The Thing I Was Waiting For...

Photo copyright: Maggie May

Yesterday, things went very smoothly with the daily meeting of these two rabbits, so I decided to put them in the run together and take the partition out.

I watched them very closely and they seemed to be completely accepting of each other.

Several hours later, it was time for me to go to work. What should I do? Separate these new friends who were snuggling up together, or take a chance and leave them? It would mean they'd be one hour on their own, as Harry had gone out. I decided to take the chance and leave them, as my gut feeling was that they would be alright.

I could hardly wait to get home and when I did, the rabbits seemed very close to each other and Ash looked very happy.

He still seemed to need a cuddle from me though, which greatly pleased me, as I wondered if I would be redundant now he'd found a friend.

I decided to leave them together in the run, for the night and not confine them in a cage, where they might feel restricted and fight.

Next morning they were actually licking each other and there was a real look of pleasure on their little faces.

I feel that I definitely did the right thing getting another bunny for Ash and although I now have double the expense of having Lily inoculated and at some point spayed, it will be worth it in the long run.

So, in the end, the bonding happened very quickly and easily which just shows that you can never guarantee anything with animals.

As Britain put the clocks back last weekend, we now face darker evenings which I hate. I would have liked to keep the time as it was. Even though it was dark in the mornings, I preferred it that way. What do other people think?

Bonding

This is what happens when a happy little bunny decides to chill out!

Little legs get thrown out behind her.

Photos Copyright: Maggie May

Although this photo is slightly out of focus, it is the only one I have of my two bunnies actually sharing a cage. They seemed to tolerate each other very well. However........ shortly after this photo was taken, all Hell broke loose and Lily was badly scared. Ash didn't like sharing his things.

They were quickly separated and I spent a lot of time searching on line for the best way to bunny bond. (Not all the things that came up were related to rabbits, I can tell you.)

I have been putting them to sleep alone in each others' cages at night and alternating their toilet trays and mixing their scents, so that they don't have a territorial feeling about either cage.

Then every day, the two rabbits are taken upstairs and placed in the empty bath tub on an old blanket.

As neither rabbit had ever been there before, they were not worrying about territory. First time in there, Lily just sat quietly, while Ash was more interested about possible escape routes.

Every day for ten minutes or so they have a chance to sniff each other out and judging by the upright ear positions,(friendly), they have not been in fighting mode since. The ears go back and tails up when they are going to attack.

They can be feisty little beasts.

I will carry on like this until I feel that they can tolerate each other for longer and they won't be left alone any time just yet.

This rabbit bonding is a work of art. I didn't know that I would need to be a psychologist.

However, I can be as stubborn as they can.

According to the bonding sites, a quick bond can take a fortnight but a difficult bond can go on for months.

I have a feeling that I will strike lucky with these two, though.

Lily and Ash

Photos Copyright: Maggie May

Not so long ago my little rabbit Ash, had a generously sized play pen.

However, he now has to manage with a much smaller space for a couple of weeks or so.

All because of Lily, his little companion to be.

She is in a smaller space still.

I have been assured by the breeder that this is the correct way to go, so with excitement and some trepidation about the difficulties of rabbit bonding, I brought Ash his new baby *sister*.

Lily doesn't seem phased by anything and compared to how Ash was when he was a baby, she is not the slightest bit skittish.

So when I put them in their separate compartments for the first time, they turned their backs on each other.

Lily didn't think there was a big deal to the meeting, though Ash sniffed her rear end but seemed quite friendly in a nervous kind of way.

After a while they began to ignore each other and just get on with life.

At one stage they did kiss through the bars though, so I guess they are going to bond.

Watch this space as I hope to get some pictures of them grooming each other.

Sorry, all you folks who don't like rabbits except in a meal, just bear with me and I might return to normal, (whatever that is).