Bonding Storm and Jessi/Resolved-Bonded

[Mrs. PBJ]

Ok so Their not crazy. But pretty darn close to make it in this family.

So this is how it happened. Four days after jessi spay I got noisy. So I put them in the bathtub for like 30 seconds together.

They did nothing Jessi pancaked and Storm flicked her off almost. So yesterday me and hubby where cleaning cages at the same time. Well they both jumped out. So we let me watched waited nothing. They played jessi is still pretty freaked by the front room.

Here is the final product of this.

They slept in their cages last night no way on that one. I mean leaven them out attended.

Well this morning I put them in their pin together.
Storm Nips at Jessi Jessi runs away. She does not fight is this normal? Is this a dominance thing? Is Jessi giving in? Or should I be worried

I do know that they won't fight per say.

I hope you enjoy herring about our troubles and triumphs.

 

[elrohwen]

Not fighting is good! Pretty much anything other than fighting is just them working out their communication between themselves. Fighting is where you really want to step in and break them up, but a little nipping is fine as long as it doesn't escalate.

Good job! They sound like a very easy bond. And you're brave to put them together on non-neutral territoriy so quickly!

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

elrohwen wrote:

Not fighting is good! Pretty much anything other than fighting is just them working out their communication between themselves. Fighting is where you really want to step in and break them up, but a little nipping is fine as long as it doesn't escalate.

Good job! They sound like a very easy bond. And you're brave to put them together on non-neutral territoriy so quickly!

Thats the thing is happened by accident. I would have never done that on purpose but if they are fine why should I move them?

But they both play in the area so is it kinda neutral?

 

[elrohwen]

I definitely didn't say you should move them! As long as they're fine and working things out, then it's working for them.

The common play area is generally considered semi-neutral. A neutral area is somewhere neither bun has been before, and a semi-neutral area is somewhere they have both been in many times.

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

elrohwen wrote:

I definitely didn't say you should move them! As long as they're fine and working things out, then it's working for them.

The common play area is generally considered semi-neutral. A neutral area is somewhere neither bun has been before, and a semi-neutral area is somewhere they have both been in many times.

Ok cool I did not mean to say it like that sorry it came off bad LOL.

They are fine right now they are in their own cages I finally got the nerve to leave the doors open.

 

[elrohwen]

I would just caution to not let them get into each other's cage during their joint playtime. You might find that one of them is territorial of his or her own personal space, and if they start a fight in one of those SuperPet cages it could be really hard to get at them and separate them. I would just keep bonding in the semi-neutral play zone, then confine them to a pen 24/7 for a few days, then clean the cages out throughly with vinegar before letting them use them again. Better safe than sorry is my bonding motto - espeically because a bad territorial fight can set you back quite a bit.

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

To above post yes Storm is so the aggressor. Jessi will just run from him but every time they get close he nose butts her. He is not even nipping I checked her bum and not fur is coming out.


I am wondering if he is going to come around when she gets scared from us moving or something she runs to Storm and he will let her be their for a minute before he nose butts her and makes her leave him alone. she hangs out on top of her cage a lot although she has always done this even before we let them out together.

Even if they don't bond and we can let them out at the same time thats fine with me and hubby. Although if it does not work out at all thats fine to.

I am hoping to have only one cage one day and have it open 24/7.

Kat

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

elrohwen wrote:

I would just caution to not let them get into each other's cage during their joint playtime. You might find that one of them is territorial of his or her own personal space, and if they start a fight in one of those SuperPet cages it could be really hard to get at them and separate them. I would just keep bonding in the semi-neutral play zone, then confine them to a pen 24/7 for a few days, then clean the cages out throughly with vinegar before letting them use them again. Better safe than sorry is my bonding motto - espeically because a bad territorial fight can set you back quite a bit.

I meant to say earlier I did close their cages thats makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the help

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

Bonding day three



Well I opened their cages and let them out this morning they are completely ignoring each other.

I am talking Storm on one side of the run Jessi on the other. I am hoping they come together but I am not sure. Jessi is defiantly giving Storm his space.

So I am not sure if Storm is going to fully except her. But at this point they can be out together. So that helps.


Kat

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

Ok so I have a question.

Why does Storm nip her? He gets noisy and wants to smell her but as soon as she moves he nips her. Its not hard enough to even make mark or pull fur. Its like a booty bump.

all she does is run and when he gets close to her she runs now a lot of the time. Its like he wants to be with her but he is scared she will hurt him.

There has never been a fight. And they have never been left alone together. While the time their doors where open they where in the same pet giant without a fight. But I did close them do to advice given.

Is this something Storm is going to have to work through or will it never work. They can be in the same area and have been for three days now. Their has not been any huge fights what so ever. Really no fights at all beside Jessi trying to hump Storm one time and he just jumped out from under her. He did not even nip her then. But he then did the butt nip thing.

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

I did not let this happen LOL I went to the restroom to come back and find Storms cage open and Jessi and Storm in their after this photo op they where both removed.

Jessi can open the cage I watched her do it. Well Storms cage does not latch right either its bent. So that is why most likly but this is how they are.

Untell Storm decides to nip her bum and she runs off.

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

Ok so Bonding day three ended. So Storm is still the aggressor. He will bum nip her he did start pulling hair at one point today while boss was out.

So I put Boss up and it went back to bunny bump. I just set up the other cage right outside the pen for the night there is not much in it because all Storm will do is sleep in there.

He sleeps on a normal schedule so I put his water bowl and litter box thats all their is. Oh his bad and his toy.

Jessi is pretty scared of Storm almost every time he come near her she runs now. But at the same time when he is not trying to be aggressive she does not run. Its hard to explain like Ali told me today only I will truly know.

Storm did protect Jessi from boss today. Boss tried to play with Jessi and Storm was in the dining room. Well storm came full speed ahead at Boss ran him off then licked Jessi's face and then got behind her and did the booty bite thing he always does.

I still don't know why he does this but hey everything I have read says its ok and make sure Jessi can get away which as much hides stuff as they have she does.

But they ate side by side today and even ate out of the hay ben together. When I separate them Jessi had a fit she is still having one right now. Its a true love hate relationship.

But I told her if the nipping stops we may be able to try a over nighters with me and her daddy on the air mattress in the living room and them out in the pin together.

I think she may have a talk with Storm tonight.

Well night guys have to go to bed myself.

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

Bonding day four.

Ok so poor Jessi was as close to Storm as she could get this morning. She really likes her bother. He is not nipping her as much today. The only difference is the fact that they are next to each other in the litter box in the run and yesterday Storm was nipping her in the bum in the litter box.

I am doing what Ali said and they are out all day by them selves together and then separate cages at night.

Well have to go feed them before I am the product of nips from two hungry buns.

 

[elrohwen]

I think it sounds like they are doing great! It may be frustrating that Storm seems to nip her or push her, but as no fights are breaking out, I think they're doing just fine. They're just trying to work out their communication and they'll get it.

And if they're able to be out together all day without fighting, I think you could probably put them in one pen together soon - maybe next week if you're comfortable. Sometimes bunnies don't really cuddle and groom until they've been living together for a while, so there's nothing wrong with housing bunnies together who get along but aren't in love yet. It'll come with time. And I certainly don't think they won't ever bond - I think they're actually fairly close.

How often does he chase her and nip her? Is it constant, or just every once in a while? Does it happen if she gets near his food or litter box? Or just randomly?

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

Not food or litterbox they eat hay and food right next to each other.

More when he is doing something that he does not want her doing. Other time they come face to face and just hang out.

I think he is coming around.

No their has been no fight I can say though if Jessi was a dominate bun it would be a totally different Story.

Its not constant its more like every once in a while.

Right now their both sleeping like 2 feet away from each other.

 

[elrohwen]

If it's only occasional, I think that's great! I really think in a few days you can set up a new pen for them and just leave them together 24/7. It doesn't sound like there's anything that would prevent them from living together. And as time goes on they'll get closer and will do more grooming and things.

My two are ready for this "cementing" phase tonight, yet they still don't groom each other. They're more buddies than lovers, but sometimes that stuff takes more time.

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

elrohwen wrote:

If it's only occasional, I think that's great! I really think in a few days you can set up a new pen for them and just leave them together 24/7. It doesn't sound like there's anything that would prevent them from living together. And as time goes on they'll get closer and will do more grooming and things.

My two are ready for this "cementing" phase tonight, yet they still don't groom each other. They're more buddies than lovers, but sometimes that stuff takes more time.

They will be housed in their pin with one Pet Giant.
The cage will be open 24/7. Unless they start chewing my carpet and then they will be in the Pet Giant at night.

But I don't think that would be a issue. With chewing carpet neither of them do it thank goodness.

 

[elrohwen]

I would put them in just a pen to start for the first week or so. You want the new area to seem "new" and not have items the bunnies used individually (even if you clean the superpet cages well first). After the week is up and they're full cemented into a bond, you can add back a cleaned superpet cage.

eta: I would especially do it this way as there is still some nipping and chasing going on. You definitely don't want Storm to decide to be territorial over the cage and start a fight in one. The pen is just a safer way to start out a bond.

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

Well in tradition I seem to be posting a photo everyday.

This was them Jessi is in the box I don't know if you can really see her.

Just another I took a couple

And one of Phoenix for good measure

 

[Mrs. PBJ]

Ok so I think I figured out Storm nipping thing at least maybe for today. When she is in his way he nips her. They have been coming together more and more today.

So I am hoping they come together over the next couple of days.

Here is a picture to end the night.

Just taken

Hope you all enjoy