Advice needed for three bunnies.

I am new to this so hope I have put this in the right place.

We had two pairs of bonded rabbits who had all been done. We have a back yard and split the yard in two. One pair lived in the fenced section and the other two had the rest of the yard and a ramp through the cat flap in to the cellars so they were basically free range. A couple of months ago we decided it would be nice for all the bunnies to have lots of room and for us to have the yard back. We carefully started on intos. We had the normal fur pulling and chaseing and although the two bucks were still haveing a little go at each other things did settled down. The older buck Dandelion was becomeing the top rabbit. The two females and the other male seemed to be getting on ok. Although both pairs stuck to their own areas they began to tolerate each other.
Sadly Dandelion died from old age which left his girl friend alone. We hoped that as they had got on before the pair left would except the girl Mazie.

Sadly this has not happened. The other two chase her and it has now got that she has become very depressed. Although she is eating she is a different rabbit. We have opened hutches in the yard and she seems to just sit in one with her head down. The other two will tolerate her slightly but stick together all the time and now quite often will sit in the cellar and not let her in. They will also invade her territory and she is now scared of them. Although this does not happen all the time, mainly when the weather is nice and they decide to go outside.

We do not know the best way forward. We do not want to section the yard off again as it was never very practical. I am a little reluctant to get another rabbit as I do not want all the fighting to start again. However we hate to see Mazie so sad.

Has any one got any advice. Would it work better if there were four or should we keep going and hope for best.

If it is best to get another would male or female be the best way forward.

Any help or advice would really be appreciated.

Thank you xx

I don't think it is fair on Mazie to let the situation continue as it is. My advice would be to seperate her from the other 2 completely and get her another male for company but I don't know if this is possible as you do not want to divide the yard up again.

I am just really concerned that the stress of staying with the other 2 could kill her from the way you have described her behaviour

ehlp with three rabbits.

Hi,

She seems more depressed than stressed but you are probally right. I did think about bonding her with another and keep them seperate for a while and then trying the four again, do you think that may work.

I think part of the problem is that you are introducing them on very un neutral space. This is bound to lead to problems. When bonding the best place to start is somewhere like a bathroom where the rabbits have never been before rather than keep them separated & let them run in the same area. I would stop letting them run together for the moment whilst you sort out the problem of having a trio. Keep them apart for at least a couple of weeks whilst you work on plan b.

I had a trio and they do not always work well. You are best either having 2 pairs or a 4. I would contact your local rabbit rescue to get a neutered boyfriend BUT also ask them if they will bond for you. A large rescue will hopefully have a few boys that you can try in the group to see which one works best. He will have to be neutered otherwise you will get friction. Hopefully when you have got the perfect boy you will need to keep them in neutral space still for probably at least a week, could be longer. My 4 took a month to be allowed back into non neutral space but that was a very tough bond. I wouldn't normally expect it to be that long.

three rabbits

Thanks so much for that. When we first did the intros it was some where they had not been before but you are right I will look in to getting her friend this week end. I have never had much of a prob introduceing one to another before but I am nervous about trying the four incase the males really fight. It would be lovely if all four could just live happily together. I have tryed the car ride way before would you try that with the four? How long would you leave it before introduceing Mazie and her friend to the others. Is is best to let them settle for a while and then put them in an area they have not been before in seperate runs. I am sorry to ask so many questions. I just want it to work. I think I get more stressed than the bunnies. I do really appreciate all the help.

I think at the moment it is probably best to give her a few weeks break away from the stress of everything whilst you look around for a new friend.

If your long range plan is to try and get them as a four I would try and take them along to the rescue all together to see which boy seems to work best in the group. Fours can work really well long term, as good as a pair so I would at least try for that if it is the long range plan. If it still looks like she is being bullied then you can split them off into pairs again.

We bonded my four using a large indoor cage to begin with and gradually increased the space. They probably need to be in somewhere no bigger than 6ft by 4ft & completely neutral for at least a few days but it could be like mine upwards of a week. Mine was very difficult because Panda was a right moo and had refused all bunnies before him & he was left with no alternative but to bond into mine or be a solo bunny & as he was not human friendly either that wasn't an option. We still have a bit of chasing between the two boys & the two girls but generally they are very happy together and the chasing is mainly caused by someone binkying and someone else thinking they're being chased and running away...which then causes the chasing :roll::roll:However in all possibility your bond will be muich much easier. If you are worried about it many rescues will bond for you and keep the bunnies for a week or so for an extra donation.

When you bring them home bring them back in the same carrier, neutral space, not to big until you are 100% sure that their bond is strong. You can then put them back into their old area but make sure it is well scrubbed, new toys, very clean litter trays, perhaps play around with the layout to make it as unfamilier as possible. They may start chasing etc a bit again but will soon settle down.

Three rabbits

Hi,

Thanks so much for that. I have been in touch with a rescue and asked if they could bond the four but they are so full of rabbits that they were unable to. I am going to have a look at their buns today. I wanted to take Mazie with us so the bonding could start on the way home but it is about two hours there and then two back and we felt that it was a bit to long for Mazie to travel.

I have set two runs up side by side in a room away from everyone and a room she has not been in. I thought that I would slowly do intros over the next few days with just the two of them. Is that the best thing to do?

Then I am going to follow your advice and have the four in cages in a bedroom which is about the only place none of them have been and then start slowly.

Do you think takeing them for car rides is a good way of getting them bonded.

I am so stressed and my head hurts trying to think of the best way to do this. I think what you said about the chaseing is what is happening with the two and Mazie at the mo. She is still looking very sad and still sits in her cage all the time.

I wish we could take them and let the rescue do it.

Any more help would be much appreciated. I just want it to work for everyone.

I hope that Mazie accepts a friend.

XX

if you can keep her separate and wait a few weeks then I would take all of them to the rescue and start speed dating there. I think that would probably be the better option than rushing into getting a new bun. If you have to go an get a bun sooner rather than later then I would look for a friend for maisy rather than trying to bond the four.

tbh I am not a big fan of the softy softy approach. If you have to go up sooner rather than later I would take maisy with you to the rescue as four hours isn't too hard to travel with a break in between. Let her choose the bun she wants to be with at the rescue and bring them both back in the carrier into neutral space. I would start off in an indoor cage and gradually give them more room. You may need to supervise them (including sleeping next to them) for 24 - 48 hours a little humping & chasing & even some nipping is normal but full on locking on is not and you need to step in if that happens.

Car rides can be useful but I've never really had to use it. usually an indoor cage which you can shake if they start to kick off is just as effective. If you want to try it you'd probably need to be driving around for half an hour to an hour for it to be of use.

Don't try and do the foursome bond just yet as you need to give maisy a little time to settle and recuperate after being bullied. It will help all of them to forget that she was being bullied including your other pair and I think will probably make your forsome bond easier in the long run. I would give it a month or two before trying for your foursome. When you try the four follow exactly the same rules. neutral space, not too much space, try not to interfer unless you think there is a serious problem.

three rabbits

we left early this morning so I have only just read your message. I wish I had read it sooner as I would have taken her as that is what I wanted to do but did not cos of the journey.

I did get a boy bun that untill recently had lived with his two sisters. He seems very gentle.

They are in runs next to each other and do not seem to be showing much interest. They are both eating happily. I will follow your advice and leave it like this for a while and then very slowly do the intros. It will be ages before I try the four.

I asked again at the rescue and they said they were sorry but they were unable to due to time and space.

I will follow what you have said.
I am still worried but she seems quite happy at the mo but I will be back for more help.xx

I would leave them side by side until the weekend say when you can spend 48 hours with them but once you start bonding (make sure that it is completely neutral space!) try and keep them together, putting them together and splitting them up just confuses them & means that they have to restart the bonding process all over again.

Three Rabbits

Thank you I will leave it untill the week end. I was going to try it during the week as my hubby is off work and could watch them but the extra days will prob be better. I was also going to seperate them after and do several journeys as I read ages ago you should do it short peroids at at a time but what you said about confusing them makes sense. I will do what you said on Sunday as off next Mon and Tues which will give me three days to watch them most of the time. I am sure I will be back for more advice,

Thank you so much for all the help so far

three buns

Hi just thought I would let you know what is happenign and ask if I am doing the right thing. Mazie is now bonded with her new friend Polar. It was the easiest bonding I have ever done. My friend who has introduced groups of buns before has offered to have the buns at hers at it is total new place for them. Althopugh I do not want them to be away I think this is their best chance. What do you think