Happy Hoppers Rabbit Forum
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.

potential bonding question

2 posters

Go down

potential bonding question Empty potential bonding question

Post by freecycle_rabbit Sun Jul 24, 2016 9:06 pm

i know this is probably a how long is a piece of string question, as all bunnies are different, but..

Dillon and Arte are now a very happy and strongly bonded pair and inseparable.

I have eyes,the solo bun who has had partners in his previous home who have all mysteriously died within a couple of weeks of bonding. No sign of fighting, no fur or marks just dead one morning. Always possible Eyes was a carrier of something but he has lived with me now for 11 months, i swap litter between the two parties and he has more recently 'met' Dillon and Arte through the fence of their run when he has been out on his lead and harness with me, and they are all still fine.

It would be ideal if Eyes could move in with Dillon and Arte and they could all live as one happy threesome. When they first started meeting through the fence Arte was very very angry at Eye's existence and was very aggressive towards him through the fence and would then get quite aggressive with Dillon after too.
Dillon seems a little less aggressive, more of an 'it could go either way ' reaction and his reaction towards Arte afterwards was to just chase her round the run until she gave in and let him have his way!

forward a few weeks, i have very recently been putting Eyes in their run while they were shut in the hutch in order for them all to get used to each others smells. Eyes is lording it in the run, but shows little or no interest in the two in the hutch. The occupants will both be at the door looking out to see whats going on.
since i have been doing this Atre has become less aggressive towards Eyes and Dillon, and seems to have started to get used to his existence more. I sit in the garden with Eyes on his lead and he will sit in the corner next to the run (outside) near them. They seem to be getting used to each other a little more, except yesterday Eyes met Dillon through the fence and was rude to him, and grunted which annoyed Dillon and caused a mini fight through the wire.

so, i know some take longer than others to bond, some never work and some, like Gemma's pair, need a bit of a push in the right direction, but what can i do or should i do to further attempt to introduce Eyes to Dillon and Arte as an already bonded pair?
What are the overall chances of success in these circumstances?
any suggestions?
freecycle_rabbit
freecycle_rabbit
Junior Hopper
Junior Hopper

Gender : Female
Number of posts : 396
Age : 54
Location : Ashford, Kent
Registration date : 2012-11-16

https://folksy.com/shops/CustomHandmade

Back to top Go down

potential bonding question Empty Re: potential bonding question

Post by woodwench Sun Jul 24, 2016 9:44 pm

You have an establish buck/doe pair and want to turn it into a buck/doe/buck trio .... right?
All are neutered/spayed?
Personally I'd leave things as they are. You could damage the bond between Dillon and Arte if you try taking things further.
I'd also want to know a little more about what happened with Eyes previous partners. Maybe have a comprehensive set of blood tests done; pricey but worth it should there be something wrong that could be transmitted to your other buns.
I'd say it's a case of, if it aint broke don't fix it!
woodwench
woodwench
Established Hopper
Established Hopper

Gender : Female
Number of posts : 4219
Age : 72
Registration date : 2011-07-06

Back to top Go down

potential bonding question Empty Re: potential bonding question

Post by freecycle_rabbit Sun Jul 24, 2016 10:25 pm

yes, buck -doe-buck is what i was thinking. both boys are neutered, but not madam
the main reason i would like them together is because Eyes has no space to run, we were planning on refurbishing the run, and extending it slightly then partitioning it so the two parties can have half each.
then the savings i had for it had to be spent on a new car and i am no longer working, so if they could all get along nicely that would solve the problem for now.
as for Eyes. and his partners, there is no explainable reason for their deaths, no fighting, they seemed quite happy together. If it was something that contagious, then Dillon and Arte have had nose to nose contact (through wire netting) and have been in contact with each other for ages now. The only logical explanation we (me and previous owner) have come up with is they were pets at home rescue buns, who are shut in small almost glass tanks, so the shock of moving to an outdoor home, and effectively sleeping rough must have been too much for them. I think if there was anything transmittable between buns it would have had effect by now it always happened within a couple of weeks.

in all honesty i think the best i am going to get is the two parties agreeing to differ and not fight through the fence, eyes will have to wait for the run refurbishment funds
freecycle_rabbit
freecycle_rabbit
Junior Hopper
Junior Hopper

Gender : Female
Number of posts : 396
Age : 54
Location : Ashford, Kent
Registration date : 2012-11-16

https://folksy.com/shops/CustomHandmade

Back to top Go down

potential bonding question Empty Re: potential bonding question

Post by woodwench Mon Jul 25, 2016 9:58 pm

I'd keep things as they are... separate but seeing each other is better than a major rift in a bonded pair.
I think it very unlikely the previous partners both died of shock after moving outdoors is rather unlikely. Buns can be pretty resilient about that kind of thing. I've had all rescues (7 in all) and they have all come from either pretty bad homes or been brought from outdoors indoors (and vice versa). More likely if they both came from the same P@H then they picked up something there.
If you go ahead and do the trio bond I'd have madam spayed first..... does can be as big a sex pest as bucks if they unspayed and that could cause trouble.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
woodwench
woodwench
Established Hopper
Established Hopper

Gender : Female
Number of posts : 4219
Age : 72
Registration date : 2011-07-06

Back to top Go down

potential bonding question Empty Re: potential bonding question

Post by freecycle_rabbit Fri Jul 29, 2016 12:22 am

I did have dreams of them all getting on as one big family, but i think for now i will carry on as we are, and not thinking too much about aiming to get them together. just let Eyes have free space in the run from time to time. Whenever i put him on his harness out of the run he tries to gatecrash as he sees it as HIS space.
yes, now Madam Arte Miss is coming out of herself more she is quite the diva!

That is probably a very good point about the rabbits, as far as i know there were 4 including a pair, and they all came from the same one. Eyes himself was a p@H rescue but a while before.

i think basically they are not ready yet (if they ever will be) so all i can do is carry on as we are and see how it goes. Hopefully we will get the money together again soon to get the run sorted - if the car can stop being a spoilt brat and taking all the money!
freecycle_rabbit
freecycle_rabbit
Junior Hopper
Junior Hopper

Gender : Female
Number of posts : 396
Age : 54
Location : Ashford, Kent
Registration date : 2012-11-16

https://folksy.com/shops/CustomHandmade

Back to top Go down

potential bonding question Empty Re: potential bonding question

Post by Sponsored content


Sponsored content


Back to top Go down

Back to top


 
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum