Cid and Freya - Round 2

I can't find the post for Round 1, but I remember bonding those two was going pretty well until Cid munched on her ear... I stopped bonding them after that because I was scared!

Ive decided to pause Vivi/Bea bonding so I can add Daisy to them (I asked the vet she said its probly easier to try them as 3 unbonded bunnies and bond them 'from scratch')... So while they're on pause I thought Id try with Cid and Freya again, the awkward couple.

I realise I make posts like this alot but bonding is such scary territory I like someone to talk about it with!


So anyways, they had thier first date and it wasn't a good one.. Cid attacked Freya 3 times or so, nothing major but... However, Freya really doesn't seem bothered by it (Isn't that a little odd....). They did eat a little food in each other's company, but Cid seemed unable to relax at all. Its also really hard to 'read' him, I can't tell when he's about to attack or anything, he has no tail up, no giveaway stance.

I think Ill try them at my Mother's tomorrow and see if I should continue or not. If I don't continue though, Ill have to think of anoyher way to jog my bunnies around as I really don't want them to be alone!

ooo Good luck!

Went round to my parents today as I didn't have time yesterday and they were brilliant, both in the cage in the car and at my parents, this is the wya Im going to have to go for a while with Cid being rather territorial.

They spent most of the time cuddling into each other for comfort, since there were mad kids running around them. But then the kids settled down and they both had a little explore, and hopped back to each other when things got a little loud again.

So hopefully round 2 will go a little smoother! Ill try to get them round to my Mam's tomorrow which Im sure my parents love me for as the rabbits wind the dogs up no end.. They aren't like my smart doggie and think rabbis = food. Though, the dogs have thier cage so they can think rabbits = food *all* they want, they ain't getting them!

Glad it seems to be going well

There's always gonna be some fur flying, and there's a difference between exerting dominance and attacking. Is Cid taking long leaps over or around Freya? This may indicate an attack is on the way.

The neutral territory is a good idea, and I hope it all works out for them, must shred your nerves though

Well he doesn't show any signs of aggression, he kinda just snaps at her when she comes too close.

But at my Mam's the other day he was digging his head right into hers, I assume for come comfort.

And you're right! After the last time I tried to bond these two (Ended in a rather nasty fight) my nerves are all over the place, but I try to keep calm for the little stinkers.

We had grooming today :-) Cid is a little rough but then Freya is very demanding so...

It always seems the big tough boys just fold in the face of a grooming demand. Hehe.

Well after Cid attacking Freya yesterday he then started grooming her again today at my Mam's so who knows what's going through his little head, but Im going to increase thier time together to twice a day and see how it goes. Hopefully the 2nd session of the day can be at my Mam's as they always seem happier there, more neutral I guess.

glad to hear its going okay..... They arnt making it easy for you though....little tinkers!

Bonding stresses me out so Im here for another small update.. Even just typing this makes me feel better (I am not strange!)

They seem to be doing okay.. Slow, but okay. They haven't had any 'major' fights but..

One second Cid is grooming Freya like a loved up teenager, then the next he's pulling out her fur! Argh!

It is a good job Freya is such a patient and calm little girl or there'd be so many sparks flying...

It worries me though.. If he doesn't bond with her, I doubt he would with any of my other does, as they're all stroppy little madams!

Sounds like it is going OK, but just slowly. Fingers crossed.

Sigh today has been a bad day for them, didn't even have them out for 30mins as Cid was biting her so frequently...

Going to try and go to my Mam's later and see if he's better there.

Poor Freya is starting to get annoyed now, though, she retaliated at one point.

Nothing bad has happened really so far as I respond as soon as Cid even seems to be getting... Huffy...

I really don't know what has gotten into him today. I am very disappointed and well... Slightly upset I guess, this takes so much out of me, its terrible seeing them act like this... But I know its worth it in the end. Just have to push myself with it I guess and not give up like last time.

Maybe buns have off days too. Hope it is better tomorrow or at your mums.

There was fighting today at my Mam's, pretty bad this time.

I don't know whether I should give up or not... They have both been past this stage before so it should be possible to get past it this time but... I just feel... Disheartened? I think thats the word Im looking for...

I dunno, I try to bond them then I give up. Then I feel bad because I have lone rabbits when I should have pairs. If only I knew more about rabbits when I got them, then I would have just got ready made pairs from a rescue! Hooray to newbies!

Ahhh bless them.

If this doesnt work (I hope it will) - could you bond the girls instead?

I am thinking I will try Cid with Daisy once she's sorted, then if not, Ill have to bond a pair of girls, then Vivi with the remaining girl, and Cid can be his huffy self all on his own! Not sure which girls will tolerate another girl, though. Trial and error there I guess. I imagine Frey-Frey won't care about it.

Guess Ill have to see - and with me *hopefully* working soon this might get sticky

It sounds like it's turning into a nighmare! Have you taken them on a car journey together? I'm sure that helped Vince and Faline. I don't have any advice as I'm a newbie trying to bond 3 rabbits together myself, I have a weird Faline timeshare situation where she is bonded to Vince and Hazel, but Hazel and Vince are not bonded to each other and I don't want Faline to lose her bond to the other two.
I enjoy reading your posts on Cid & Freya so keep us updated

Yes - I take the car around to my Mam's, I have a small plastic cage that I use to transport them, must be some sort of guinea pig cage. They both seem really good in the car, its usually when they get out of it that the trouble starts!

Gonna try and take them for a drive tomorrow but I do worry incase they start fighting as itd be really hard to separate them!

Ive figured out afew things about them, I think.

Cid is a very shy little guy and whenever he goes anywhere new he picks out a 'corner' that becomes his sort of safe spot. So if he gets scared he runs there. Its also the first place he runs to, and only moves from it when he feels comfortable.

He's okay with Freya being in his corner, the problem is that if she comes running into his corner I think he gets a bit frightened when she moves too fast... Which is odd!

So today they were out, and they were iffy to start with, until I moved Cid from his corner and blocked his corner off, so his only source of comfort was Freya, who he promptly started grooming...

Do I just have the weirdest little boy or what? This is going to take aaaages if it even works at all..

lol, good luck with it all, I haven't any words of wisdom to help you but I hope you can get them bonded at some point. A local rescue centre to me will bond rabbits for you if you take your rabbit to paired up with one of hers. She suggests leaving your rabbit for 3 days then pick them both up and take them home. I don't know how she does it in 3 days, esp if rabbits are a bit awkward! I was very lucky with my two but then Vince does like the girls. To think PaH told me he was rehomed due to him being aggressive to other rabbits and he was a lone rabbit Poor thing would have spent the rest of his life alone if I hadn't taken him home with me. He loves female company and I'm sure is much happier with a companion.
Have you tried Cid with a different female? Perhaps he needs a more dominant companion as perhaps he is nervous and would benefit from
a more assertive companion? Might work?

My local rescue also offers bonding but they're full, they're a really small rescue for quite a large area.

I emailed them back and forth a little while bonding Kuja and Lani & they said its best to let the bunnies choose each other, and Ive tried Cid with Beatrix before also and that was a disaster

Freya is the most 'laid back' of my does, so she's probably the only one that will put up with Cid.

Though, there is now Daisy I can try him with. When she gets fat and can get speyed.

Today went well - car trip and then popped in to the OH's parents where they spent some time together, no grooming, but no fighting either. Will repeat tomorrow and see how it goes.

Might try them in my house in the 'carrier' cage, as they don't fight in there either. Not much room, but the bond is more important than thier excersize, they can get that another time!

Oookay, since they didn't seem to be changing at all in neutral teritory I thought Id try non-neutral territory.

Last night I put them in my passageway, it makes up part of the area I use to excersize all my bunnies in. In the passageway is Cid's carpet, which I use just for him, because the lino aggrevates his hocks.

So, Cid and Freya played on Cids carpet last night, which was mostly a success. We had much grooming, eating together, and laying down next to each other. Freya actually had her eyes closed all snuggled up to him, very cute indeed.

Today I tried again in the passageway & I added Cid's tubes. They both played in these, without Cid getting territorial, as I worried he might.

I also set up the pen in my living room infront of my TV, hoping to put them in there so I can trade in lying on a cold lino floor for my sofa! However, they didn't like the living room (Which is neutral) and fought each other! So I took them back to the passageway. It seems abit backward to me, fighting in neutral and grooming in non-neutral but.. Meh. As long as they're happy...

Still some problems that need working out!

Cid keeps nibbling her sides which she hates (Kuja used to do this to Lani though, and they are a happy couple now). But she seems to have figured out that hopping away from him solves the problem.

He also goes to bite her if she rushes up to him or moves too suddenly, but he stops from actually biting her when he realises its only her.. Thats a little strange. But then.. Cid *is* a strange little man.

I have a video, but I really don't know how to stick them on - can anyone help?

Its pretty dull but it shows Cid's sort of biting and a little grooming.

They are funny things aren't they, that's interesting about the non neutral territory.
When I bonded Hazel to Vince I didn't use neutral territory as Vince has been just about everywhere in my house! By the way they had behaved with bars seperating them I figured Vince was more laid back and Hazel would be the challenging one. After 20 mins or so I put Hazel straight into Vince's hutch, I didn't neutralise it or change the litter or anything. From previous experience with rats and mice I found putting the dominant one in the submissive one's home kinda balanced things out a bit. Not always the case, and I can't comment on rabbits as I don't have that much experience, but it worked for my bunnies. It'd be interesting to see what would happen if Cid went into Freya's home (not suggesting you should do that unless you felt confident about it and were able to seperate any squirmishes quickly)

Well I figured I would use Freya's cage anyways, but I will clean it out. Its the bigger of the two cages so it makes sense.

I think these two will bond, I think it will just take a long long time.

I think bonding is easier for younger rabbits, as they're not so hormonal I guess.

Couldn't say when I aim to have them in cage together - but hopefully within a month I think is probably realistic.

Bonding is so nerve wracking, sounds like you are getting there though x