Dexter, Trouble and Misty's Re-bonding

[Alison237]

Hi

I am going to apologise in advance for the length of this post but I am not sure what is relevant.

I have three rabbits, all are rescue bunnies so their ages are approximate, I have had them all since around the dates they were neutered.

Dexter - A mild tempered, shy male, neutered Feb o8, age 4.

Trouble - A very inquisitive, carefree male, neutered Feb 09, age 20 months.

Misty - Her temperament is somewhere in between the other two, female, spayed Sept 09, age 1.

History

Dexter and Trouble originally bonded from March 09, they rarely groomed each other, but always laid together, no fighting, both very laid back.

Misty was bonded with them in a rescue centre two months ago, all was fine but the bonding broke about 8 hours after we got them home, she seemed terrified of them and they were very confused, so I separated her and left the two boys together, but made it so they could see each other through the bars 24/7. They exercised in the garden together and ate together, after a month I put them all together and everything was fine.

Misty grooms Dexter at every opportunity and Dexter puts his head down for her to do so. Occasionally Trouble grooms and is groomed, but it is very rare and only last a few seconds.

After a week Dexter got bloat and was hospitalised for two days, when he came back he had to stay apart for monitoring, but during feeding time when they were together a fight broke out and we had to keep Dexter apart from Trouble and Misty who were now together.

Misty got bloat and peritonitis a week later and was hospitalised, when she came home she also needed monitoring so I then had all three rabbits separate but they could all see each other through the bars 24/7.

All three were given Septrin for ten days and on Misty's last x-ray (Monday) it had significantly reduced, the vet said that he hadn't expected it to have completely gone after just two weeks but was confident

Now

I brought them indoors for bonding (Thursday 12th November), from the second they went in together I had no problem, within an hour they were all laying together.

I kept them indoors for three days and the forth day I put their run in the garden for a short time, they don't like being in the run and are used to the free run on the garden but there was no problem, I did it again the next day for slightly longer and there wasn't a problem.

Wednesday I let them have free run, there was a lot of binkying and everyone was fine, the same happened yesterday.

Yesterday evening, when they had been back indoors for at least 4 hours, something happened between Misty and Dexter, they started running around each other and Misty tried to nip Dexter, it wasn't as nasty as the fight they had a few weeks before and although I jumped up and stopped it, I have a feeling that they would have stopped when Dexter ran away to the litter tray anyway.

Since then it has been on and off, one minute Misty will be licking Dexter and the next she will be walking around him trying to nip him, sometimes she will stop licking Dexter and he will go for her, it is hard to say who is starting it as I think it can be both.

In between all this all three have been happily laying with each other and sleeping, they are friends one minute and enemies the next.

I have caught Dexter starting to chase Trouble and Misty trying to nip Trouble, but both times Trouble seemed to anticipate this and just moved away, so he is just not getting involved.

Has anyone got any ideas as to what is going on and what I need to do?

 

[Alison237]

Hi

I am bumping this back up because things are still the same, it has been four days and there is still a lot of 'nice' followed by a lot of nipping and chasing.

Please help, this is my first time at bonding and I am at the end of my tether.

 

[Fancy77]

I keep seeing this but I have no idea how to help u sorry

 

[hartleybun]

:hug: poor you and poor bunnies, you have certainly been thru it recently! the fact that this has been a very stressful time could be affecting the re bonding. if this was me, i would be inclined to leave any bonding until the bunnies had finished any vet visits. perhaps just give it a rest for a week or so.

tie a knot in the end of your tether and hold on for a while! then, try putting the bunnies together in a neutral area - one that doesnt smell of any particular bun. do you have anyone who could lend a hand so that you are not trying to deal with three bunnies when you do this? i get the impression that dexter and misty are going for the post of top bun!

my two bunnies have the run of the garden but the initial bonding i did upstairs in various bedrooms - bun free tho' they could still smell the dogs!

good luck - you can do this!

 

[Alison237]

Thank you for your replies.

I understand what you are saying, I feel it would be such a waste after after 11 days to put them back in the shed separately and have to go through this all again, but I am starting to think that I am going to have to admit defeat soon.

I am worried that with this being the third attempt, is it that they are still trying to sort their differences out, or do they just not like each other.

I haven't really got anyone to help me, my OH suffers from asthma and after a while he finds it really hard to breathe, he has been really trying bless him and has been basically evicted from him own house for last 11 days.

So is that the consensus, is it time to give up?

 

[hartleybun]

i wouldnt give up just yet - put 'bonding' into the search bar of this forum.im sure others have had this problem before!when the buns are all together you could try a waterpistol should things getaggressive. bonding does take time, a lot of time!

kudos to your OH - mine has to put up with the rexes - he was very understanding when they chewed the pull cord of his lawnmower

 

[Alison237]

Thank you for your reply.

Well they are all laying together at the moment, they seem quite content, but they were good last night but they early hours of this morning they were little monsters.

I have done a search for bonding but nothing relevant has come up, I will try to search different things and have a look around the site, you are right, I doubt I am the only person who has had this problem.

I thought that they may have been a bit bored so I gave them a cardboard box earlier and a Hay 'n' Hide, they all loved it and there was no fighting, but there was also no interaction. I have taken it out since I cleaned their area and fed them diner, so hopefully they will want to stay laying down together, but I am wondering whether this is a good idea or not, you know, to give them things and then take them away.

I have tried a spray bottle, I felt terrible that a bit got in Misty's ear, it did stop her nipping Dexter while she cleaned herself up, but since then when I have done it (trying to avoid any ears), they have taken no notice and stopped on their own, once Dexter has run off to their litter tray.

I am going to give it a few more days and if there isn't any improvement I will separate Misty from the boys, give it a week or two and try again.

If I do that it will be the forth try!! I am wondering if it is just doomed!!

I think I understand a bit of what is going on, Trouble has backed right down, so he is not an issue, so it is now up to Misty and Dexter to sort it out. The bit I do not understand is that I thought the one who grooms is the submissive one, so if that is the case, why is Misty grooming Dexter at every opportunity if she wants the top dog roll? Maybe they are confused... because I know I am, lol.

I would still appreciate any advice, this is all new to me, I thought with a week of love and cuddles, I had cracked it, but I now think I am in over my head.

 

[hartleybun]

bunnies!!! just a thought but you could try posting in the main part of the forum - perhaps over the weekend when more bunservants may be about

 

[Alison237]

I wasn't really sure where to put this post to be honest, if it is in the wrong place, can it be moved please?

Yesterday evening, all through the night and this morning they have been fine, my OH walked in and Misty started nipping Dexter.

I don't know whether it was the excitement, I was up until 6.30am with them this morning so I was asleep and Stuart did come in and open the curtains.

Stuart had read somewhere that men can upset things, is it his presence?

He has never been a threat to her, he shouts less than me, he has never handled her and he has hand fed her quite often, but not since they have been indoors.

If it is him, well... I can't exactly take Stuart back, his mum wont have him, lol, is there anything he can do to be liked again?

 

[hartleybun]

if you want this thread moved send a pm to one of the mods - click on 'chat about the forum', at the top of the page that appears you will see the mod details.

it might be easier to start a new thread:?

if you give your bunnies a treat - mine love carrots - then i'd get stuart to give them one. wouldnt think about sending him back - they have their uses

 

[Alison237]

Thank you for the advice, I have asked for this post to be moved.

Stuart fed them their lunch and gave them a treat, they were ok, I am going to let him do a bit more 'giving', hopefully if they think he is their waiter, they might like him again.

 

[Alison237]

We don't think it is Stuart any more, it is mainly when they get excited, like when we are walking around or when they think food is coming, although once the food is there, they do not fight over it.

I have googled for advice and I tried peanut butter on Misty's head last night, it didn't really work. They did have a big fight while I was asleep, but I was only three feet away, so it wasn't long and no one was hurt. 15 days of sleeping on the sofa is starting to really tick me off!

I have tried to put them side by side after a nip/chase and talk gently to them, but it was happening every couple of minutes and since I stopped that, they haven't done it so much.

I am at my wits end, 7 days of loving rabbits and then 8 days of little monsters is starting to wear me down. I keep discussing with my husband as to whether we should give up, but he says to wait until Monday when Misty is due her final x-ray, which I have agreed to.

Please, if anyone has any ideas please let me know.