Bonding- Car rides

[Rachy1412]

Just a quick question! I am currently bonding two females. A 2yr spayed lion head and a 3month unspayed dutch/lion head. It's been suggested that I take them for a car ride together. I am off to the vets this evening for the 3month olds vaccinations. Should I take them in the same carrier together? What if they fight, then what will I do? The carrier only opens from the front. I've only been bonding them since Monday. Although there has been no aggression during bonding only 'please groom me!'. However they are sharing a room and the 2yr old goes nuts if she sees her running around her patch and tries to bite her. Today though the 2yr old groomed the baby during bonding time.

So my question is, is it worth the risk? How many of you have done car rides while bonding two rabbits and done it successfully? Or how many have tried it and it ended in tears?

I will post a longer post later with names, pictures and more information!

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

I wouldn't recommend doing it unless you can have someone else drive while you are in the back with them. But, I also wouldn't have them in a carrier that's hard to get to them quickly to separate them if there were a fight. A laundry basket or box would be better.

 

[tonyshuman]

I agree with AngelnSnuffy. I took my two for a car ride later in the bonding process, when I was sure they wouldn't bite, stomp, or hump excessively. They still were a bit timid around each other, and being in a scary confined space for some time helped with that!. Some good first bonding sessions are in the bathtub with you watching, ready to separate if need be or spray the offenders with a water bottle!

 

[Rachy1412]

Thanks guys. I took them in a divided pet shop cage; they were fine, couldn't really be bothered about it all.

I need some more help now! Just so you know Smokey is the spayed 2yr old and Pixie is the unspayed 3month old.

On Thursday Smokey started to groom Pixie but got nothing in return. She did it again the next day when Pixie asked her too, so when Pixie turned around Smokey shoved her head up her behind and nipped her causing Pixie to jump a mile in the air but did not fight back. Yesterday we changed bonding locations and it made Smokey much happier. She wouldn't move when she was in the kitchen on lino. So they were investigating the living room which has carpet. Pixie came running up to her so they both lowered heads, Pixie got a little groom and then run off. A couple of minutes later she came back for another, again they both lowered heads but this time Smokey gave a her a good few nips on the face. Thankfully Pixie did not do anything and just run off.

How do we get her to start grooming Smokey? At her age does she even know about grooming other rabbits? We've tried rubbing banana on Smokey's head but Pixie just eats her hair!

 

[Hazel]

Banana on the head. Works every time.


But really, you should continue bonding stuff, but don't get too comfortable with them until your little one is neutered. My buns were bonded before the little one hit pueberty and as soon as she did, the dynamics changed and there were problems. The fact that the older one is already neutered is good and will help, but really, you should wait on the full bonding, living together experience until they're both neutered.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

It can be quite tough to bond females, even both spayed. It can be done, just depends on the buns. Spaying both will definitely help. You can also try the laundry basket and carry them around in it to help bond them, but I'd wait til Pixie is spayed as well to start seriously bonding them.

 

[tonyshuman]

There doesn't have to be reciprocal grooming to know that they're bonded. Tony didn't groom Muffin until after they were bonded--he just wanted to be the "boss bunny." I knew they were bonded because the humping lessened, they'd flop, groom, and eat together, and any signs of aggression stopped. Gradually we left them alone together for longer periods of time until we could leave them together all the time. Good luck, and spaying will help.