Bonded rabbits....But

Shop deals on ebay
shop deals on amazon
Advertise with us
Love your rabbit
Rabbits Online Forum

Help Support Rabbits Online Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Hayley411

Hayley411

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2007
Messages
402
Reaction score
1
Location
port orchard, Washington, USA
I am not sure I am putting this in the right section.

But anyways I have Sherbert and her daughter Luna I am keeping them together so they can be bonded but last night I looked in their cage and Luna was nursing. Luna is 12 weeks old now so what should I do? Will Sherbert wean her on her own or am I going to have to seperate them?

~Hayley
 
Did Luna stop nursing and then just start again or has she just kept on nursing? I don't really know what I would do in that situation. I would think sooner or later she would wean her orSherberts milk would dry up. Do you have a vet you could call to ask advice on how to wean her? Or maybe try to search the internet and see if there is something you can do to help her wean. Is she eating regular food too? I hope some else comes along and can give you better advice.

If you don't have a vet you could call you could try the House Rabbit Society. They have a lot of good resources. I called them when I was having a hard time bonding my two rabbits and they gave great advice for free.

I would hate to see you have to separate them. Good Luck and keep us up to date.
 
Luna has been eating pellets and hayfor weeks now. I thought Sherbert had weaned her as I haven't seen her nurse since she was about 8 weeks old then yesterday I walked in and Luna was nursing. I just don't know what to do, I don't want to have to seperate them.

And no I don't have a vet I can call.

~Hayley
 
At 12 weeks after kindling, I'd guess that Sherbert's milk has dried up and Luna is just trying to nurse. (You can check to see if she is still producing milk by checking her nipples.) It'll be up to Sherbert to put a stop to it. She can discipline Luna to leave her alone.

One thing I would keep an eye on is to make sureSherbert's nipples are not getting irritated, cracked or infected. A 12 week old baby's teethcan inflict some serious damage. If she is still lactating, you might have to seperate them for a few weeks til she dries up. (You can keep them side-by-side, but seperate,and let them play, just no nursing.)
 
Sadly Sherbert is still producing milk. So I guess now I have to seperate them :(. I am really sad about this as they really do love each other. I had Sherbert out by herself so I could see if she was still producing milk. Luna went crazy running back and forth evenbiting the barstrying to escape. When I put Sherbert back she layed down and Luna came runing up and started grooming her. I really am bummed about this.

So how long do they have to be seperated? After being apart will they still love each other? Will they get along?

~Hayley
 
Hayley411 wrote:
Sadly Sherbert is still producing milk. So I guess now I have to seperate them :(. I am really sad about this as they really do love each other. I had Sherbert out by herself so I could see if she was still producing milk. Luna went crazy running back and forth evenbiting the barstrying to escape. When I put Sherbert back she layed down and Luna came runing up and started grooming her. I really am bummed about this.

So how long do they have to be seperated? After being apart will they still love each other? Will they get along?

~Hayley
Click to expand...
keeping them side by side and give them as much supervised play as you can might help:)
 
Yeah, I'd still seperate them. It's not good for her to be lactating this long without a break. And sooner or later, her nipples are going to get infected.

Keep them side by side, where they can lay against each other. Give them plenty of supervised play time, but don't let Luna nurse. (I had one friend that put a sock over her rabbit to protect the nipples, cut off the toe and slipped it over her head and behind the front legs, so it covered the belly. She adjusted and wore it when playing in the yard. She had to keep the nipples clean and dry...)

It may take a week -10 days to dry up. Just keep an eye on her. You can probably put them back together in 2 weeks. (As long as Luna isn't trying to nurse!)
 
Okay thanks. I am going to have to do some rearranging and Iwon'thave a spare cage until tomarrow when some people come to pick up their baby bunny. I'm going to have to seriously think how I can get a cage next to Sherberts...hmm. Would luna be okay living in a carry-cage for a couple weeks? My only spare cages are a condo unit.

~Hayley
 
How big a carry cage? LOL! I have 24" x 24" carry cages for Flemish, and I have 10" x 10" carry cages for Mini Rex....

Do the best you can for now. It's really for Sherberts best interest to get Luna off her nipples.
 
A 24"x 24" carry cage!:shock:Thats how big Sherberts actualcage is. How big are your flemish cages?

The carry cage I have is 18"x18" so quite small. It will just have to do I guess, I don't really have any other choice. At least it will only be for a week or two.

~Hayley
 
Okay so the girls have been seperated since last night. I just put them in the x-pen together and Sherbert started chasing Luna around. It's only been one night! This really doesn't bode well.

They are now cuddled togther in the litterbox but still why did Sherbert chase her like that?I am quite concerned that Sherbert will not accept her after 2 weeks apart. I guess I just give them as much supervised time together as possible.

~Hayley
 
Sherbert may have just missed her and wanted to play... you know, like a bunny version of "where the heck have you been!" And her mammary glands may have been full (due to the time apart) and she may have wanted Luna to nurse. Give her a few days, she will dry up once the demand is not there.

You can also switch them back and forth between cages so they get each others smell, (and that way they each get time in the big cage!)
 
Yeah I am going to switch them back and forth between cages and actually I think I'll have Sherbert stay in the x-pen and Luna will stay in the cage.

I made a shirt out of a sock for Sherbert because Luna would not stop tying to nurse it looks so silly :p. When I was putting it on her I did notice that her mammary glands were full.

~Hayley
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top