Hi. Two unfixed lop females here: Bernie is white/ginger 9 months old new to me nearly two weeks and Smokey grey 4 months old, she's with me since 9 weeks so a bit over two months now.
Smokey had a false pregnancy a few weeks ago was very aggressive biting and urinating everywhere and was unwell after that but now she's completely fine and happy, uses her toilet sometimes makes a bit of mess over night digging but she's fine. She's a bit nervous since day one and doesn't like to be picked up but sometimes she's sweet. No biting lately so I am happy.
Bernie was an outdoor rabbit for about 6 months growing with nice kids and is a very placid rabbit, she loves her food and now she accepted me and lets me do anything she loves her cage and don't like when I am entering she says something and attacks my hand, but since a couple days ago she lets me do more including in her cage.
So they are in separate cages 100x50 cm each they met about a week ago for the first time in neutral territory but later Smokey came into Bernie's cage and they had a chat, then Smokey mated Bernie and she didn't complain but then they were out and in like trying each other then there was a short fight inside Bernie's cage with some fur flying around and I've just separated them, nothing serious. After that when they are out (not both same time) they both are coming to the other's cage and like trying to say hello quite friendly and kinda like each other.
Yesterday they were out of their cages same time and had a short meeting, touched noses ad looked friendly then were in same playpen like 15 mins but doing something separately just sometimes coming to each other and going back to their cages and coming back to playpen again and back to cage.
That was nice and peaceful and they both were in good mood for the rest of the day. They showed interest in each other I was so happy that hopefully they can become friends (and share the cage which would mean less cleaning so really hoping the day will come).
Today I've opened their cages same time again and was just sitting with my laptop inside the pen so they can feel free and after a while they came out went to check each other's cage then sniffed each other in the middle of the pen, then were on their own but sometimes coming together for a minute, everything was very nice.
Then Bernie jumped into Smokey's cage while she was outside, she sniffed everything there, especially spent maybe 5 minutes exploring her toilet and the pee-corner, she came back to it a few times and finally pooped there very smelly I think she left some softies there. By the time, Smokey was back to her cage, a bit surprised but didn't say nothing just was staying inside her plastic home and watching Bernie. Bernie was coming to her and trying to enter the box there were discussing that and switched places a few times, Bernie was in the box and Smokey was in her toilet and back again and so on.
Bernie really liked the cage and explored all the little places there, the shelf, the roof of the house, the cardboard box in the middle and even ate some pellets from Smokey's bowl. Smokey was in the cage too, sometimes leaving and watching from outside but then coming back again. Then she visited Bernie's cage in and out a few times, but wasn't there for long I think she worried about her own cage.
Finally she returned to her cage and Bernie was in her house then so she had to find where to be and was sitting in her toilet all fluffy and not looking very happy, but no complaints no fight just watching how Bernie makes herself comfortable in her own cage.
I honestly didn't know what to do maybe they have to solve that themselves, but that took too long nearly an hour and I didn't want any open conflict between them so just took Bernie out Smokey's cage and closed the door. She was fine and went to her own cage and ate some food as usual and I closed her door too. After about 20-30 mins Smokey asked to go out and I opened her cage so she's just like normally playing in playpen around my office chair and sometimes going to see Bernie in her cage, there's no aggression or heavy breathing they communicate a bit through bars and Smokey goes in and out her cage again or plays in the playpen.
Now Bernie also clearly wants out of her cage but I think that's enough for today, maybe tomorrow or in a couple days or a week, I'd be really happy if they could be friends and share the same cage they have lots in common like digging and eating habits, same toilet boxes, Bernie of course is very calm and relaxed but Smokey is very fast and independent doesn't like to be touched sometimes, but I think they could learn from each other and could be happy keeping each other's company.
I don't have any previous experience bonding and I understand that they are both unfixed, I am maybe making mistakes here so would be grateful for some criticism or if you could share your stories.
White cage is Bernie's, grey Smokey's, sorry for dark photos she's under the desk I'd need more light but didn't want to disturb them but there are both in Smokey's cage in the last photo
Smokey had a false pregnancy a few weeks ago was very aggressive biting and urinating everywhere and was unwell after that but now she's completely fine and happy, uses her toilet sometimes makes a bit of mess over night digging but she's fine. She's a bit nervous since day one and doesn't like to be picked up but sometimes she's sweet. No biting lately so I am happy.
Bernie was an outdoor rabbit for about 6 months growing with nice kids and is a very placid rabbit, she loves her food and now she accepted me and lets me do anything she loves her cage and don't like when I am entering she says something and attacks my hand, but since a couple days ago she lets me do more including in her cage.
So they are in separate cages 100x50 cm each they met about a week ago for the first time in neutral territory but later Smokey came into Bernie's cage and they had a chat, then Smokey mated Bernie and she didn't complain but then they were out and in like trying each other then there was a short fight inside Bernie's cage with some fur flying around and I've just separated them, nothing serious. After that when they are out (not both same time) they both are coming to the other's cage and like trying to say hello quite friendly and kinda like each other.
Yesterday they were out of their cages same time and had a short meeting, touched noses ad looked friendly then were in same playpen like 15 mins but doing something separately just sometimes coming to each other and going back to their cages and coming back to playpen again and back to cage.
That was nice and peaceful and they both were in good mood for the rest of the day. They showed interest in each other I was so happy that hopefully they can become friends (and share the cage which would mean less cleaning so really hoping the day will come).
Today I've opened their cages same time again and was just sitting with my laptop inside the pen so they can feel free and after a while they came out went to check each other's cage then sniffed each other in the middle of the pen, then were on their own but sometimes coming together for a minute, everything was very nice.
Then Bernie jumped into Smokey's cage while she was outside, she sniffed everything there, especially spent maybe 5 minutes exploring her toilet and the pee-corner, she came back to it a few times and finally pooped there very smelly I think she left some softies there. By the time, Smokey was back to her cage, a bit surprised but didn't say nothing just was staying inside her plastic home and watching Bernie. Bernie was coming to her and trying to enter the box there were discussing that and switched places a few times, Bernie was in the box and Smokey was in her toilet and back again and so on.
Bernie really liked the cage and explored all the little places there, the shelf, the roof of the house, the cardboard box in the middle and even ate some pellets from Smokey's bowl. Smokey was in the cage too, sometimes leaving and watching from outside but then coming back again. Then she visited Bernie's cage in and out a few times, but wasn't there for long I think she worried about her own cage.
Finally she returned to her cage and Bernie was in her house then so she had to find where to be and was sitting in her toilet all fluffy and not looking very happy, but no complaints no fight just watching how Bernie makes herself comfortable in her own cage.
I honestly didn't know what to do maybe they have to solve that themselves, but that took too long nearly an hour and I didn't want any open conflict between them so just took Bernie out Smokey's cage and closed the door. She was fine and went to her own cage and ate some food as usual and I closed her door too. After about 20-30 mins Smokey asked to go out and I opened her cage so she's just like normally playing in playpen around my office chair and sometimes going to see Bernie in her cage, there's no aggression or heavy breathing they communicate a bit through bars and Smokey goes in and out her cage again or plays in the playpen.
Now Bernie also clearly wants out of her cage but I think that's enough for today, maybe tomorrow or in a couple days or a week, I'd be really happy if they could be friends and share the same cage they have lots in common like digging and eating habits, same toilet boxes, Bernie of course is very calm and relaxed but Smokey is very fast and independent doesn't like to be touched sometimes, but I think they could learn from each other and could be happy keeping each other's company.
I don't have any previous experience bonding and I understand that they are both unfixed, I am maybe making mistakes here so would be grateful for some criticism or if you could share your stories.
White cage is Bernie's, grey Smokey's, sorry for dark photos she's under the desk I'd need more light but didn't want to disturb them but there are both in Smokey's cage in the last photo
