Charlie and Gracie; Battle of Bonding!

[Kimberly09]

Charlie is a beautiful Mini Rex/Dutch mix. He is neutered, just over 2 years old and weighs just under 5 lbs. Gracie is a cute little Dutch/Netherland Dwarf mix (though I think her parents were mixes as well). She is spayed, is 10 months old and weighs about 3 lbs. They are currently pretty use to each other. During the past 5 months they have been living side by side. They share a room that is split in half by a long baby play pen gate sectional. So each has his/her own side. I have never had problems with them being aggressive through the gate. Although once Gracie managed to get through the gate and explored Charlie's side. I don't think he was to happy, but there were no marks/bites on either one so it didn't appear that they fought.

Gracie is now 4 weeks post spay and I am ready to start trying to bond them. I figured a blog would be a good place to keep updates and get input from others! Today I plan on doing the first date in a small gated off section of our hallway that neither have had access too.

 

[pani]

Ooh, I'm excited to read more of this!

I've just recently begun trying to bond my two (far younger) bunnies together, so it'll be cool to have another bond relationship to compare it with.

 

[Imbrium]

Whee, bonding! Good luck with all of it

 

[Chrisdoc]

Oh, what a cute pair. Lots of bonding experience onhere so you're in the right place. Love reading about new buns and it is a great way to journal your experiences.

 

[Kimberly09]

Session One

Well I just got done with their first (planned) encounter with no barriers. It went SO surprisingly well! I was only planning on leaving them together between 15-30 mins depending on how it went, well I ended up leaving them together for almost an hour! For the first five minutes of being together they ignored each other, both exploring the small space. Then Charlie would approach Gracie, and she would just sit there, so still not moving with her head on the ground. There were a few butt nips from Charlie that sent Gracie to the other side of the area. But nothing aggressive. Then they kept going head to head. Like pushing their foreheads against each other and sitting there still for a bit. Almost like saying to the other one "No, you groom me first". Well at the 10 minute mark Charlie gave in and started grooming Gracie. I could not believe my eyes though! It only took 10 minutes and he was grooming her!!

After that is was all pretty similar. Once in a while a butt nip from each other, otherwise they stayed right by each other. Kept doing the head to head thing which always ended with Charlie giving in and grooming Gracie. Charlie already acts like he is in love and comfortable with her. While Gracie did not act super comfortable. She just kinda sat there, taking Charlie's grooming. Not really moving around much. Toward the end Charlie squeezed between Gracie and the wall to snuggle, Gracie just kept sitting there, not looking to pleased, but not hopping away. During the whole session there was no humping, no poops and no pee spots.

I plan on doing another session this evening since this one went so well!

Oh and sorry the pictures aren't the greatest, I kept the flash off because I didn't want to disrupt or scare them.

 

[Imbrium]

Wow, sounds like they got off to a GREAT start!

 

[Kimberly09]

Session Two

Last evening we did the second encounter. It lasted about an hour. It went pretty much as the first one did. They explored for the first 5-10 minutes. Then they would go head to head and Charlie would groom Gracie. And boy did he go to town! I think her face was wet by the end of the session from all his grooming. When he got tired of grooming Gracie, he would lay down right next to her, all snuggled and pushed against her. She pretty much just sat there the entire session. I still am not sure how comfortable Gracie is, since she didn't really do much which is completely opposite of her personality.

There was a few butt nips but no humping and no fights. Also no poop or pee spots

 

[Aubrisita]

Your two are so cute. It sounds and looks like things are going smoothly, fingers crossed that it continues to go well.

 

[Chrisdoc]

Sounds like they are getting on well and lying next to each other is a good sign as is grooming. They are so cute together so hope it continues along the same path with no big disagreements. Look forward to more pics

 

[Kimberly09]

Alright, so I haven't been able to update this thread in awhile since I was having computer troubles.

The bonding process has been going great! They have been having dates that range from 1.5-2.5 hours a day. Varying from everyday to every other day depending on how busy I am. There has not been any humping or fighting at all during this whole process. So I have no clue who is dominate. The both currently groom each other and lay next to each other. I have successfully increased their space and introduced hay, litter box, toys and they eat lettuce together.

They currently have their bunny dates in the space that will be their permanent home together, which is my laundry room. Right now they only have access to about half of it. I want to make sure they keep their litter habits before giving them free roam of the rest of the room.

But the dilemma I'm currently in is I don't know if they are successfully bonded yet? I've never done this before so I'm not sure what to use as "signs". Since they have gotten along great from the start their isn't any real progress since they didn't have anything they needed to progress from. Right now they are in the laundry room and have been for about an hour. I plan on leaving them in there most of the day and see how they do for a long period together. The longest they have been together so far is 2.5 hours. And when they aren't together on their dates, they live side by side so they constantly have contact with each other.

 

[lovelops]

They are So cute... Gracie looks like Chica! What a cutie! Not knocking Charlie he is a handsome fellow! I'm so glad to see they are getting along well. I still have WWF going on with Brooke and Lady. I had put them together in the garden in a divided area and they go for where they can see each other and start biting at each other through the gate, but we had the presence of mind to put screen up like the screen in your window so they can't actually bite each other.. I hope some time in the future they will bond but I'm starting to doubt it.

Vanessa

 

[Kimberly09]

They are So cute... Gracie looks like Chica! What a cutie! Not knocking Charlie he is a handsome fellow! I'm so glad to see they are getting along well. I still have WWF going on with Brooke and Lady. I had put them together in the garden in a divided area and they go for where they can see each other and start biting at each other through the gate, but we had the presence of mind to put screen up like the screen in your window so they can't actually bite each other.. I hope some time in the future they will bond but I'm starting to doubt it.

Vanessa

That's too bad! Hopefully they will come around the longer they are together and figure out the other isn't a threat. Are they spayed?

 

[Kimberly09]

Well on Friday the two buns were together for 6.5 hours in their new home area, which is my laundry room. I mentioned in a previous post that they are only in half the room since I want to make sure they don't loose their litter habits before letting them have the full space.

Saturday they spent the whole day together and did great. I wasn't watching them the whole time but I was always within ear shot. In the evening I put them to the final test. Pellets! Oh how they both love their pellets! I got both bowls and put them about 2 feet apart (just in case). Both buns had no trouble what so ever! I felt pretty good so I left them together last night. I did not wake up to any disputes or chasing. I did check on them like 5 times and they both would just look at me like "What are you doing up??"

So this morning I think its official! They are BONDED!!

I have to say though, this was so much easier then I thought. I must have really gotten lucky with two buns who are easy going and naturally like each other. I just know the next I time I try to bond two rabbits i'm probably going to make up for this walk in the park!

 

[pani]

Imbrium mentioned in another thread recently that a good rule of thumb is that if bunnies can have a play date without needing intervention for 6+ hours, it's pretty much safe to consider them bonded. I'd say it sounds like they're bonded.

Edit: You beat me to it! Congratulations on your cute little bond~!