Im bonding a trio! Update#4 & wondering where 2 go from here

Ok, so this hasnt gone the way i had hoped it would, and im not all that thrilled about having to do it now. I was hoping to give Skye a lot longer to recover from her spay and allow any hormones to calm down, but circumstances now mean that its now or never. I have spoken to my vet who feels Skye should be OK, her wound was only an inch long and everything was very tiny, so she should be nicely healed and unable to cause herself any damage.

Please dont judge me, I was worried about posting on a forum, but i could probably do with all the support i can get at the moment as its my first real bond.

I have put together a 2x4 pen and divided it in 2, so that i can take the partition out when im ready to increase space. Ive soaked the carpet in 50:50 water/vinegar solution and allowed it to dry and have done the same with the pen. Ive then placed bin bags down to protect my carpet and newspaper on top of that. I dont plan on putting anything other than hay/readigrass/forage into the pen at this stage.

Imagine my bedroom...bed on the chimney breast, Skyes pen on the left of the bed, bonding pen on the right. Im hoping the other side of my bed will be neutral enough, but im going to dowse skyes pen in vinegar, just to be sure. Fingers Crossed.

I wont increase space until there has been a good 12 hours with no fighting (anyone think it should be longer than this?) Once they are settled in the 4ft pen, they will be going back out into the playhouse, but i will be keeping them in the 4ft pen and slowly increasing the space over a week or so.

Im not sure at what point i will be able to add litter trays back in though, ive got a sweeping brush, gardening gloves, lots of bunny food and a spray bottle at hand - though im not sure about using a spray bottle. I guess ill just have to see how things pan out. Im also considering wiping them all down with grooming wipes?

I have until Tuesday morning at which point ill have to leave them for half a day when i go to the hospital, and then im free again until Thursday.

i havent any experience but i wish you all the luck in the world

Wishing you lots and lots of luck honey.

I wouldnt wash the buns with grooming wipes...smell is so very important to the buns and its important they get to know each others smells.

Start by crossing smells. So give Skye a good stroke and then use the same hand to stroke Marley and Dolly. Then do the same to Skye.

Here is a really good bonding vid.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7qraiZ8g6M

Also - we dont judge people here hun - we support. x

Sophia, I'd not use vinegar, it isn't strong enough. Anne recommends a 1:10 solution of Biological washing liquid and water. Neutral terratory is possibly the most important caveat of bonding.

Good luck, keep us informed, we're happy to support you

Good luck, fingers crossed for you

Keep us informed

Good Luck, its not ideal like you say but I know you will keep a close eye on her. Pebbles was bonded to Domino a week after her spay - i didnt know it mattered, and because there was no chasing she was fine, they were a love at first sight bond!

Witha trio, just be extra careful with the scuffing etc, yes they have to do that to bond, but it wouldnt do any harm to try and separate the scuffles for a day or so just to make it easier for Skye.

x

Well theyre all in. It started off with Dolly and Skye squished together in a corner while marley had a munch and a groom. Then as they started to move there has been some chasing, but not as much as i expected and i havent had to break anything up yet.

Marley occasionally flops next to Dolly and goes between the 2 but theres not too much interest in Skye. Shes facing the corner though, but isnt as stressed as she looked to begin with. Ill see if i can get a picture. I have dated them a couple of times, so I knew what to expect this time. So far, my nerves are holding out!

Ive got my Sex and the City box set, a magazine, few bags of sweets and a bottle of lucozade for when the going gets tough
Thanks everyone!

Good Luck!

I think you are really brave.

Anyway, some pictures...

My preparations - theres also a litre of lucozade in the fridge for when the going gets tough!




They have been like this or near enough for the last half hour, which i know im bonding terms is nothing, but its cute to see!

Awwww dont they all look cute snuggled together

I too think your very brave, i tried but didnt have the nerve

love the pics,i watched "sex and the city" film the other night for the first time,i loved it

Josie wrote:Awwww dont they all look cute snuggled together

I too think your very brave, i tried but didnt have the nerve

I have done bunny dates before, so had an idea what to expect. Once i got over the first few scuffles, it was ok. Marley has hoovered up all the plantain and pellets, Ive had to hand feed the girls, but Skye hasnt had anything to eat since 10am, and im a bit concerned. I guess ill just keep trying.

fall3n-ang3l wrote:love the pics,i watched "sex and the city" film the other night for the first time,i loved it

This is the box set from the season 1 and 2, ive got the 2nd movie too. They're all really funny, I love Samantha I havent seen the first film though.

the first film was on last week on telly,i sky+ it

Ive been told on another forum to stop hand feeding the girls as i will confuse them with my scent and show favouritism? Is this true?

I just dont like that the girls arent eating on their own. Should i just let them get on with it and stop intefering?

Other than the odd scuffle, its going smoothly, they have flopped out all together a few times, but Skye is in a corner on her own at the moment.

Certainly it is a good idea to let them get on with it as much as possible. Fodd can cause fights so putting it in more than one place is a good idea.

cheryl'n'bruce'flo wrote:Certainly it is a good idea to let them get on with it as much as possible. Fodd can cause fights so putting it in more than one place is a good idea.

Ive been scatter feeding, but the girls are just sitting there and not bothering to eat anything, while Marley goes around hoovering it all up Ill just leave them for now then, and hope the girls start eating soon!

I know im probably just fussing for nothing now, but how often does bonding cause tummy troubles?

Stress can cause tummy trouble but you need to allow for the idea that they are not hungry as well.

cheryl'n'bruce'flo wrote:Stress can cause tummy trouble but you need to allow for the idea that they are not hungry as well.

I know, but i didnt feed them this morning in the hope that they might tuck in and be distracted by food when i put them in.

Jay wrote:Sophia, I'd not use vinegar, it isn't strong enough. Anne recommends a 1:10 solution of Biological washing liquid and water. Neutral terratory is possibly the most important caveat of bonding.

Good luck, keep us informed, we're happy to support you

Thanks, Jay! I will use this solution for the play house. Unfortunately i started before i read your post. Just glanced over at them, the girls are snuggled up together and Marley is flopped out next to them. Skye looks as though shes gone to sleep!

WE HAVE GROOMING!!!!

Marley has groomed both of the girls now

marleyNfriends wrote:

cheryl'n'bruce'flo wrote:Stress can cause tummy trouble but you need to allow for the idea that they are not hungry as well.

I know, but i didnt feed them this morning in the hope that they might tuck in and be distracted by food when i put them in.

Jay wrote:Sophia, I'd not use vinegar, it isn't strong enough. Anne recommends a 1:10 solution of Biological washing liquid and water. Neutral terratory is possibly the most important caveat of bonding.

Good luck, keep us informed, we're happy to support you

Thanks, Jay! I will use this solution for the play house. Unfortunately i started before i read your post. Just glanced over at them, the girls are snuggled up together and Marley is flopped out next to them. Skye looks as though shes gone to sleep!

Sorry it was me who said i used Vinegar & water. Guess i was wrong, i got the info from another forum ages ago and used it on my hutch. Hope it hasnt caused any problems with the bond

marleyNfriends wrote:WE HAVE GROOMING!!!!

Marley has groomed both of the girls now

Go Marley

So many girls, so little time

Josie wrote:

marleyNfriends wrote:WE HAVE GROOMING!!!!

Marley has groomed both of the girls now

Go Marley

So many girls, so little time

At least they had a change from being chased/nipped. Though they didnt groom him back, but he didnt seem bothered.

YAY for the grooming!

Loving your supplies! ha ha ha

Glad it seems to be going so well - sounds like you are doing a brilliant job.

I use the super pet glass bottles and took the water bottles from the inside and reattached them on the outside of the pen. Im missing one of the metal brackets, and have an awful feeling ive thrown in back into the pen with a pile of hay! I know i put it by the door, and its not there now. I dont know what to do, i hope they dont injure themselves on it.

Its been a relatively quiet afternoon, the girls came out of their shell a little and had a bite to eat. They got their veg scattered at about 7.45 and all was quite peaceful.

Dolly and Skye about 12pm


A peaceuful dinner


There hasnt really been many changes. Theres been some grooming, though it hasnt been reciprocated I am a little concerned about Skye. I would say shes struggling the most, though i wouldnt say shes distressed. I think im just loosing my nerve slightly as it kicked off a bit just before dinner and Marley and Dolly knocked her around a little when theyre chasing eachother. I just want to scoop her up Shes ok when Dolly goes near her, but tenses up whenever Marley approaches her and forces herself into a corner and buries her head. I know it could be worse, but its not nice to see and is making be a bit anxious.

Im just going by what i know is acceptable and what isnt, but im not 100% sure whats what, so if anyone has an idea of the current dynamics, that would be nice. Im worried about that water bottle bracket too.

Sorry i'm no help as i failed miserably bonding

I'm no expert by a long shot but it looks and sounds like its going well

I do hope you end up with a happy trio, it will be wonderful to watch

I want to know how you tell which black bun is which!