Bonding vol 2

[Catlyn]

Today's dating matchup is Storm (neutered 1.5y/o broken black gold-and silver-tipped steel French lop) and Iris ( spayed 8m/o broken orange helicopter mix).
They've been living as close neighbours for a month now, and Iris' spay was also more than a month ago and since i have no more super busy periods coming up, i thought it would be a great idea to start their dating process.
I'm using the most neutral territory i can get my hands on, which is a ~ 3*4m toiletroom. The last rabbits to briefly inhabit this room were Lümi and Storm during their bonding last August.
I'm attempting sessions about 1-2hrs long.
They're doing great for the first 20 minutes. I've seen one nose touch and a small nip by Storm, which recieved no retort. I've seen both grooming at the same time, although from the opposite corners. They've briefly munched from two piles of hay as well.
It seems to be a smoother than expected bonding. We'll have to see. Thumbs up!

 

[OreoTheMiniLop]

Hope everything continues to go well!

 

[Catlyn]

Today's bonding session ended in bliss! We got some ear kissies from Iris to Storm!

 

[JBun]

This is so perfect! Fingers crossed for continued happy and calm bunnies and dating sessions.

 

[Catlyn]

Amazing morning session! Only half an hour, but yes. No nipping, no grunting, no mounting. Happened to end in the most positive way i could think of- Storm was loafing around and Iris came to give him a minute full of facial grooming!
Added: sometimes i wonder if buns have an innate know-what's-up radar. Neither of the pairings displayed overly dominant behaviours, none of that mounting and chasing thing. I understand Lümi was kissy and "let's get along" to everyone, so i get that he was more than okay to be the one grooming Storm. Iris, however, was the one who tended to start nipping thru bars, so i thought maybe she would be the boss. But nope. Without having any obvious dominancy pressed on her, she took the role of the groomer. Huh.

 

[JBun]

Woo-hoo!!! It's looking like you really might have lucked out finding him the right companion. I'm so glad it's all working out.

 

[Catlyn]

Yess! I'm also so excited to see them working their way into getting along!
Now, i'm a bit antsy and nervous as to how and if their developing bond will last through when it's time for them to move into Storm's condo. I've moved Lümi and Storm together and it worked because the little prince was nice to his new roommate.
I hope that if i clean Storm's condo with dilluted vinegar solution and shift some of the interior around, it would be sufficient?

 

[Catlyn]

Second day, third session. 3-8pm.
I saw a buuunch of kissies from Iris. Surprisingly, Storm returned the gesture a number of times!
They flop into one another, fall asleep just like that. Iris actively looked for closure, she made sure to squeeze herself in between Storm and the wall. One instance, Storm yawned, stretched and supermanned, Iris followed suit. She tried grooming his hocks but was instantly "abandoned". I only saw one nip from the sir, and that was only because he has a sensitive bit of skin from an eye boogie which she groomed a lot, so he told her to stop. Didn't stop her but he nipped no more, just flinched, enough to let her know.

 

[JBun]

Awww ❤ How could Storm not fall in love with her. He now has a devoted grooming slave. They look so great together... and so content with each other

 

[Catlyn]

Awww ❤ How could Storm not fall in love with her. He now has a devoted grooming slave. They look so great together... and so content with each other

I couldn't resist either. I didn't really need myself there after an hour, but i stayed just in case if Iris started to groom his eye too much. Then i'd redirect her licking tounge onto his ear.
I really did luck in with the girl!

 

[Catlyn]

Currently doing evening/night session. Finally bunny proofed the walls of Storm's condo, cleaned it out and mirrored the layout of stuff in there. Now there's a rug instead of lino, for the time being. Since the pair had been doing so well i thought might as well take a step forward and see how they fare in the bigger condo.
They disagreed on something at first and i saw a few stiff sudden head twists from Storm, something he did when he prepped to nip/bite Lümi. I saw Iris bounce to one of them, probably got nipped, but no loose fur or anything. The decided to chill out a bit and even decided to simultaneously swig from the bowl after i'd refilled it. Iris must've been too enthusiastic as she let out a sound what i can describe as if rabbits could really throw up. It must've been a funny sneeze instead.
I'll stay up as late as i can go (probably another three to six hours, until 4am at the probable latest) to see if i'll trust them to spend their first night together or not.

 

[Catlyn]

It's bare minutes after midnight and i was almost ready to fall asleep in their home. Not gonna happen. I don't want to wake up cold and full of unintentional bunny bite sized bruises. (I bruise pretty easily)
But since Iris is still a little jumpy when Storm suddenly bumps against her nose or suddenly asks to be pet when she's distracted, and she's been sniffing his bum (or rather, top of the tail) a lot, which she didn't do before, we decided it to be safer they don't spend the night in one home.
Why would she smell the top of his tail though?
With some extremely minor setbacks, the general direction is still hard steady forward and if no hics occur i'd be expecting fully bonded bunnies by sunday.
It would really help me ease out and turn my focus on some other things, which i've been pushing aside for months. Just got a month's work of a project off me before initiating bonding.
i've been a busybee for not having much going on-less and less projects but oh dear they're huge individually. Sometimes i wonder how i've not burnt out but oh boy did it feel good to have a semi-chill weekend after the workimg days had pushed me around half the country every day.

 

[JBun]

I think they're still just getting used to how each other behaves. Storm is used to behaving and reacting a certain way when having your other rabbits around. So now he's having to learn not to react to Iris in the same way. It'll take some time for him to calm down and not overreact with her anymore. I would imagine her sniffing back there is because his scent is rubbed on his tail or something like that. Can't imagine what else it could be.

 

[Catlyn]

Well, he's definetly changed for the better with Iris as i wouldn't've ever pegged him to be grooming anyone else. And yes, he did chill out with the lady.
Wasn't love at first sight but i'm more than happy to take the "we're civil and can settle without fights" route.

 

[Catlyn]

Yesterday's bonding session started at around 16:00 and it's still ongoing, currently it's half past 10 in the morning. I'm a little worrywart so i got somewhat cozy in their home with a blanket and huggie-croc and just observed as far into the night as i could take. Ended up snoozing off on the floor a little after 4 in the morning. I was woken by them zooming across and over my sleeping form.
Iris is like a sweet little rose thorn to Storm-whenever he moves across, she must follow suit. They both partake in grooming themselves and one another, peacefully share the litterbox and water bowl. Earlier in the evening i managed to see the cutest thing to date: inside the tunnel, the two lay side by side as loaves of floof, eyes completely closed, ears contently down, noses not moving.
I've also seen that Iris has tried laying over Storm's shoulders with her belly, just as i was about to get the picture, they moved and i got a super blurry mess with not what i wanted on it.
She will poke her nose into his butt skirt, then either lay down as if asking to be pet, or she will totally just flop and fall over. They tuck chins under another's and it's so stinkin cute!

I have to leave house at around 13 and i was wondering if they could now be trusted to spend the day together.
Seeing as they did great at night, i'd say why not, but i'm still a bit worried because nobody will be home to check on them until about 18 or so, as i have to spend the night away. Dad would usually stay in his car for an hour after arrival, and the soon to be drunk again mum, well, won't have any common sense. Still had to swat her cabbage away because the duo has been just a teeny bit gassy.

 

[JBun]

It was very considerate of them to let you get a little sleep before their zooming session

I would say yes, but it's up to you if you feel safe enough to leave them alone yet, being a newly bonded pair. They certainly seem very taken with each other

 

[Catlyn]

Yeah, that's the whole ordeal. They look so chummy and content next to eachother, i wouldn't want to separate them anymore. Still, the little bit failed bonding with the two boys has branded into my brain to step on the brakes and take it slow. I wouldn't want Storm to get a bit too mad that Iris is grooming his sensitive eyecorner, because that's been the sole reason for three different grunt occasions across all the days. She just wants to be there for her new pal, but i guess she's still got some "need to learn to understand hubby" going on.

 

[Catlyn]

When would they be considered fully bonded though?

 

[JBun]

If it was me, based on her complete devotion to him and basically following him around and doing whatever he wants her to do, I'd consider them bonded. But of course it's not a guarantee. I can't say for sure nothing will happen, but based on how you describe their interactions, I would think it unlikely.

 

[Catlyn]

Ended up separating them for safety's sake just before i left house.
Wrote dad a note asking that he change their toilet as i'm not there to do so myself, to let the doves back together, and to give each some simethicone because they'd been just a bit gassy from mum sneaking cabbage, carrots and other no-no in for them.
At around 7pm i was sent this:

Not only were they together, but dad had given them free reign of the whole house. For safety's sake i had him usher them back to only two rooms to begin with. Still, it seems that they'll be totally fine and it's okay for them to spend tonight together as well.
It has been a wondrously easy and fast bonding. I'm honestly astounded. Now i know how boss bunny one and boss bunny two would sort out their hierarchy: rabbits aren't humans and Iris is totally different to Storm than she is to us, in a positive way.