New Bun, New Concerns

[Salem's Momma]

Hi all! I’m not sure where to post this so I thought I would start here. I’ve had my first little boy for about a year now. Salem is a cat in a bunny suit. Loves pets and snuggles on his terms but is the most loving, full of sass, teeny little bun ever. He’s a dwarf lion head and aside from zoomies when out of his pen he’s content to hang around or hunt for treats in his diggy box. Enter Sabrina…lord, help me with this baby girl. Adopted in May, Eeny Bean is the total opposite of her brother! But, I was told she was “just a big, chill, baby bun.” No problem, I can handle a baby (12 weeks at adoption). I have patience…and I do. I can handle the mess, the energy and the appetite. What I’m struggling with is the sheer amount of TROUBLE this baby girl attracts. Water bowls flipped over soaking everything, gravity feeders/ weighted water dishes flipped over… towels, toys, blankets destroyed and/or soaked because she has flipped another water bowl 5 minutes after I filled it. I let her out of her pen and she’s tormenting Salem through the cage (not fully bonded so not living together yet) by rattling his cage bars. She won’t be pet, can’t stand any touch. I’ve had to pick her up a few times for safety reasons and she has shredded my arms and neck with her pterodactyl claws like a teeny yet terrifying dinosaur. She could be out of her pen for hours and the minute I close the pen door she’s throwing water bowls in temper and rattling the pen like a prisoner of war! Now add to this I’ve just found out she’s a Flemish/Silver Fox mix so this baby isn’t even half her size yet!!!! I want to make this work, I really do. The previous advice I’ve gotten was to give her until after the spay (scheduled for July 5) and she’ll “probably settle.” Probably???? I’m at a loss. Does anyone have any advice for calming her down and just earning her good graces? I fear Salem and I may lose our minds otherwise.

 

[Blue eyes]

She's being hormonal from the sounds of it. Is your male neutered? They can't bond yet anyway so you are right to keep them separate. Spaying her is a good idea not only for her health, but it also increases the chances of them bonding later on. Chances also increase if he is neutered as well.

Flipping bowls is simply playing. Perhaps provide some tossing type of toys for her. I'd also suggest getting one of those bowls that twists onto a clamp. These cannot be flipped.


I'd be inclined to keep her confined to her ex-pen until after her spay (but it isn't necessary). That would just be me... to keep her a bit reigned in. If she chews on the bars, put cardboard (ziptied or twistie tied) on that part of the pen. I'd consider putting various items in the pen for her to explore (since she seems adventurous!) and changing those on a daily basis. Cardboard boxes with doorways cut out, tunnels, hideys, twigs, seagrass mats, etc. can all add interest and keep her occupied. It goes without saying to be sure she's getting plenty of hay. That can also help occupy her time. Try stuffing hay inside a paper towel tube too.

Distraction is what you're after for her during this phase (and, yes, patience for you too).

 

[Salem's Momma]

She's being hormonal from the sounds of it. Is your male neutered? They can't bond yet anyway so you are right to keep them separate. Spaying her is a good idea not only for her health, but it also increases the chances of them bonding later on. Chances also increase if he is neutered as well.

Flipping bowls is simply playing. Perhaps provide some tossing type of toys for her. I'd also suggest getting one of those bowls that twists onto a clamp. These cannot be flipped.
View attachment 61306

I'd be inclined to keep her confined to her ex-pen until after her spay (but it isn't necessary). That would just be me to keep her a bit reigned in. If she chews on the bars, put cardboard (ziptied or twistie tied) on that part of the pen. I'd consider putting various items in the pen for her to explore (since she seems adventurous!) and changing those on a daily basis. Cardboard boxes with doorways cut out, tunnels, hideys, twigs, seagrass mats, etc. can all add interest and keep her occupied. It goes without saying to be sure she's getting plenty of hay. That can also help occupy her time. Try stuffing hay inside a paper towel tube too.

Distraction is what you're after for her during this phase (and, yes, patience for you too).

Thank you! She has more toys than my toddler nephews. Lol! I did get a type of water dish that clamps to the pen so I did something right. I didn’t think of hormones but that makes sense. Salem is fixed, yes. Which is probably why he’s so chill. He was fixed before I adopted him. And he just sort of stares at her with this look of total bewilderment when she has a tantrum. He’s so trained that he knows bedtime if I say “go night night.” Sabrina has zero concept of sleep. I never see this little one lay down for more than about 10 minutes.

I haven’t even started bonding them yet besides having their pens side by side. Salem will groom her thru the bars and she seems to like that so I have hope there. I don’t mind letting her out for a little while because she’s better behaved out of the pen and her litter skills are impeccable right now.

I’m going to try switching her toys out more often, like you suggest. I have given up hope yet! More upset that she seems so unsettled. But if it is hormones then that will change. Thanks again for the advice!

Here’s pics of Eeny Bean…