Gizzy - a bit of a dilemma. U/D happy bun again

Not unlike KatieB's current situation with Charlie and Annie, me and Gizmo are not really getting on very well at the moment

He is a very bouncy bunny and sometimes he scares me. If I run off, he chases me. Humum is not sure if this starts off as him playing, but then he can get a bit nippy. Humum found quite a nasty bite wound on my shoulder last night

He's fairly quiet at the moment - we haven't had a binky out of him for days. He had his combi jab about 10 days ago, and we are both very moulty. When Humum gave him a cuddle last night, he felt very warm so she thinks he might be feeling a bit yuck from making antibodies after the vaccine. Sometimes he'll sit and be brushed, so she is going to try that later.

But she really has doubts about whether we are compatible. He is so energetic that although we have such a huge pen with two levels, she thinks he might be happier outside with a run he can properly binky in (although he could not go out at this time of year, of course). And as I would not be living outdoors ever, that means splitting me and Gizmo up which Humum thinks would be quite sad as a lot of the time we are quite loving and snuggly. We potentially have Cindy to try bonding Gizmo with, and Humum thinks I might prefer a quieter bun, perhaps somebun older and / or with some degree of health issue and potentially somebun well enough behaved that we could be free-range.

She did wonder whether it was worth going back a step in bonding terms and confining us to a smaller area for a while. Or whether it was worth shutting part of the pen off in the day then letting us have the extra space in the evenings and at night, just so Gizzy has somewhere different and interesting to explore at those times.

Any thoughts, clever rabbit peoples?

I think the key is in your huparents spending some time with the 2 of you and working out what is causing the fighting. My experience is that the bond generally gets stronger as time goes on so the fighting decreases. Having said that we have had a more feisty than normal few months here, but both buns have been unwell. The most likely cause of the fighting is hormones and there is not a lot you can do about those. The question is why would Gizmo have bitten Sparky? If it is territorial fighting then the pair might actually need more space. If the bite is amorous then I am not sure how much of a problem it is. The other thing that springs to mind is to ask how good Sparky's eyesight is? Is she being surprised by Gizmo because she has blind spots caused by cataracts or similar? What may improve things in that case would be more open space. In fact that may be worth doing generally. Bruce and Flo have calmed a lot again since I lifted the maze hideaways off the floor and onto the table creating more open space on the floor. Also if Gizmo is just bored or territorial maybe your huparents need to think about adjusting the layout of your pen more often.

Thanks Cheryl.

Humum spends all evening with us, but we don't do much. Even if she opens the gate to our pen we don't really come out.

We're not fighting as such, it's just that when Gizmo has a funny five minutes, he startles me - I run, he chases, he seems to get over-excited then he nips. That just makes me more nervous the next time the cycle starts until it has got to the point where I am a bit wary of him most of the time. Although we can still be found snuggled up together quite a lot.

We behave all evening but sometimes when Humum has gone to bed we cause a bit of a commotion, and today Hudad was home and said he heard us thundering around a couple of times. But it's got to the point that if Gizzy approaches me, I often run off because I am so wary of him, then he chases. It really doesn't seem to be aggression.

Our pen is about 9 feet by just over 3 feet downstairs - this is kept fairly clear for running-about space. Upstairs is 9 feet by 2 feet and there are tunnels and more toys up there as Humum doesn't want us running about up there as it's so noisy. It would be tricky to give us even more space as it needs such thorough Gizmo-proofing. Our pen is awkward to change around at the moment as it's all cable-tied together. But Humum could take the top level out and make the upper level in such a way that they layout can be changed around more often.

Whatever happens, Gizmo needs to be in until spring at least. Humum will modify the pen at the weekend so it can be changed around more often, give us some more hidey-holes and build Gizmo a fort out of boxes then see how we go...

Do you still have a hidey hole big enough for just one. Maybe you need somewhere you can go to feel safe and where Gizmo can't chase you.

I'll send Humum off to find a box in a minute. She can bring me a Fenugreek Crunchie back too

These buns do make it difficult for each other and for us humans at times. It does sound as though Sparky and Gizzmo are maybe not the most compatible, when they are together are they 'loved up' together or just companiable together? I know it is the wrong time of the year for friskyness but BJ and Rosie have had a few spats recently and I caught Gabe and Spring fur pulling today. Is there something in the air?

I have no real advice to offer, I can only sympathise, I know full well the angst that bunny behaviour can cause. How about trying some of the Bach flower remedies?

http://bananasforbunnies.org/?page_id=255

Sixer wrote:These buns do make it difficult for each other and for us humans at times. It does sound as though Sparky and Gizzmo are maybe not the most compatible, when they are together are they 'loved up' together or just companiable together? I know it is the wrong time of the year for friskyness but BJ and Rosie have had a few spats recently and I caught Gabe and Spring fur pulling today. Is there something in the air?

I have no real advice to offer, I can only sympathise, I know full well the angst that bunny behaviour can cause. How about trying some of the Bach flower remedies?

http://bananasforbunnies.org/?page_id=255

Definitely - I watched Bruce sniff Flo's lady bits from all angles as she had a wash this evening. As is most common he lined himself up and she walked away.

Does anyone know of a good site where i can buy the remedies?

You can get them in any health food shop.

could it be a reaction from the combi making him feel a bit feverish and unsettled
don't know if this is helpful but found it on flikr



"jojo79 says:

Here is an overview by the RWAF:

"The new vaccine is a genetically modified weakened form of the myxo virus itself and so offers longer lasting and more effective protection against myxo than the older vaccines. The myxo virus it is based on has been weakened such that it is not capable of causing actual disease, by removing 'virulence factors'. In addition the virus has been altered to produce a VHD protein which creates immunity to that disease as well. As a result, a single injection produces year long immunity to both diseases. Safety and effectiveness testing has been performed and the product has been cleared by the european medicines agency for use in the EU. The vaccine has been shown to be effective in developing immunity 3 weeks after vaccination, lasting for at least 1 year.

Some rabbits developed a transient slightly raised temp for 1-2 days after injection and others developed a small, painless swelling in the 2 weeks after vaccination which did not progress to any skin damage or irritation and disapeared byt the end of 3 weeks."

Katieb wrote:Does anyone know of a good site where i can buy the remedies?

I bought mine from here - they are made up to the Bach flower remedy instructions. My nearest health shop only had a limited range of essences for sale. The essences are actually alcohol with a tiny amount of flower essence but I decided it worth a try with Spring and Gabe. I just put a few drops in their water bowl

http://www.crystalherbs.com/

I've just ordered the Beech and Holly anything is worth a try.

That's how I felt hun I may need to put some in Gabe and Spring's water again. They were circling each other with intent this morning. And Herb was getting nippy with Hollie. What is the matter with these buns at the moment

Im sorry, i havent much to add Sparky, i hope something can be sorted though, as im sure you like Gizzy, as scary as he can be at times! I hope your shoulder isnt too sore. xx

I haven't got anything to add, but I am keeping all fingers and paws crossed that everything works out ok

How's that shoulder Sparky? Does your new hairstyle help keep you from being skittish? Has your vet checked your eyesight lately? You may need contacts.

Sixer wrote:when they are together are they 'loved up' together or just companiable together?

We are loved up... well, Gizmo grooms me although I very rarely give him more than a couple of token licks but we do snuggle up together quite a lot.

gentl wrote:How's that shoulder Sparky? Does your new hairstyle help keep you from being skittish? Has your vet checked your eyesight lately? You may need contacts.

My shoulder is ok, apart from when Humum prods at it to make sure it is healing nicely. She does think things have been a bit calmer for the last day or so, so is wondering if my haircut has helped.

Are cataracts in a bun's eye visible to the untrained eye?



She gives us coneflower (echinacea) as a calming substance. It does help

Cataracts can been seen as a white hazy film over the eye. We have had a few buns in the past with cataracts.

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Eye_diseases/Disorder/Cat/Cat_en.htm

Glad your shoulder is healing Sparky and Gizmo is loving you again

Some cataracts can only be seen in certain lights. Treacle has a really odd marbled effect cataract that you can only see in certain lights. Sometimes it is a case of catching the hint of something at the back of the eye. It might be worth getting the vet to take a look next time you visit her.

Thumper had a cataract and her eye looked cloudy and sort of blue

Sparky, it sounds like you and Junior would be well suited and I think Molly and Gizmo would get on really well too. Maybe we should do a swap? Ask your humum*










* I hereby claim the quiet two!!!! *Getting in there first*

Thumper2001

You know what they say about the quiet ones...

Thumper2001 wrote:Thumper had a cataract and her eye looked cloudy and sort of blue

Sparky, it sounds like you and Junior would be well suited and I think Molly and Gizmo would get on really well too. Maybe we should do a swap? Ask your humum*










* I hereby claim the quiet two!!!! *Getting in there first*

She was getting quite excited until she got to the end of the post

Although I do widdle on her, so she is still considering it

Hudad bought another 8 pop-up cubes (£1.99 each at Poundstretcher ) so they have built us a maze in the downstairs of our pen plus an extra couple of hidey-holes upstairs. We're getting most of our pellet ration in our treat ball again. And Gizmo has been like a different bun

We've both been exploring, we have been coming out of the pen to run around upstairs and Gizmo had a go at the wallpaper again
Oops, I mean

Humum does think that he might have been feeling a bit off from his jab, but keeping him occupied and interested seems to have cheered him up no end. And I am a happier bun because my Gizzy is happier

She still intends to renovate the rest of the pen, so she can change it around more often but even these little changes seem to have had a very positive benefit. She finds it interesting that she left us a big open space to run around, but we actually seem to much prefer it all cluttered and like a warren. She needs to think of how to give us both....

so glad gizzy is happy again
would love to see a piccie of the maze
i bet it's brill