Having more than a pair of rabbits

Not sure if this is in the right place

I have two rabbits at the moment (1 male, one female, bonded).

I am considering getting another pair, but after reading some threads on here I am getting the impression that getting another two would cause problems. I don't intend to bond them as a group but have two seperate pairs. Would this be ok, or would it cause problems with the original two? Or have i got myself confused somewhere when reading threads?

Thanks x

I've got six bunnies. A recently bonded pair and a pair of boys who live in next door rooms. I also have a single living in the room with the boys and a single boy outside in a playhouse. Not forgetting the two fosters. I don't have a problem with any of my bonds touch wood. It does vary from rabbit to rabbit re: referred agression.

Thanks for replying

So hopefully it should be ok, unless i'm unlucky?

As long as you can keep them totally seperate it's possible to have multiple pairs. If you intend to keep them close to each other you could have problems.

So if they were in the same garden it would be better if they couldn't see each other?

Would there be a preferable set up? As in, if i have a male and a female at the moment would another two females be better, or does it not make any difference?

Thanks

If they are neutered you shouldn't have any problem having two bonded pairs kept seperately. If you are worried, you can put fencing that is solid in between the pairs and this will help keep all relationships harmonious.

Unfortunately in my experience it's not as simple as just a divide between the two. Smells on your hands for example. Nutmeg also kicks off if she hears the lops. I know Graham on here had problems with his Biccy when he came home smelling of a pet shop bunny.

Some bunnies might be fine with it. Some have more fluid and unstable relationships that can be more easily upset.

I'm very lucky with mine, that the referred aggression we get is caused by the sight of other rabbits and also the other rabbits scenting. I don't have to worry about the smells- thankfully, or hearing them- thankfully. If my bunnies can see each other, all hell breaks lose.

Some people do though. As Schuette says, Gray on here has a rabbit that can't cope with the smell of another rabbit and his bunny won't be the only one.

It is something to be aware and prepared about if you plan to take on others. it may be fine, it may not be. There are no guarantees.

Yeah, afraid referred aggression is a MASSIVE problem here. (I'm the Gray/Graham they are talking about )

I did my bit for the welfare of a bun i was hugely concerned about in a pet shop, and i went and gave him a visual health check myself by picking him up in the store and giving him a good check over.

I clearly smelt of that bunny when i got home, Biscuit, my little man went absolutely nuts and attacked his bonded partner (fortunately, no injuries as she's just too fast) and also bit me, which is 100% unheard of, as he's such a placid little guy.

If you are going to have another pair, to be on the safe side i would definately keep them as far apart as is physically possible, and make sure they do NOT share any territory at all.

Thats my two pennies worth

I think I must be very lucky, I have absolutely no prob with referred aggression. All my pairs are in plain sight of each other, some right alongside each other and are absolutely fine. I even have a friends bunnies lodging for a few days and no-bun even batted an eyelid. However whenever they go into boarding Bluebell can sometimes get uppty at the sight of unfamiliar buns, or as in the case of last week a lady visited the boarding place and after she walked past them all 10 of mine started kicking off! :shock: I guess they must've took offence at her perfume! :lol:

My friend has two pairs that go together in the run but separate in their hutches and are as happy as Larry :shock: my pairs can't stand the sight of each other (well, Nutmeg). There are no guarantees when it comes to bunny behaviour!!

Thank you everyone for the replies

Since i posted circumstances have changed and i'm moving to a new house, not sure that i will now have space for another pair as the garden is quite small. Will reasess when i'm settled.

Just wanted to say i hadn't abandoned the thread, got alot going on right now, and thanks for advice. xx

yes I would think very carefully. I have also been subjected to referred agression. My pairs were side by side but with very wide wood between them and one pair fought terribly.
I would keep them well away from each other. The only way my 2 pairs worked was by having one pair upstairs and one downstairs and at one point one pair went outside...

They are all together now though

kaths101 said:

yes I would think very carefully. I have also been subjected to referred agression. My pairs were side by side but with very wide wood between them and one pair fought terribly.
I would keep them well away from each other. The only way my 2 pairs worked was by having one pair upstairs and one downstairs and at one point one pair went outside...

They are all together now though

Click to expand...

Can i just ask if you had problems how you manage to keep them altogether now?

My rabbits wont bond

Hi, sorry to butt in i have a problem, i got a male rabbit and heard the best pairing was male to female (neutered of course) so i got a female, while i had already had him castrated i had to wait with her as she was still a little to young, in this time i came across a fabulous male who i couldnt resist, in this time i had my female speyed and was watinig fo her to recover, i had also had this other boy castrated and managed to bond the boys very easily, anyway when my female recovered i started introducing them altogether which started out fab and managed to get them all living together. After about a week though the boys started picking on the female so i took her out and started again putting them in runs next to each other so they could sniff each other but not fight. I left them like this as i thought it may have been her hormones, again i tried to put them together, they were fine then about 30-40 minutes later my male Trevor started attacking her and was pulling her fur out i didnt want to see her on her own and the other 2 had bonded so well, i decided to get another to be her companion but unlucky me she hates him!!as soon as i put him in the run she goes for him!!

I really need some advice on how to bond them one way or another whether i eventually put them all together or have them in 2's

Please help i love them all so much and would love for them to be bonded and having a fabulous life

Cherrypie it might be easier if you started a new thread

What area are you bonding in? What's the size? Has any rabbit been in it before? Has it and the bits in it been neutralised?

Full pulling is normal in bonding, the rabbits need to sort out between themselves who is boss. If they start actual fighting, rolling around in a ball chasing in tight circles that's when you need to separate, but a bit of chasing and furpulling is completely normal.

I must be lucky I previously had 2 pairs and have had a lot of foster buns and have never had a problem with any of them. The grass runs were always fairly close to each other.

I have 2 pairs in the garden and a pair indoors. The outside buns have their hutches right next to each other with a piece of wood inbetween so they cant see each other.



They are fine with scent, no probs with any of them but if they actually see each other it all kicks off.