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

Josie wrote: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!

Marley is more robust and stocky, and has a real nethie face. Hes also dark sable in real life. Dolly is daintier, her ears are also slightly longer, she has a pointier face and shes black with a slightly longer coat. Also, Dollys a growler Its simple ...I have got them confused from a distance though, depending on the angle Almost forgot, she also has grey hairs on her chest, its scarring from a cylap reaction.

From looking at the pictures they look alike but i suppose close up its easier to tell

Is Skye a new bun or did you already have 3 and decide to bond after her spay?

Josie wrote:From looking at the pictures they look alike but i suppose close up its easier to tell

Is Skye a new bun or did you already have 3 and decide to bond after her spay?

Skye is relatively new, i got her in May. Waited until after her spay to bond her, but i didnt want to do it so soon after.

......Im going to turn the laptop off now and get some sleep while things are quiet. Skye is starting to find her confidence now, so it probably wont be quiet for long! Hopefully i can pester Tuckerbunnies if im awake at 1am! Night all xxx

Oh yes Maysie aka Tuckerbunnies will be on in the early hours

Say hello from me

I dont know what to make of it all! Its fantastic that everythings going so smoothly still and lovely to see. Theres been no humping or fights, but surely something has to give at some point, in order for them to sort out the hierarchy? :?

Anyway, quiet night. I think compared to Grin ive had a reasonably good nights sleep, and havent yet had to crack open the energy drinks. There had been no chasing since 10pm, and i woke up at 12am to find Skye (who is now finding her feet and munching/drinking hapily) and Marley snuggled up together and one was grooming the other, but i cat remember who or if it was recipricated. Then i woke up at 4.30 to find Skye had retreated back to a corner, but im not too worried about that anymore.

There has been mutual grooming between everybun now, i think. Skye and Marley had a good snuggle up, with lots of grooming until Dolly jumped on top of them both to get to the water bottle It didnt bother anybun though.

They have just this second had a little chase - the girls are in seperate corners with Marley in between them both (sound a bit like Grins trio). Just before this though, they were all doing their own thing, munching, flopping, happy rolls and Skye has been lowering her head and submitting to the other two

Breakfast was relaxed again too

No humping though - i dont understand :?

Sounds good

Hope it continues to be a happy bond

Josie wrote:Sounds good

Hope it continues to be a happy bond

I upset things by attaching cardboard to teh outside of the pen. I needed something to keep the hay in it was driving me mad! Its all settled at the moment, but theyre all in seperate corners. I feel quite lonely, as noones really offered me any advice or reassurance that im doing the right thing. I do apreciate your comments though, Josie. At least im not totally alone

I found the water bottle bracket too - it dug into my foot instead of theirs! Dolly started humping Marley, but thats all stopped now too.

You are not alone Hun. If you check the "viewed" count it's huge! I think everyone is checking in on you but you are doing such a fab job you don't need help from us x x x x

Im no good as ive never bonded. :-(

Katieb wrote:You are not alone Hun. If you check the "viewed" count it's huge! I think everyone is checking in on you but you are doing such a fab job you don't need help from us x x x x

Im no good as ive never bonded. :-(

Its ok, i know. Its just nice to have that reassurance, either way.
Theres a fly in my room, i can hear it around my window, but i cant see it. It needs splatting!!

I made a boo boo by attaching that cardboard. They had a little squabble then ignored eachother for a few hours, which i thought was acceptable, aparently not. Im just getting tired, so have been a bit lazy and just left them to it when i should have chucked some noms in the middle.
Its been failry even so far, but Ive noticed Marley and Dolly are spending a bit more time together than they were (M&D were the bonded pair), how else can i get them to interact with Skye and vice versa? Ive got some more pictures, but they arent very good. Just shows where theyre all sat as i dont want to distract them by trying to get up close and personal. I did set a tripod up though, and let the camera run.

Ok, 2 updates in 1 here. Ive copied and pasted from another thread, so i hope it makes sense!

Ive fed them their pellets this morning. I scattered them in a bigish pile in the centre rather than all over this time, and they all sat there and tucked in - together! I finally got a reasonable picture too, so will put that on when i get a chance.

There was a bunny pile on last night, Marley and Dolly were snuggled and Skye decided to jump on top of them and flop out too. It didnt bother anybun though and they stayed like that for a good hour or so. All was quiet through the night, i actually got a good nights sleep! This morning, Marley has been honking a little and he humped Skye from all directions, though i didnt have to split anythig up and it only lasted a minute or 2.

These first 2 are from yesterday afternoon/evening.

Plantain nommage


Veggie nommage



And these are from this morning at breakfast time.





Just a really quick update. Ive extended by 1ft and theres been no problems. Skyes had a binky, theres been some grooming and submission.

I left the camera running on the tripod for 15 min. Not sure if theres much to see, but i will see if i can upload it to photobucket. Its really boring, but i guess its a bit more interesting than pictures.

Theyre funny bunnies, and their personalities are coming out again, so they must be comfortable with eachother! Im really excited, but trying not to forget that theres still time for it to go wrong!

Feeling very proud of my furbabies

Wow - This looks like it is going brilliantly!

Well done hun - I have a good feeling about it all!

wow,you have done amazing with it all

Need some advice on where to go from here. I have to leave them on Tuesday for a hospital appointment, im not overly concerned though, as everything has been settled, and there will be someone at home. Ill just be careful about changing things around that time.

I start college on Thursday. I will get one day off a week, but i dont know which day that will be yet until i get my timetable. Thing is, from Thursday I wont be around to really supervise them. Im just wondering what you think my best option would be:

• Extend to 4ft pen tomorrow (were currently at 3ft) and then move them into the playhouse Wednesday morning. This gives me all day Wednesday to watch them. They will remain in a 4ft pen in the playhouse though which will be extended over a period of weeks.

• Extend to 4ft pen Tuesday afternoon and move into the playhouse Wednesday morning. The pen wont change until im back from the hospital, so things *should* stay settled. But this leaves a very short time between extending to 4ft and moving into the playhouse - Could this be too fast?

• Leave everything as it is, extend to 4ft Tuesday afternoon, then move to the playhouse on Thursday evening after college. In terms of going slowly, this sounds like the best option, but I wont be able to keep an eye on them past 8pm and I will be back at college Friday morning.

What do you think?

I wouldnt have a clue sorry

Hopefully someone can come give you advice soon.

Pictures are lovely though and they look settled and comfortable

From what I can see you are doing everything correctly and from the photo's I have seen of the buns it's looking very good indeed

Well done

I thought option 1 sounds good.

Tuckerbunnies wrote:From what I can see you are doing everything correctly and from the photo's I have seen of the buns it's looking very good indeed

Well done

Thank you Maysie, thats very reassuring especially from someone with so much experience. Ive never done a real bond before, so a trio was a bit daunting at first! Ive heard so many horror stories!

cheryl'n'bruce'flo wrote:I thought option 1 sounds good.

Ive changed my mind Taking things slowly seems to be working great, and i think its about the best thing i can do. So im going to leave them in the current 3x2 until after the hospital on Tuesday. Then they will be going into the playhouse and remaining in the current pen. Ill gradually extend space from here until they no longer need to be contained. Then ill do the same with the run.

I just dont want to risk everything by going too quickly.

Well they spent their first night in the playhouse It was horrible! I was really worried about them because I couldnt see or hear if something was going on. Mum checked on them before work and said that they were all snuggled up until she opened the door and M&D came running, expecting their breakfast.

They have vet bed and a litter tray, im hoping the litter tray hasnt caused any problems! Marley decided he didnt want to be in the pen, so he leapt out, scaled the wall and managed to get himself onto the top shelf! Popped him back and had to make a roof with grids. The pen is 3x2 still, and i really dont like it, it just seems too small now the litter tray is in there. Its also not very accessible for me!

Yesterday morning they had their pellets in a dog bowl, and last night they had their veg on a plate with no problems. Marley seems to be the dominant bun, then Dolly and Skye is at the bottom. Dolly will sometimes pick on Skye, but when it gets too much, Marley steps in and sticks up for Skye. Marley and Dolly are still friends though.

I love coming back to see how they are getting on

Youve made it sound so easy to do

I still wouldnt be brave enough

lol. I think ive been very lucky! I wouldnt want to do it again any time soon, despite how straight forward its been. A lot of stress and worry and your constantly questioning yourself and if your doing things right. Its a very tiring and lonely process too, ive found. Eventhough Ive had you lot to chat to.

This is brilliant that its all still going so well.

You have done such a brilliant job with them. Must be a weight off your mind having done all the hard work now.

Please give them all nose rubs from me.