Bobbin and Hollie

Well, I wish I could say Bobbin AND Hollie, but sadly not

They have been at Louise's now since the middle of July. Poor Hollie was very unsettled at first but has now seems much happier with her indoor life. Bobbin took to Louise's much more quickly, has really come out of his shell and is now the only one of the six rabbits that we have between us that genuinely likes to be touched! He doesn't like his back being stroked but will stand any amount of nose rubs and Louise is very smitten with him He has the most horrendous claws though Because he was neglected for so long the quicks in his claws are very long which means his claws are very deformed. As they are dark coloured, trimming them is a nightmare. He is such a cutie though, I will try to post some pictures later.

He and Hollie now live happily alongside each other, eat hay next to each other, and sit next to each other. However, as yet, although I have not quite given up hope, we haven't managed to bond them. We have tried a couple of times at my house in a neutral room. On the drive up to mine they huddle together in the carrier but as soon as we put them together in a pen things change. Bobbin still sits scared but as Hollie gradually gets over the trauma of the car trip she then turns into a bully. She goes to Bobbin and nips him quite hard Bobbin only puts up with this a few times before he tries to get a nip in first and they scuffle. We have not managed to get beyond this   The only positive thing I have seen is that Hollie gave Bobbin a couple of quick licks in the carrier once.

I really cannot understand Hollie's behaviour - she has always been a very attentive, sociable rabbit when she was bonded with Herbie and then in the threesome. She is just out and out nasty with Bobbin. Maybe she is just frustrated in that he doesn't appear to know how to interact. As far as I know in his 6 or so years he has never been with a partner

So, although they are living alongside each other amicably it is very frustrating and sad that they cannot enjoy each other's company and also more space. Like I say I have not completely given up and may have another attempt at half term. In the meantime Louise puts them together in the carrier for 10 minutes or so every day. There is no aggression and I live in hope that they may start to groom each other .............

If anybody has any suggestions or words of wisdom I would be pleased to hear them!

I am sorry to hear they're not getting along too well

I can't offer you any suggestions - sorry!

I do hope that they eventually make friends though. Maybe it will just take Bobbin a while to learn to interact, as like you said he probably isn't quite sure...

In the mean time I'm sending lots of "bonding vibes"

Bonding vibes from me too love, I hope they get to love each other.

Hugs
Jo xx

I try to remember.....
I think it was Anna from furry friends who gave me the tip.
When bonding buns it may be that they get on in a small space but start scuffing in a big on. Increase the size of the space slowly. Ie from carrier into a small hutch, cage, run for a few minutes at the time. Than next step bigger space and so on. Does this make sense?

also make sure she is swapping them over into each others pens everyday so they can get used to the others scent

i sympathize as we had the same issue with two of our buns. i would probably say go back to the carrier and increase the space slowly and see how they go.

I hope everything works itself out in the end for you and them hun.

Thank you for your advice and best wishes. Louise has been swapping them around in their runs every couple of days, they are perfectly aware of each other and comfortable around each other when they are partitioned off. We have also only used very small spaces to try them together in too. I fear Hollie just doesn't like him

Yesterday I went up to help divide the run up differently and hopefully stop the lino from creeping. Out of interest, rather than with any great hope, we tried them together in a very very small space. Poor Bobbin just freezes and then eventually Hollie nips him. She did approach him two or three times without nipping which is a tiny step forward but if Bobbin just continues to freeze when they are together and not make an attempt to interact I cannot see how we can progress this.

It is just so frustrating. We just try to take comfort that they both seem happy in themselves living separately.

do you put any hay in for them? we found letting them eat together in the bonding pen if they were nervous of each other helped as its seen as a social thing so that may help a bit? just put it on the floor tho not in a rack or anything, might be worth a go.

When we had two buns that is how we started. We would change the rooms they were in but leave the hay box and it worked a treat. Good luck hun.

Hugs
JO xx

Amelia, yes, we put hay on the floor. We have done all the right things as far as the 'text book guide to bonding goes'. It just seems Hollie and Bobbin have not read it and at the moment I cannot see this method working.

Today Louise thought outside the box and allowed Bobbin and Hollie some free range time together outside in the back yard. Hollie was more accepting of Bobbin and followed him around for a time. She did force him in to a corner a couple of times but there was no fighting and neither bun appeared to be stressed. Overall then a more positive experience than forcing them together in a small space. I guess all we can do is keep trying this and hope that the positive meetings continue and eventually bring them together.

Gentle persistence it will be. Keep it up and bonding vibes are on their way

Sending bonding vibes!   I hope they get it sorted out between thermal soon.

How are things today love? Lots more bonding vibes are winging their way to you now.

Hugs
JO xx

Today I went to Louise's and we let the bunnies free range together in her yard and kitchen. Whilst they were aware of each other they pretty much ignored each other. Hollie did approach Bobbin a couple of times in a non-threatening way but as he is understandably wary of her he moved away. They weren't at all stressed and enjoyed exploring. Bobbin then took himself off back upstairs and with some trepidation we let Hollie follow. We were really pleased in that again there was no aggression and both bunnies even took a treat from Louise at pretty much the same time in their room.

It all went pear shaped though when Bobbin tried to squeeze himself into the gap between the pen and a wall. This gave Hollie the opportunity to nip him a few times. It seems that when Hollie has him cornered or they are in a small space then she turns into a bully. I now realise that trying to bond them in a small space is never going to work. It may be that they can have closely supervised free range time together but I think we have to accept that getting them together properly is not meant to be.

c.bolduan wrote:Gentle persistence it will be. Keep it up and bonding vibes are on their way

You are the one that sees them and knows them so,
No more bonding vibes but lets get us all settled vibes for your warren and for your self!

Settling vibes, I like that CB love, I am sending them too.

Hugs
JO xx