RebeccaUK
Well-Known Member
Hi Everyone
Well here is an update. We got Roxy the new bun on Monday and have divided Benjamin's new hut and run in half so each bun can have a side each on a night we put both buns locked inside the hut but one has free run of the hut and the other is in a smaller hutch on the base of the hut so they can still see each other.
I'm not sure whether the bond will work - I really hope so but I don't know if there are any positive signs just yet. On Monday when Roxy arrived she was very disinterested in Benjamin and he sat on his side of the run basically attacking the dividing wire and trying to get at her. The next days he seemed to lose interest and they were both sat at opposite ends of the run ignoring each other. Last night as things seemed to have cooled hubby and I decided to try the first introduction so we took them both up to the bathroom, covered the bath with towels and each bun took an end of the bath - they both seemed frightened and shell-shocked but I'm not sure if it was by each other or because they were in the weird bath. They were not interested in treats or lettuce and were both breathing pretty fast as they approached each other and immediately Roxy laid flat and stuck her head down - obviously accepting Benjamin as the dominant one - which we knew he would be! Benjamin sort of sat for a few seconds and let her shove her head under his belly and then he started nipping her and mounting her she took this at first but then retaliated and nipped him back so we then separated - the whole thing took 3 minutes! After we separated them and Roxy stayed in the bath and Benjamin on the bathroom floor for a while they both happily ate some treats and lettuce.
This morning Benjamin starting doing the attacking thing again through the bars of the run but settled down after about 20 minutes.
I'm not sure whether this was a good sign or whether things are looking bleak...I know it's too soon to tell but I'd like to know that things are moving the right way or whether I'm doing more harm than good by starting the introductions in this way. When I bonded Benjamin to Twinkle there was no humping at all as they started to sit next to each other (with the bars in between) after 2 days and when we introduced them they started grooming immediately. I just don't understand why Benjamin needs to hump Roxy when she appears to have already accepted his dominance. I don't know whether to try again with another introduction today or give it a rest - what do you think and does this sound promising???