Second date

[wendyzski]

It was back to Red Door this evening for my little bunny-girl, and a second round of dates.

She sulked in the back of her carrier when we arrived and didn't want to come out, but when I eventually scooted her butt out she seemed to settle down some.

First up was Irving again.  It seemed to go really well.  They spent about half an hour in the same pen, alternately ignoring and sniffing.  They had LOTS of competent supervision, which helped keep them both on their best behavior - she blocked him from sneaking up on her from behind and pulled him away when it looked like he was trying to crowd her a bit.  No grooming, but both were content to spend time facing one another and being petted.  So this looks very promising.

Then we tried her with Thor, who was shedding like a crazy thing. We wanted to try her with a slightly older bun - he's about a year old as opposed to the other boys that are all from this year's crop of easter dumps.  He's a little jumpy for her tastes, but there was some mutual stress-snuggling when a rabbit downstairs got its head caught in the bars of the pen and started screaming.  (They got her loose and rushed her to the rabbit-saavy emergency vet - hopefully it's just a cut face and broken tooth but she's in good hands). It could work, but since we seem to have some better options that's probably it for him.

Then we brought Harwood back. Since my bonding coach had to go rush the injured bun to the vet, I had to manage this date myself, and I was not terribly confident of my skills.  They spend a lot of time sitting face to face and being petted, though a few times she turned and looked at me like "Mom?  I don't know about this..."  He did get a little pushy and she nipped off a tuft of fur, which sent him off in a tiny fluffy huff.  He's definitely still in the running, but slightly in second place.

We gave her a little time with a bun that just came back today - he was one of Blossom's babies that was born at the shelter last year.  He was adopted with one of his brothers, but about a month ago they decided that they hated each other and their adoptive mom just can't handle it any more.  She feels awful about it, but it's probably best to break up that pair and maybe try them with some girlbuns.  He wasn't settled, as he just came in this evening, and they just never connected.  Maybe once he settles in we could take another look, but tonight was just too much strangeness for him to take.

All in all, things went better.  I still feel that she kind of likes the idea of having a companion, but isn't quite sure about the actual details.  We're taking next week off, because it's the quarterly Spa Days (where they do grooming, ear cleaning, nail trims, and/or glamor photos with all proceeds going to the shelter).  If things continue to go well with Irving, we might bring him home on a trial foster at that point, or maybe take one more date-night to make up our minds.

UPDATE - word is that the injured rabbit (Peony) has several fractures but is being well-cared for, has lots of pain meds, and should be well in 2-4 weeks.

Comments

[rebeccafiddler.livejournal.com]

We seem to have a mixed-species party going here - StuffyBun is very laid back about being among cats, and they are alternately ignoring her or treating her as one of the bunch and share space with aplomb. The only real problem is food and the sharing thereof - a couple of the cats have decided that Timothy hay tastes delicious (in the same manner as kitty grass, and with similar results), and bunny thinks that, if the cats like what's in her dish, she has equal rights to what's in their dishes (although she never seems to eat more than a morsel or two of their dry stuff).

We did get a cage for her, so we're keeping her food baskets in there - she sometimes sleeps in there and sometimes comes out and sits on or in a cat condo or sometimes on the treadle plate of the sewing machine.

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

Cats are often confused by domestic rabbits because they don't act like prey! So after a bit of sniffing and shoving, they tend to get along quite well. I know of several mixed-species households, including one that I just wrote about on the Red Door Shelter's blog. After a pretty rough time in foster and then a neglectful home, Lola is now happy in a new home with 2 feline siblings. The youngest is her age and has become her bestest friend.


The older cat just seems happy that the younger one now has someone else to pester.

[rebeccafiddler.livejournal.com]

*Like*
I'm glad to hear that we are not the only ones who are doing this. :-)

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

stealthbunny may not post here all that often any more, but she has 3 cats and an aging French Lop,