Realistically...

could I bond my single (moody) bun to my m-f(moody f) pair? Dee, my single, was spayed on 21st so obviously I need to wait for her hormones to die down before considering it. The other two are my pair. Alfie, my boy, is a very goofy, laidback, almost dumb bunny bless him, i doubt there would be a problem with him! It's my Roobear that I don't know about :? Rosyposy is spayed, alf is neutured, and they get on OK most of the time. Although Rosy can be a bit of a bully towards alfie when im giving him fuss/food! But they soon make up and get along fine. Roobear in herself is just a very highly strung, temperamental, complicated, almost brattish little ! I'd love to bond Dee with them, she's been single for about 2 years now I just don't want to risk splitting Alf and Roobear up! Financially, we can't really afford to get another rabbit! Well, we can afford the rabbit just not the housing for another bun! I'm sitting outside atm, Dee is in her run and Alfie and Roo are in their enclosure and Roobear can definitely smell something new! She'll chase Alfie round every twenty minutes or so and they'll circle each other, but when I whack the bars they'll stop and start grooming each other again :roll::lol:

So to be honest i doubt that made much sense, but would you risk it?! I've read the sticky and done my research, but I'm just stuck in a rut, cant decide and need RU's help! Also I don't know if my body could take the stress of bonding, would be terrifying! The easier option would be to get Dee a lonely male, I know, but we can't afford to buy a new setup and I would want a new housing if we did get her 1 friend. but I doubt that'd happen, so its either risk bonding her to Alf and Roobear, and then risk having three singles, or leave her single. she doesn't seem to bad being single but she is an outdoor single who's 5 and I can't help but feel sorry for her.

if youve managed to make sense, well done and thannkyou!:wave:

I personally would probably not risk it. I hate to see my rabbits stressed or fighting. But that doesn't mean it's not doable. Have you got a completely neutral area where they can live for a couple of weeks, assuming there isn't too much aggression? Are your 2 females around the same size? You say the females are moody, are they spayed? If not then the chances of a happy trio are slim. The best way is to make your mind up you are going to do it, successfully, and you might be surprised.

tonibun said:

I personally would probably not risk it. I hate to see my rabbits stressed or fighting. But that doesn't mean it's not doable. Have you got a completely neutral area where they can live for a couple of weeks, assuming there isn't too much aggression? Are your 2 females around the same size? You say the females are moody, are they spayed? If not then the chances of a happy trio are slim. The best way is to make your mind up you are going to do it, successfully, and you might be surprised.

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Erm we bonded Alf and Roobear in the bath last time and then it was the kitchen, so in the day they could but not during the night because our cats sleep in the kitchen at night. Roobear is a Mini Lop and Dee's a Netherland Dwarf, so roughly. Yep, both spayed, Dee's only been done a couple of weeks though so am waiting for her hormones to die down. Just been talking with Mum and she's told me that we're in the worst financial situation we've ever been and can't afford another rabbit for Dee, no way So its either chicken out, have one single and attempt 3 bonded or have one single, attempt 3 bonded and end up with 3 single :?

How long have you had Dee, you refer to the others knowing that something is up, is that because dee is new or because she's just moved near to them.

This probably isn't what you want to hear, but if you're in a bad financial situation it might be better for her if you consider rehoming her especially if you haven't had her long. While its impossible to tell how they will get on, nethies can be quite skippy when bonding so if you've got two skittish, skippy buns out of three, that doesn't necessarily suggest it's going to be easy! You also mention that your pair have started circling each other, this would concern me very much as it shows that they are extremely unsettled (which is why I wondered if dee is new) and could result in a very serious fight very easily. If you're going to give it a go, I would keep Dee well away from the other pair until you are ready to give it a go. But if your family's financial difficulties are very serious, I do wonder whether it would be kinder to them all if she could be rehomed elsewhere where she could get a companion and space of her own without unsettling your established pair.

Santa said:

How long have you had Dee, you refer to the others knowing that something is up, is that because dee is new or because she's just moved near to them.

This probably isn't what you want to hear, but if you're in a bad financial situation it might be better for her if you consider rehoming her especially if you haven't had her long. While its impossible to tell how they will get on, nethies can be quite skippy when bonding so if you've got two skittish, skippy buns out of three, that doesn't necessarily suggest it's going to be easy! You also mention that your pair have started circling each other, this would concern me very much as it shows that they are extremely unsettled (which is why I wondered if dee is new) and could result in a very serious fight very easily. If you're going to give it a go, I would keep Dee well away from the other pair until you are ready to give it a go. But if your family's financial difficulties are very serious, I do wonder whether it would be kinder to them all if she could be rehomed elsewhere where she could get a companion and space of her own without unsettling your established pair.

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I've had her nearly six years. The others have only been with us since last October. We can afford food and bedding and all the necessities etc, it's just at the moment we're struggling. This won't last for ages though *fingers crossed* and to be honest I couldn't bear rehoming her. She is literally my world, we've been through a lot together and I'm determined to stick with her. She came to me as a skinny, terrified, malnourised pet shop rabbit that nobody could get close to, and I spent so long looking after her and transforming her personality, I couldn't bear not having her with me. She's been bonded before and that was fine, but her partner was killed in 2010. We're worse off now because she had her stasis and infection after spay and was critically ill, so we should be righting ourself soon enough. If I need to I will give up my riding which'll give us an extra £90 a month so then it'd be better and we could probably afford the housing for her friend. I know she's not in an ideal situation but like I say, she is my absolute world, she's my best friend and my soulmate and I can't bear rehoming her. I think I'll review the situation in a month when she's lost her hormones and then I will see. Hmmm, so stressful! :?