When I got up to check the bunnies on the morning of the 3rd April, things had changed. Somehow the vibe of the pen was less stressed.
Then it happened…
Those two bunnies were always grooming each other!
Lunar, the Outcast
Lunar is a very timid, shy, scared little bunny. Especially when Buttons nudges him away all the time. Buttons doesn’t lunge or bite any more, he just pushes Lunar out of the way. Of course, Lunar over reacts and darts away and squats down to keep out of the way.
Lunar didn’t seem to be eating much, so I set up a separate feed bowl (aka lid). Of course Buttons needs to test the food in the lid.
Over the next few days Lunar was allowed to slowly come closer. Finally, Lunar was allowed to eat with Maple and Buttons, but he gets scared if Buttons moves. Even though Lunar is still jumpy, he likes being close to Buttons. They were spotted cuddling up to each other in the Zippi house, and even laying next to each other in the middle of the pen.
It will take time, but they will become a family.
Litter Box
The one thing I didn’t think of was the fact of having so many bunnies using the one box, there isn’t clean hay for them to eat. Bunnies don’t go in one place, they go where they land. So, I thought about it a bit and came up with a trial plan.
I put the small litter box inside the bigger one, with fresh hay down the sides. They love it. They know the small litter box really well, and they only use it for their toileting. They are really happy to eat the hay on the sides of the box.
I have written a litter box review, if you want to find out more about them.
Husbun and Bromance
It happened on Easter Saturday, 8th April. Maple and Buttons are two peas in a pod. They are turning into an old married couple. Then I looked around the other side of the Zippi house and… what? Lunar is in there too?
Buttons and Lunar have a bromance! At the moment, it seems to be only sometimes, but as the days progress, it’s becoming more frequent.
Buttons and Lunar have a bromance! At the moment, it seems to be only sometimes, but as the days progress, it’s becoming more frequent.
During the day Buttons plays games with Lunar, Buttons thinks it’s loads of fun, but Lunar thinks Buttons is being a bully. Buttons isn’t being a bully. There’s a clear difference with the behaviour.
Maple and Lunar spend a lot of time together and Buttons is cool with it.
The only thing that Buttons does, that will be the next thing to change, is he sometimes chases Lunar out of the Zippi house. But I think Buttons does that not to scare Lunar (that’s the way Lunar sees it), but because he is happy and wanting to be comfortable in the house and he doesn’t realise Lunar is in there.
Buttons spends a lot of time licking Lunar’s head and ears. It’s hard to see, but Maple is right in the back of the Zippi house and she is licking Lunar’s back.
This is my plan
| 1/4 | not scared, no bulgy eyes and no serious chasing/lunging, no more fur pulling, learning to share and touching noses |
| 2/4 | copying each other – i.e grooming at the same time, closer together |
| 3/4 | eating with each other, relaxed behaviour, laying around together |
| 4/4 | chilled buns in every situation |
| Maple and Buttons | Lunar and Buttons |
| Maple grooms Buttons, and vice versa | Buttons grooms Lunar, Lunar has groomed Buttons once or twice |
| Maple eats with Buttons | Lunar eats with Buttons |
| Maple and Buttons are together all the time, even in the litter box | Lunar is like the third wheel, but he has been accepted |
| Maple and Buttons are are 4/4 bonded | Lunar and Buttons are 3/4 bonded |