The lavish lives of Lopsy and Lulu

[SOOOSKA]

Crystal your Bunnies are gorgeous. They look so good beside each other, your bonding sessions are going good.

I going to eventually when I move, try to bond Daisy Mae with Wilbur & Jackie. That should be interesting.

I'm looking forward to more pictures of your Beauties.

Susan

 

[fuzz16]

kllks like its going pretty well to me. still end up bad after a couple hours?

 

[crystal]

nah I don't end because it goes bad, usually just because I have to do something else... life doesn't stop because I am trying to bond my bunnies haha

today I am "working from home" though so they're out and doing well this arvo. I'm just reading an article and making notes, while keeping an eye on them.

They started out with clumsy binkies again, like they're flirting. Lulu did some high jumps in the air, and 180s haha. They've done some eating together and some lying together. Once or twice Lopsy has seemed to want to mount Lulu which hasn't happened for a while but there is no aggression happening. right now they're lying about a metre apart facing each other. they have certainly got more and more comfortable in each others company. the main issue still occuring is that neither of them will groom... but hopefully that comes with time. at least they aren't trying to kill each other! which is a big plus. they are very good indeed...

 

[crystal]

Of course after I post saying that they're doing well, Lopsy decides he'd like to try mounting Lulu's face haha

No aggression or anything from Lulu though, I just pushed him off. I picked him up for a minute and then put him back down and he lay down.

They are definitely still making progress... so overall I'm pleased.

 

[fuzz16]

well slow progress lol

 

[joeyC19]

Hi crystal i typed a whole post yesterday to you here and had not quite finished it and xavier came along and deleted it lol. He just loves the computer and wants to type on the keyboard all the time. Just wanted to say that Bon and Jimmy still mount each other but it never turns to aggression. I just let them go and mostly i see the bunny who is being mounted either sits there quite unfazed until the other bun gets off. Or they thump their foot and the other bun will jump off quicky and run off then 2 secs later they are snuggling again. I dont necessarily think mounting is a sign of aggression in all cases and could just be them still trying to establish the relationship. I think you should be brave and maybe let the mounting happen while u supervise. I think its unlikely now that they are so familiar with each other for it to result in a full on spat. It could be helpful to them if you let them sort it out for themselves. But of course they are your buns and u need to be comfortable xoxoxoxo

 

[crystal]

Thanks for the encouragement Jo

The mounting has definitely decreased which has been good. They got all nippy again today though, couldn't quite figure out if one was starting it or what. I ended the session after an hour when Lulu weed on the carpet... Might try them again soon this arvo. Hopefully the nippy doesn't continue. I wish one of them would hurry up and groom the other...

 

[crystal]

I did another two hour session, it was better than the earlier hour! I was pretty pleased with them. Lulu mounted Lopsy twice but it wasn't a big deal. They did more snuggling together, and there might have possibly been a tiny bit of grooming but I'm not sure.

I think I'm going to try some intervention to try and get grooming happening.

Not sure what else to say really, will hopefully be able to do another session tomorrow and then each day this week. They have definitely made a great deal of progress but they're still not ready for moving in full time.

 

[fuzz16]

youre giving me the courage to try harder for the trio to work out, lol.

stick some peanut butter on ones back or bananana

 

[joeyC19]

I was just going to say - smear some banana on one of thems head. lol

 

[crystal]

I tried banana ages ago, and it was unsuccessful and made a terrible mess. they both had mats on their heads from the banana sticking it together. slightly amusing but not what I was hoping for.

Hmmm I suspect peanut butter would do the same.

I think I will have to be craftier haha

 

[joeyC19]

Maybe squeeze some juice from a grape on them??? lol

 

[crystal]

Are you saying that because you know I've done that before? Because I really have! It worked better than the banana and made less mess.

 

[crystal]

The last session I did on Sunday was great. Then yesterday I didn't get around to doing a session. Then today they were fighting after about 10 minutes. hair pulled and chasing each other etc. I would separate them by picking up Lopsy, wait a minute and then put him down again and try to distract them with food. They had another 20 peaceful minutes lying down apart before they fought twice again.

I can't tell if one of them is starting the fighting or why it's happening. It seems sudden now after so many good sessions where they were making progress. No signs of mounting, just chasing. I hope they aren't actually biting or hurting each other.

I feel discouraged again

 

[joeyC19]

Hi Crystal - yes i did say that about the grapes because i know you had done that before i was being cheeky lol. Don't feel discouraged and dont beat yourself up. Bunny bonding is hard and they are so complex. I really struggled with it at first because I was scared of them having a fight and "killing each other" or of me having to break it up and getting bitten or hurt. That was hindering the bonding process because it was making me scared to do the sessions and i wasnt doing many and putting it off. And they would have a little fight and then id be petrified. But in my research i have been told by numerous people who have lots of bunny knowledge and who have bonded lots and lots of bunnies over many years, that once an initial bond is made - ie they are used to each other/ "know each other" and can be together for a large chunk of time before any spats (i think your two would be at this stage) then it is highly unlikely that any serious fighting (injuring each other) will ever happen. So once i learnt that i was able to relax. If they have a tiff they can prob sort it out, or with slight intervention from you they can be distracted and u can continue the session and not be scared. I hope that helps

 

[fuzz16]

try to stress them a bit. they may have a lot of pent up energy. take them outside in a pen and mist the air above them with a hose so it stresses them out then maybe they will cuddle? and look to one another for comfort

 

[Wabbitdad12]

Great blog, been catching up, your bunny's are adorable.

 

[crystal]

Jo, I've got heaps more relaxed compared to before, I'm okay with letting them nip once in a while or mount a bit but this was really fighting. I didn't feel like I could leave them and let that happen. and even after separating them for a minute or two they went straight back into it. you're right though that being discouraged has made me set aside less time for it. Since the fighting I have only done one session for about 40 minutes where they were pretty good. Lopsy actually did some grooming because I rubbed some apple on Lulu haha

Brenda, I don't really like the idea of stressing particularly since they have been doing so well together. I feel like being out together needs to be a positive experience. and outside is more than misting at this time of year here, it's horrible outside! today we had hail and thunder too. you did get me thinking though about too much energy. I have felt like if I skip a day they can be a bit nippy, so maybe that's because they havent had as much exercise? I don't tend to notice much difference though, they don't seem to burn off more energy if they've been in a smaller space for longer. but maybe there's something in that. so maybe I should have them burn off energy separately before they have their session together...? just a thought really.

Thanks Dave for reading and making a comment

 

[joeyC19]

I will ask my cousin about them for you - she is really good with bonding bunnies and gave me a lot of help with my buns xoxoxo

 

[crystal]

I did a 25 minute session this arvo. they were pretty good for a while and eating together then Lulu took a nip at Lopsy so I said NO and patted them and they calmed down. Lulu put her head under Lopsy's body and he continued on eating...

My guess is that Lulu is nipping Lopsy because she is unhappy that he won't groom her. ah dear I guess I just have to keep it up. After they were fighting I have gone back to doing short sessions in a smaller space. hopefully this might help...

In other news, unrelated to rabbits...
I had my hair cut today. hadn't had it cut for 6 months. and my friend is an apprentice at my hair dresser so it was good to see her as well.

My brother's girlfriend who is from and currently lives in New Zealand is moving here probably next month. this is a big deal for her and my brother! they are trying to find her somewhere to live, a job and a car etc.