Established pair... should I add a third rabbit??

I have got two male/female pairs of rabbits (all RSPCA).

The pair in question are Phoebe & Rucksby, aged 1 - 2 years. I bonded them myself and have now done 5 match ups with 100 % success rate. (Must have been very lucky!!)

The set up for Phoebe & Rucksby is an eight foot hutch situated in a large enclosure with the hutch open during the day so that they come and go as they please. Phoebe is a lop eared rabbit and Rucks is a diddy little boy. I have been thinking about getting a third rabbit as there are so many waiting for homes and I love seeing the groups that other people have.

I would like some expert views please....

If I was to go ahead I would have all three in my conservatory on my week off work and could sleep in there on the sofa bed. I would in the meantime neutrlise the existing hutch set up and lay some new turf where it has worn away.

Phoebe is a completely submissive rabbit and Rucksby is the more dominant one. I would say that the new rabbit would need to be female of smallish size and laid back personality.

I love doing bonding as it is the most rewarding job in the world, but have I just been lucky in the past? Is a threesome much more difficult than a pair, and could I end up ruining Phoebe and Rucksby's existing relationship.

Sorry for the length post, but I won't dive in without doing my research!!

Thanks for any advice.

MissMinnie said:

Phoebe is a completely submissive rabbit and Rucksby is the more dominant one. I would say that the new rabbit would need to be female of smallish size and laid back personality.

I love doing bonding as it is the most rewarding job in the world, but have I just been lucky in the past? Is a threesome much more difficult than a pair, and could I end up ruining Phoebe and Rucksby's existing relationship.

Sorry for the length post, but I won't dive in without doing my research!!

Thanks for any advice.

Click to expand...

A threesome has more relationships which need to get sorted than a pair so can be more tricky and will usually take longer for them to settle.

Adding an additional bun can alter or change the relationship rabbits have with each other either for better or for worse.

Your rabbits personality can be very different with another rabbit, a pairing up I am doing at the moment has mortified the owner of one of the females as she has always been a very submissive, loving and attentive rabbit ... however this is not the case with this rabbit :? they are like humans and react differently to other people.

3 is not a good number if the 2 rabbits are already a kind of "couple", the arrival of a 3rd one may disrupt the hierarchie and create trouble, or it may be left on his own as the other 2 are together... females are not necessarily easier than males as many are very territorial, I would not try personally...

It depends on the personality of your rabbits and the bond they have.
Toffee and Ghostie were 'bonded' they groomed etc. but they weren't 'loved up', this is mainly as Toffee is such an independant bunny.
I then got Pickle who Ghostie fell head over heels in love with and now Toffee is more part of the love scene now.
It benefitted my lot, and i love Pickle to bits

Thank you everyone. Maybe if I want to help more rabbits I will have another pair and keep three separate pairs.