Hi everyone, I could use some advice from experienced bun parents here..
I have a bun named Yuzu, an ND mix who has been with me for almost two years now.
I recently brought a new bun home, Miji, a junior Holland lop.
Both are females.
Right now, they are in separate cages inside my room. When I brought Miji home, Yuzu didn’t seem to care much. But after I handled Miji, Yuzu must’ve smelled her on me because she suddenly avoided me. When I tried to give her food, she got really upset and sprayed her pee all over me.
This morning, I tried to spend some time with Yuzu to make sure she knows that she’s still loved, even though Miji is around. After that, I went to pet Miji for a while, and I let Yuzu sniff my finger from outside her cage. At first, she sniffed, chinned, and gently licked my finger, which I thought was a positive sign! But suddenly she bit me hard right after…
Yuzu isn’t spayed yet, so I guess this is her hormones acting up, making her extra territorial.. I have her scheduled for a spay appointment on the 22nd..
Despite that, I notice Yuzu often sits calmly in a spot nearest to Miji’s cage. She takes naps, grooms herself, and just chills there. I think she’s observing Miji from that spot.. I’m hoping that this is a good sign that she’s not seeing Miji as a threat.
For now, I plan to keep them in separate cages and give them equal attention. I’ll wait until Yuzu is spayed and fully recovered before attempting any face-to-face bonding. I will, however, start scent-swapping soon, like switching their litter boxes and toys, so they can slowly get used to each other’s smell.
Do you think I am going in the right direction?
I’ve read the bonding guides and watched tons of videos, but I understand that every bunny is different. So I’d love to hear your experiences or tips.
Thank you so much for reading! ❤️
(1st pic is Miji, 2nd pic is Yuzu taking a look at Miji from her spot)
by ilovebakmi