Daisy Goes on Some Speed Dates, Red Door Animal Shelter: Part One

After visiting Red Door Animal Shelter last weekend, we had some bunnies in mind that we wanted Daisy to meet. To see how rabbits get along, there’s a concept of “speed dates”… where one rabbit will get introduced to a series of potential companions, over the course of a visit.

Not all rabbits will get along with one another. Sometimes, they will demonstrate aggression and if unchecked, could get pretty dangerous (think biting and clawing). While rabbits are undeniably cute and adorable, they can do some serious damage to one another if they get into a physical confrontation.

These “speed dates” are designed to give two rabbits a chance to meet one another, with a moderator who can prevent things from getting out of hand, if the personalities just don’t mesh.

Daisy, in a new space and curious what’s going on.

While Liz and I have had a lot of experience bonding bunnies over the years, we were nervous about tonight. With Daisy’s failing eyesight, we weren’t sure how she would respond to a new environment (and the introduction of a new bunny).

When we first met Daisy (formerly Janis Hoplin), she had been a school room bunny. And had been relegated to a pretty small cage/space, with a lot of young kids poking and prodding at her.


At the shelter, she was incredibly territorial about her space. And would growl and lunge at anyone who tried to put their hand near her. We think her behavior likely scared other families away, but Liz discovered that if she left her hand still… Daisy lunged, but never tried to bite. And when Liz slowly moved to pet Daisy’s head, Daisy just melted.

Given Phineas’ passing, Daisy’s failing eyesight, and her age… we weren’t sure if she would be the most social of bunnies. So tonight was a bit of a test for her, as well as for her potential companions.

First up: Napoleon Dynamite. He was incredibly affectionate towards humans, but a little aloof when it came to bunnies. Daisy kept her distance mostly, and was staying in the litter box a lot (a safety thing).

Napoleon is a very young bunny. And while he’s a great match for people, he may still be a little young for bonding with other bunnies.

Next up: Mr. Bubbles. It was promising to see Daisy start to venture away from the litter box a bit more, and had some good interactions here.

A general rule of thumb: if the bunnies aren’t trying to actively kill one another, it’s a success. If there’s grooming, it’s a much better sign… but indifference is not necessarily a dealbreaker.

A positive moment – Daisy briefly groomed Mr. Bubbles, which was a positive sign.

There’s a lot of reciprocity, but a general rule of thumb I think is that whoever is getting groomed… is the one “in charge.” Phineas and Daisy had a lot of back and forth on this front, though I think Phineas was ultimately the “alpha” overall.

Another white rabbit: Kip (continuing the Napoleon Dynamite theme).

A bit more reserved, Kip and Daisy actually got along pretty well.

Related:
Visiting Bunnies at Red Door Animal Shelter
A Saturday Full of Bunny Rabbits
Bunny Rabbit Speed Dating: Quincy Returns to Red Door Animal Shelter
Visiting the Rabbits at Red Door Animal Shelter, Part 2
Visiting the Rabbits at Red Door Animal Shelter, Chicago
Bunny Rabbit Speed Dating, Part 3: Baxter Visits Red Door Animal Shelter
Bunny Rabbit Speed Dating, Part 1: Baxter Visits Red Door Animal Shelter

This Post Has 0 Comments

Leave A Reply