The second day I had her, I thought I’d have to give the two of them up because they’re already bonded. It’s been about 3 weeks now, and I’m starting to really like her. She’s such a little character although there are some things where she really does annoy me. But even with all her annoying aspects, I’m really liking her, especially as she warms up to me more.

Good luck bonding them and I’m sure you’ll like him a lot more soon!

 

[poopandpee]

Wow, I'm so glad I found this forum, you guys rock! I'm definitely starting to come around to the little dude, even if he is a bit of an ******* at times. (He watched me clean up some pee and poop and then decided to pee there in front of me ). He gets slightly better as the days go on and I really appreciate the support from everyone here, it makes me feel so much better.

HA! My boy peed on my every other day first month I got him.

 

[Megamuffinandchip]

So, update for y'all! The boy is still a brat, but I am starting to enjoy how absolutely adorable he is when angry . He does a very strange push/shove whenever I clean stuff in his enclosure; he pushes and slides his feet and head to push against me. At 3 pounds, this is quite hilarious. I'm assuming this is some sort of territorial behavior? Also, I can be petting him, and all is good, untill it's not and he starts moving his head to try and bite my hand or push me . Finally, to try and make the cleanup easier, I got those pee pads for puppies, so that I can see where Sesame is actually peeing and clean it up. Fingers are crossed that he starts liking me more!