coco_puffs
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2013
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Hi all! I have four buns. One pair - lops - are litter-mates and fully bonded - almost six months old - male/female.
The other pair have been together for about two months. They are male/female nearly the same age - one year. The male is a Lionhead and the female is a dwarf (not sure which species).
Anyhoo - I want them all to eventually occupy the house with us, with no boundaries.
Right now they are in two separate rooms with a divider.
When I brought the year-olds home several weeks ago they were kept in a separate room with the bi-fold doors closed. I wanted the babies to know they were there, to be able to smell them, but not interact.
After two weeks I opened the doors and installed a metal screen so they can see each other full time, but still not interact. There were some squabbles but they have decreased dramatically. They are getting used to seeing each other now.
In the past week I have begun feeding them lettuce near each other (see photo). I know eating is a social thing for rabbits and I wanted them to do this social activity in each others' presence.
Am I going about this the right way? We think the Lionhead was part of a hoard and he is very unsocial with humans, LOVES his roommate but does tend to show aggression to my female lop. He is still very afraid of us - I have a sneaking suspicion that he was abused by humans.
I thought, a few more weeks of this 'eating in each others' presence' and then we can bring them into the same room. My roommate can hold one bun and I can hold the other, in case they want to fight, and let them sniff and interact, while we are holding them.
I'm afraid of fights and those teeth. I don't want anyone getting injured.
How is this introduction process? Anything else I can do to make it easier?
The other pair have been together for about two months. They are male/female nearly the same age - one year. The male is a Lionhead and the female is a dwarf (not sure which species).
Anyhoo - I want them all to eventually occupy the house with us, with no boundaries.
Right now they are in two separate rooms with a divider.
When I brought the year-olds home several weeks ago they were kept in a separate room with the bi-fold doors closed. I wanted the babies to know they were there, to be able to smell them, but not interact.
After two weeks I opened the doors and installed a metal screen so they can see each other full time, but still not interact. There were some squabbles but they have decreased dramatically. They are getting used to seeing each other now.
In the past week I have begun feeding them lettuce near each other (see photo). I know eating is a social thing for rabbits and I wanted them to do this social activity in each others' presence.
Am I going about this the right way? We think the Lionhead was part of a hoard and he is very unsocial with humans, LOVES his roommate but does tend to show aggression to my female lop. He is still very afraid of us - I have a sneaking suspicion that he was abused by humans.
I thought, a few more weeks of this 'eating in each others' presence' and then we can bring them into the same room. My roommate can hold one bun and I can hold the other, in case they want to fight, and let them sniff and interact, while we are holding them.
I'm afraid of fights and those teeth. I don't want anyone getting injured.
How is this introduction process? Anything else I can do to make it easier?