Advice please - will a pair tolerate a newbie

I'm after a little bit of advice please.
I've been in talks with a rescue on RU about adopting one of their buns. I really want to give this lovely lady a home. She has been passed from pillar to post and I really want this to be her forever home. We can offer her space in the garden in her own set up, with the potential to bond with my pair if all goes well, much later down the line (she has had a couple of failed bondings).
I have Maisy and Toby already. They are a happily bonded pair (since February this year) and are a fairly chilled couple. They have a hutch and run in the garden, and free range every day for 6 or more hours (if we are home, they are out all day). I wouldn't want to stop their free range time, and would obviously want the new girl to be able to free range too, though obviously not at the same time.
I am a little worried how T+M will take to a new rabbit in their garden. I don't want to upset their bond. What would be the best thing to do - should I allow them to be in contact with one another, albeit with the run mesh between them, or should I totally separate so they cannot contact each other (put a separate mesh fence up, creating a 'moat' effect round the new bunny's run). What signs should I look out for with T+M as to whether it is all ok, or not ok?
I think Toby will be ok with another lady in his territory. He took to Maisy really easy after Adelaide died. I'm a little worried about Maisy though as she fell out with her sister after their spays (though Toby fell out with his brother too when I tried to bond them!).
I'd really love to give new bunny a home. We can give her a big hutch and run of her own and all the time and space she needs to settle and trust us. I'd just hate to have to give her back if T+M won't accept her in the garden.
For those of you with multiple set ups, can your bunnies all see/interact with each other, and are they ok?
Thanks

I think its impossible to tell till it happens. When I've had fosters and multiple bunnies, they have on the whole, been fine. However, I did have on pair I had to rehome asap due to referred aggression not only when they could see the other bunnies but when they could smell them. If she's neutered, trying straight away for the bond will probs. be the best option rather than putting them all through the stress of her moving in the garden then the stress of bonding later. Ideally in the house so you can neutralise the garden and then start them off in a small space- hutch only, then hutch and run for maybe 8 weeks or so before allowing them access to the garden.

I am going through this now so I will keep u posted! I have a very close bonded pair, both girls and adopted another girl. All have been spayed, and r now living in separate hutches (the pair and the single) outside in the garden, the pair free range but I don't trust her enough to allow her to free range just yet, I know my pair will go back to their hutch when I want them to but I don't know about her! I did try putting her in a mesh run while the others free ranged but we had a bit of an incident and she got her nose bitten so just be careful if u do anything similar. I have had the pair free ranging since and they will go upto her hutch and so far, there has been no more aggression, just curiosity from what I can tell so I'm hoping this is good! Iv also swapped some of their toys which they each re-marked with their own scent! The single girl put one in the water bowl (to clean it?!) and threw the other around as if tryin to get rid of it! I put fresh leaves into the toys so hopefully they'd associate the other smell with nice things :lol: As for the pairs bond, they have had a couple of behaviour changes, usually during or after a 'getting used to eachother' session, such as chasing, bit of grunting at 1st (not now) and I have noticed that one has had some fur pulled from her back so I think they may have had a scuffle in the night. Other than that they've seemed to go back to their hutch, flop next to eachother and 'comfort' eachother by grooming and nuzzling etc. so id say their bond is strong enough. This week is the one and only attempt tho at a proper meeting bonding session, as if there is any more aggression, I'm not risking my pair breaking up or being hurt. I have brand new hutch and run so thankfully all neutral, where I can let them meet and hopefully bond! I will def let u know how I get on later in the week :wave:

Good luck Summer and Skye. I hope you get all 3 together.

tonibun said:

Good luck Summer and Skye. I hope you get all 3 together.

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Thanks :wave: Me too cos for some reason I thought another hutch and run would fit in my garden if it doesn't work out but now iv seen just how huge the new hutch and run r I really couldn't have another but hate the thought of having to rehome Heidi Need LOTS of good luck vibes this week for Heidi :thumb:

I'd recommend you read this excellent thread before deciding also :wave:

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?317003-Do-you-want-to-bond-a-trio-Read-this-first