(no subject)
I wonder if I should make a bunny filter. Hell no! Everyone loves bunnies, right?
Okay, I'm going to do some explaining because aside from my new bunny-owning friends (Welcome jeremy_actually (Look how much everyone loves Rupert), whirledpeas and aphonik -- this could all be very mystical.
Rabbit bonding is a sort of strange process. Rabbits are very territorial so they have to meet in a neutral territory, in this case, the bathroom. They live in seperate cages that are places right up next to each other (with 3 inch leeway so there are no nose bites). Every day we switch cages, which causes a lot of resentment because the original cage that Fou lived in is a huge 6' by 2' pen. The other cage is pretty tiny. They need to get used to sharing the same space and smelling each other's scent.
So twice a day I put on something that will protect me from bunny claws that I don't mind getting covered in fur (Fou's shedding, still) and take them one by one to the bathroom. Usually I have some greens in there, as eating is a social activity. Then, basically I have to referee. I haven't had to spray them with water since the first day, mostly because I discovered that they respond well to verbal warnings and won't bite me if I intervene.
Our dates have been lasting about 45 minutes. They seem to be fighting less. They've never fought very violently, just snapping. As instructed, I immediately seperate them. They go nose to nose and then they either hop away or one of them snaps, it's about 40/60 at this point, I think. They've been pretty good about sharing food, although they don't like to be right next to each other when eating. I usually rip up the greens for them, since the one time I tried an unbroken head of romaine, we had a spat. They ignore each other a lot, which is apparently good. Last night they even laid down at the same time (although more than a foot apart). We're still hoping for the best. Their grooming instincts seem to have kicked in but since they can't groom each other they lick the carpet. They also decided today to start nibbling my toes. We also have done mutual petting sessions, where they are sometimes less than a foot apart and both happily having a headrub.
I'm not sure cats have this same process. In rabbit relationships, like dog relationships, one of them has to establish dominance over the other for peace to ensue.
All in all, I think it's going pretty well. I do want to know when I can move them into Foucault's play area where the cages are for their dates. I have not yet resorted to rubbing banana on their heads and hoping the other will lick it off.
Okay, I'm going to do some explaining because aside from my new bunny-owning friends (Welcome jeremy_actually (Look how much everyone loves Rupert), whirledpeas and aphonik -- this could all be very mystical.
Rabbit bonding is a sort of strange process. Rabbits are very territorial so they have to meet in a neutral territory, in this case, the bathroom. They live in seperate cages that are places right up next to each other (with 3 inch leeway so there are no nose bites). Every day we switch cages, which causes a lot of resentment because the original cage that Fou lived in is a huge 6' by 2' pen. The other cage is pretty tiny. They need to get used to sharing the same space and smelling each other's scent.
So twice a day I put on something that will protect me from bunny claws that I don't mind getting covered in fur (Fou's shedding, still) and take them one by one to the bathroom. Usually I have some greens in there, as eating is a social activity. Then, basically I have to referee. I haven't had to spray them with water since the first day, mostly because I discovered that they respond well to verbal warnings and won't bite me if I intervene.
Our dates have been lasting about 45 minutes. They seem to be fighting less. They've never fought very violently, just snapping. As instructed, I immediately seperate them. They go nose to nose and then they either hop away or one of them snaps, it's about 40/60 at this point, I think. They've been pretty good about sharing food, although they don't like to be right next to each other when eating. I usually rip up the greens for them, since the one time I tried an unbroken head of romaine, we had a spat. They ignore each other a lot, which is apparently good. Last night they even laid down at the same time (although more than a foot apart). We're still hoping for the best. Their grooming instincts seem to have kicked in but since they can't groom each other they lick the carpet. They also decided today to start nibbling my toes. We also have done mutual petting sessions, where they are sometimes less than a foot apart and both happily having a headrub.
I'm not sure cats have this same process. In rabbit relationships, like dog relationships, one of them has to establish dominance over the other for peace to ensue.
All in all, I think it's going pretty well. I do want to know when I can move them into Foucault's play area where the cages are for their dates. I have not yet resorted to rubbing banana on their heads and hoping the other will lick it off.