No hate, No love

[ajohal]

I got my first rabbit ironically called Rabby (i know, i know!) and she's now 2 years old . She's a sandy coloured Netherland dwarf who will chase me for treats! When she turned one she became really depressed. She wouldn't leave the hutch or play in the garden. She didn't want to interact with me either.
I realised that she was lonely and it was breaking my heart to see her so depressed.
So I got a male rabbit called Nemo from a rescue shelter. He was really shy when he first came as he had been abandoned but now he's a little explorer!
At first the bonding experience went well. I admit I made a few mistakes - I rushed it. As they were getting on so well I started to put them out unsupervised and one day they had a nasty fight.
After that I read all I could on bonding and ever since then i've been swapping their hutches every night, only put them in neutral places and NEVER unsupervised.
I feel they have reached a rut. When I put them together they will ignore each other for a while and then Nemo will groom Rabby. She may become a little aggressive as she likes to be groomed by him a lot and he gets fed up but if I tell her no, she usually eases off.
The problem is that Rabby will never groom Nemo and I think he resents that. Sometimes she looks like she is but really she's softly nipping his forehead.
I can now put them both in the garden (not neutral grounds) and they wont fight- but they will also ignore each other, or Nemo will run behind Rabby and copy her!
I'm not sure how to strengthen the bond. They haven't had a fight for 3 months and I have been bonding them for 6 months.
I love my rabbits a lot and I just want them to love each other!!!

 

[agnesthelion]

I'm curious about answers to this too. I'm no where near 6 months of bonding, but I feel like we could head into a rut too.

Have you tried applesauce on their foreheads? That can cause them to groom each other to lick the applesauce off.

Also, scaring them can help too. A car ride together or in a box on top of the washing machine, the idea is that they will seek comfort from each other.

I haven't done the scare tactic yet but if my rut continues for some time, then I will.

I'm also curious to see if anyone has anything to add.

 

[BugLady]

I'm in a similar situation, though my buns have never had a fight.

They take turns ignoring each other and vying for attention - a lot of "playing hard to get". They'll have snuggle stand-offs where they both lower their heads... but neither of them will groom.

Sometimes they follow each other around and play and snuggle, and some days they'll go the entire day on opposite sides of the room.

I caught Rascal grooming Appledot a couple times (it's been about a month), but that's it. Most of the time she flops next to him, and he totally ignores her. Either that or he sniffs her butt and she gets annoyed.

I know what you mean about wanting them to love each other! As long as they aren't fighting and their annoyance with each other seems minimal, the only thing you can really do is wait. Part of it may be age - mine are both a bit over a year old, which is young. They might just not know what to do yet!

 

[ajohal]

Agnesthe lion: I've not tried apple sauce but definitely would give it a go!
I've heard about the scare techniques but it sounds a little harsh to me, although rabby is indifferent to being in a car, she lies down in her carrier!!
btw your lionhead is gorgeous!!

BugLady: How long have you been trying to bond yours?

 

[ajohal]

btw what does it mean when one sniffs the others butt?

 

[agnesthelion]

ajohal wrote:

Agnesthe lion: I've not tried apple sauce but definitely would give it a go!
I've heard about the scare techniques but it sounds a little harsh to me, although rabby is indifferent to being in a car, she lies down in her carrier!!
btw your lionhead is gorgeous!!

BugLady: How long have you been trying to bond yours?

Yes, the scaring thing is not something I will try until way later if our rut continues. And if your bun lays down in the car then it probably wouldn't work for you.

Here is a link to a bonding article that I have referred to several times. There is a small section on stuck in a rut that might be helpful.

http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/bond.shtml

Have your buns had any other fights than the one? Were they ever aggressive towards each other before the fight? Do you know who or what caused the big fight?

 

[ldoerr]

I started trying to bond my girls when I first got them both in early August. It has just been in the last week that they are fully bonded. For the longest time it was only Shiny Things that would get groomed. Beauty never got groomed. One of the things that you could try if you are in a rut is changing the location that they run around together in.

 

[ajohal]

They have mini fights from time to time, not full on but sort of chasing in circles but rabby is quite good with listening to me so I can usually tell her no before she attacks.

I think the main cause of the fights are that Rabbby wants constant grooming but refuses to groom nemo! think he gets fed up after a while! Gosh rabbits are so difficult sometimes ha!

 

[ajohal]

agnesthelion wrote:

ajohal wrote:

Agnesthe lion: I've not tried apple sauce but definitely would give it a go!
I've heard about the scare techniques but it sounds a little harsh to me, although rabby is indifferent to being in a car, she lies down in her carrier!!
btw your lionhead is gorgeous!!

BugLady: How long have you been trying to bond yours?

Yes, the scaring thing is not something I will try until way later if our rut continues. And if your bun lays down in the car then it probably wouldn't work for you.

Here is a link to a bonding article that I have referred to several times. There is a small section on stuck in a rut that might be helpful.

http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/bond.shtml

Have your buns had any other fights than the one? Were they ever aggressive towards each other before the fight? Do you know who or what caused the big fight?

Thanks for the article!

 

[ajohal]

update - I saw rabby grooming Nemo for the first time yesterday and put them together today too and she groomed him!
some success at last! I've increased the time they are together from 1 hour to 2 and they are dating twice a day.
I also found it helped if i sat them both on my lap and stroked them together and then put them out. They seemed calmer! :yahoo:

 

[kkiddle]

ajohal wrote:

They have mini fights from time to time, not full on but sort of chasing in circles but rabby is quite good with listening to me so I can usually tell her no before she attacks.

This sounds like to me that they are trying to determine dominance. I thought my buns were fighting too, when they were chasing each other in circles. Does it sort of look like a dog trying to catch it's tail (but with both buns in the circle?) They might also be nipping each others backs; that is a sure sign they are trying to mount.

Finally, Cheeto mounted Millie, and then I understood. It took them a while to sort it out, but they even now "share" dominance.

Also, my buns are 100% bonded, and they still aren't together ALL the time. Just last night I asked them why they weren't laying together! I think sometimes they just need time apart, like any couple