Vet trip and bonding?

[daisyandparsley7]

I'm taking one of my rabbits for her yearly tomorrow and I'm working on bonding. I am in the very early stages, but I was wondering if I should take both? I've heard that taking one to the vet will change the scent and then the bonding could be set back or even cause a fight. Any experience?

Also they are stuck on grooming wars, I've tried the food on each other's head but that didn't work.... Any tips on this? Is it somewhat of a good sign, because two weeks prior they were fighting and I had to give them a break.

 

[Watermelons]

Go for it, often putting 2 unbonded rabbits in a carrier in a car ride is a common stress bonding method. But if you have 2 carriers, bring a second one just incase you need to split them in the vehicle

 

[Imbrium]

Same carrier is a little iffy if they're not fully past the fighting stage and you don't have a second person so that someone who isn't driving can break things up ASAP... however, most rabbits seem to be a bit catatonic during car rides - Nala and Gaz have always just huddled up and waited for it to be over . If you'll be the only one in the car, I recommend a "dry run" tonight (or pre-vet trip tomorrow, whichever) where you're just driving around your neighborhood or something (ie where you can pull over at a moment's notice on the off chance they start fighting) - better to find out that they're inclined to fight in the car when you're creeping around a neighborhood at 20 mph than when you're on the highway or something!

Assuming the dry run is uneventful, then I think it could help to take them to the vet in the same carrier (with a second on hand just in case, if possible... if you don't have a second, you could ghetto-rig one out of six NIC cubes and some cardboard (for the floor) with a carabiner or something to hold it closed (failing that, a couple extra zip-ties... just don't forget to have scissors on hand to snip it open if need be + a couple more to re-close it ). I prefer the top panel to be the "door" but a side could work as well. If they *do* fight on the dry run, you could still take them both - just in separate carriers. I would definitely take both if at all possible since "weird vet office smell" can cause problems with a fully bonded pair so I would think it could do the same for bunns in the bonding process.

As for the "grooming wars"... I'd call it a neutral sign. It's a pretty common bonding issue and stand-offs over grooming are way better than actual fighting! It's just a thought with nothing in particular to back it up, but maybe you could try showing them the way, lol - get down on their level and "groom" each of them (rub your nose against 'em or something, you don't actually have to *lick* them ). Failing that, just wait it out - presumably someone will groom the other eventually.

 

[daisyandparsley7]

Thanks for the replies! I will try two carriers as I am the only one in the car and they caught brutally at home not that long ago. I actually did show them the way the other day haha! I licked MY fingers and then their heads during one of their grooming stand offs but I got them to do nothing lol

 

[daisyandparsley7]

Oops ok that's sounded wrong I licked my fingers and then PET THEM. I DID NOT LICK THEM lol!

 

[Imbrium]

LOL... I actually have licked a bunny on the ear a little bit before, heh... tasted like hay .