Benjamin's (and hopefully Star's) Blog

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RebeccaUK

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Hi Everyone

Please see the link below for the back story...

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=21868&forum_id=16

I'm starting a new chapter in Benjamin's life and hoping to get him bonded with a new female bunny soon.

This morning Twinkle passed and Benjamin didn't really take much noticeof her body despite me showing her to him although I'm sure he is sadand missing her now.

We went out this afternoon to visit a couple of rescues and tookBenjamin along to go on some 'bunny dates' they did NOT gowell. He saw two adult females and they really tore stripsoff each other - I'm not sure who started the fights but Benjamincertainly wasn't innocent - there was definitely no love at firstsight. By 2pm we felt that he's had enough given that he'sfought with two female rabbits in the space of 20 minutes so we visitedthe RSPCA to see what bunnies they had in - Benjamin didn't come alongwe left him outside by the car with my Mum who fed himdandelions!!

We saw a very cute female adult named Mabel who was spayed onlyyesterday and she was timid but seemed ok - not too scared and Imanaged to get a little cuddle although she didn't really enjoy it toomuch. I decided just to go for it and put my name down toadopt her.

We should be getting her in the next week or so as she is ready to gowith her vacc's and spay complete. My major worry is the factthat Benjamin has not met her and I really want them to bond but theway he attacked those otehr bunnies doesn't look too promising and I'mpretty sure that Mabel would be worse off in a fight with Benjamingiven the fact that he's about 6.5lbs and I'd hazard a guess at herbeing about 4lbs.

We will keep them separate initially but I really hope they will bondas I don't want Benjamin to be on his own. As a bonded bunnyhe was so happy and Twinkle was his sweetheart so I hope he can comearound to the idea of having a new love in his life. I willfeel so bad for Mabel if he doesn't accept her and vica versa.

I need to gather all my tips and cheat-sheets together now forsuccessful bonding techniques as it's a few years since we did ourbonding between Twinkle and Benjamin and we got off rather lightly withthose two as the gelled really well and were together 24 hours a daywithin a week of being introduced.

Can anyone recommend any good bonding websites or tips and techniquesthat worked for you? I know last time I used the MiriamsBunny's webpage which did help but I'm not sure if it's still out there.

You should know that Benjamin is a grumpy bun - I'm almost certain hewill be the dominant bunny in any relationship so any tips that workedfor particularly angry buns will be helpful - I just hope Mabel issubmissive enough to let him get on with his moods and deal with itlike Twinkle did!!!

Thanks for reading
 
I made a big fuss of Benjamin yesterdayafternoon - he ate lots of treats and I spent a long time stroking andgrooming him. I know he is missing Twinkle as he seems to belooking for her. He spent ages smelling the patch of carpetwhere they laid together.

When he went to bed last night (a 3-storey hutch in the garage) insteadof sitting on the middle layer where he and Twinkle preferred to sit hewent up to the top of the hutch and peered out of the cage window as ifhe was looking out for her and I know he sat there all night as therewere poo's there this morning and his food on the middle layer andtoilet on the bottom layer had not been touched. Thankfullyhe is eating but he's being selective and won't touch his bunny foodbut I'm tempted him with some dandelions and some celery.

This morning I've been with him since 6am - I went out in the gardenand did some tidying up and kept passing him dandelions through thebars and then he came inside as I cleaned the kitchen - he seemed alittle agitated but he's settled a bit now in his and Twinkle'sfavourite spot.

Twinkle was buried yesterday afternoon in my Mum's garden - we placedher in a box with some hay, her towel and a picture of her and Benjamintogether and on top of her is a rose bush called 'Rememberance' whichshould blossom red flowers when it grows.

I feel happy to move on and take Mabel into my care but I'm soapprehensive about the introductions between her andBenjamin. We had it so easy with Benjamin and Twinkle and Ijust get the feeling this one may be tougher especially after hisinstant dislike to the two bunnies he met yesterday. I haveto try for his sake though.


 
Here's to good memories and good bonding,Rebecca.
flowers.gif


It may be better when you bring the girl into the boy's territory, thegirls are territorial. They may have considered the meetingspace their property and didn't make Benjamin welcome:stikpokeand he retaliated in a dominant, ungentleman-likemanner. :angryrant

I think you'll be able to bond them, justgive them both a lotof space. I have a mother-daughter team and a boy-girlpairing who appear bonded until they end up ina cagetogether. They will live together, butif they'renot in abig pen or free run, there area lot ofmissing tufts of fur. :nono

Again, so sorry about Twinke.:pink iris: I'll make a Rainbow Bridge post for her. :rainbow:



sas :hug2:
 
Poor Benjamin. I know how upsetting it is to see a bunny missing their partner. Pernod still misses Perry :(.

I really hope that Benjamin and Mabel bond together. I've had no luckwith Pernod and Shadow, and don't think I ever will. But that is downto Pernod being the fiesty little girl she is, and I know most bunnieswill bond to anoter after having lost their partner. I will keepeverything crossed for you.

Look forward to seeing pics of Mabel when she arrives :)

Jan
 
Grrrr the stupid RSPCA!!!!!!! I am not gettingMabel anymore because the RSPCA phoned me on Sunday afternoon and toldme she had already been adopted by someone else and was going hom onMonday morning! The woman who showed us around didn't botherto check Mabel's records and let me put my name down to adopt her - howannoying!!

Anyway I guess it wasn't meant to be. Instead I've put myname down to adopt another girl bun at a different rescue - her name isStar and my hubby thinks it's an omen because it's such a similar nameto Twinkle!!! She is small but feisty so I'm not sure how thebonding will go between them but the rescue place want me to takeBenjamin over on Saturday and they will put them together in a stableand see what happens! I'm very nervous as I don't want eitherbun to get hurt from fighting but I guess I have to try for Benjamin'ssake.

I'll get a pic of star off the rescue website and post it in a minute.

Rebecca xx
 
Urgh, I hate when people don't do their job properly.

Hopefully little Star will have a more positive outcome with you.

I'll be hoping for you, that everything goes as you want it to :)

Keep us updated
 
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