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multi rabbit households - is referred aggression a big problem?

giantbunnymummy

giantbunnymummy

Warren Veteran
Just wondering how people with several housebuns cope? Do you have to make sure that separate pairs/groups never see or smell each other?

At the moment my two live upstairs and freerange on the landing and stairs as well as their room, and my indoor hutch in the living room is sitting empty. But, if I were to think about adopting another bun or pair, is it likely to unsettle Daisy and Jester?

Daisy does like to come down here to cause chaos in the evenings, so it would restrict her access to the living room if another bun moved in.

Just musing to myself as there are so many gorgeous buns in RIN at the moment.
 
I do have referred agression problems with mine, but found it was pretty easily manageable (both inside and outside) in terms of space, divides (i.e. if they couldn't see each other it was much better).

It's not all buns though, just one of a pair, or one in a group, and not all have problems, so you might find there are no problems.
 
I have Billy and Bonnie free range downstairs and also in the spare room and also have Kevin and Perry free range in my bedroom.

Kevin and Perry don't seem to have caused any aggro between Billy and Bonnie but if I have another bun in downstairs ( after ops or if theyre poorly for instance) then Billy and Bonnie can get quite worked up.

There have been times when there have been fights between them ,not just a bit of chasing.
 
It depends on the rabbits...until recently I had 5 indoor rabbits (2 pairs and a single) who could all interact through mesh panels without showing aggression to either their partner or any of the other buns.

OTOH a few of my outdoor buns have pretty bad referred aggression.

IME older (neutered) rabbits are far less likely to show referred aggression. By about 7 or 8 years they would rather sleep than fight! :lol:
 
:wave: Hi, I have 3 pairs of indoors buns - 2 in the spare room, 2 in our bedroom, and 2 downstairs .... they all free range in these rooms, but if they come into contact with each other there can be problems (if we forget to shut a door, lol!)
 
My two groups weren't too bad. Their crates were side by side but if they could see each other through the bars they went mad. Slotted a big bit of cardboard between the crates and it totally stopped, even though they could still smell/hear each other. Even if one group was out and went past the other's crate, nothing kicked off, it was just purely if they were in sight from inside their own crates that it was an issue.
 
Thanks for replies :wave:

Hmmmm, well I guess it could be pretty problematic as the door into my living room has glass panels so I'd have to cover them up somehow to stop the bunnies seeing each other.

Maybe it's too much hassle :? I'd hate for my two to start fighting or their bond to break.

Also, my three cats and dog hang out in the living room all day, so it may not be very fair on the downstairs bun/s.

Seem to be talking myself out of it :(

**sulks**
 
I have two pairs outdoors and it is quite a problem. I do have to make sure they can't see each other and stay apart. My garden is basically divided in two though, so it's manageable.
 
I don't have any problems. I have a single and a male pair in my room with a nic fence and sheet but there is no referred agression and I don't get any from my outside pair when I go out to them smelling of bunny. It really does depend on the bunnies.
 
I had a bit of a problem when mine were housebuns and my housemate had one. Although they were all neutered if Frankie could smell Lola anywhere he would go for Fidget.
 
Thanks for replies :wave:

I'm going to have to think very carefully about this before doing anything. I'd love to have another bunny or two, but Daisy and Jester are my priority and I'd hate to upset their bond.

Wish I could have outside bunnies so that they could be completely separate, but really don't think I can risk it as we have a regularly visiting fox (fed by next door neighbours) and it's so wet where I live everything wooden rots. Unfortunately including my expensive run bought only a few months ago and freshly treated with bunny safe wood preservative :roll: Not to mention the huge amount of biting flying beasties that descend whenever the grass gets cut in the neighbouring fields.

:(
 
*Watch out - shameless plug here*

If you do decide to go for another, or a pair, rspca in Preston have some gorgeous bunnies in at the moment! Theres a link to them in my siggie!!
 
Absolutely no issues with my five, none of my bunnies are agressive thankfully :)

They see each other and small each other.
 
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