Bonding a 3rd rabbit with a pair - now the pair are fighting - help

I’m looking for some help, advice and general encouragement please, problems with 2 sisters fighting. Sorry it is a bit of an essay. Advice would be very welcome!

We’ve have a neutered male rabbit called Bramble, he is about 7 years old and has been on his own since we got him as a baby. We then recently got 2 unspayed bonded sisters called Blossom and Buttercup. We’ve been told they are 4 months old. I’ve called the vets and booked to have them spayed in about a month. Blossom and Buttercup are kept together and Bramble has his own hutch at present
We started trying to bond them into a 3 and were surprised at how well it was going. No fighting, Bramble kept trying to hump the girls, Buttercup seemed to not mind, but Blossom was more timid and would tend to run off when he tried to hump her, but then come back to say hello a minute or two later. After a couple of days the humping was getting less. We had made a new large run which we used as neutral territory and they all seemed happy together with 3 way cuddles led down in a corner together and Bramble grooming the girls a bit. I had the week off work so they spent most of the days in the large run together then separated at night. I was thinking that we’d try moving them all in together soon. Bramble had soft droppings yesterday so we took him out from being with girls to keep an eye on him. A couple of hours later the girls start having a big fight. I threw a blanket over them and separated them. I tried putting them back together about 30mins later and they started fighting immediately, it was obviously started by Buttercup. Last night we kept them separate (luckily we still have Bramble’s old hutch) This morning I tried them again, the same happened. Tried both of them individually with Bramble and both are fine with Bramble.

So then I put both girls in a box together and put it next to the washing machine on spin cycle in the utility room, they didn’t seem particularly worried, but didn’t fight either, just sat close up to each other. After the washing machine finished put them both on the utility room floor and stroked them whilst they sat together. Put them back in the run and they started fighting again.

So please help, what do I do now? Currently got Buttercup in the “neutral run” and Blossom in the small run with the runs pushed up together. Bramble is currently in his hutch as we need to pop out soon, but will be loose later. Do I need to keep them separate until they are neutered? What do I do with Bramble, is it best for him to stay out of it or can he spend time with either/both of them? The girls were sharing a wendy house together,( with long term plan that Bramble would move in with them) so if they need to be separate until spayed it will be hard to put the other hutch up close so they can see each other. I was thinking of vinegaring all the hutches and putting Bramble in the Wendy house and the girls in the hutches so they can see each other through the night too, what do you think?
Thanks for reading,

Sounds like when you removed Bramble it unbalanced the girls. Have you tried putting the 3 together again. If you have and it didn't work I would give them all a break until the girls are neutered. Otherwise, you could try the small space bonding method whereby all 3 are put in a small area and see how that goes. Always put the male in first. Did the girls get on before you introduced them to Bramble?

i went through something similar a couple of years ago.

i had a pair but my female died leaving my male Buddy alone. i got 2 young girls, not sisters but both about 3 months old.
i put them straight in with bud and they instantly bonded. all was well for about a month then i started finding fur.. a lot of fur but it wasn't until i saw Blousy chasing and attacking Lula that i realised it was the girls.
it got so bad i ended up putting the doors on my hutch which was just used as a base in the shed and seperating the girls. i let each still have time with Bud and as soon as they were big enough i neutered the girls (Bud ws done already)
i had to wait until the hormones had calmed down and had an unsuccessful attempt at re bonding about 8 weeks after. i seperated again... at my wits end! then a month later gave it another go in a different space.

this time it worked, i must admit i left it a good 6 weeks before moving them back into the shed which i had washed and neuteralised several times.

the girls still have an odd relationship, they still chase now and again but nothing serious, then like this morning i find them snuggling.
all 3 have been fine for the past 2 yeasrs now but it wasn't easy getting there!
i recently tried to add a male foster i wanted to keep but he attacked my male and i just didn't have the energy to go through it all again, plus Bud was terrified so not very fair.

i would say seperate, neuter and bond all 3 together in a couple of months in neutral terratory.
hope it all works out ok. x

Thanks for the replies

Tonibun, the girls came as a bonded pair and seemed happy together. They were cuddling alot in the wendy house together and seemed to look to each other for comfort coming into a new place. I've tried twice putting all 3 back together, both times the girls have ignored each other for about 10-15mins but then both times Buttercup attacked when Blossom came up to Bramble and she was nearby. I think they're fighting over a boy - silly girls! Buttercup has also been spraying just before the fight.

Elis-mum, it good to hear of a similar story with a happy ending. I guess your girls would've been about the same age as mine when they started fighting. I can't wait for them to be spayed at the moment so we can get back to it.

Do you think it will be ok to continue bonding Bramble with one of the girls and add the other one in after spaying? Although we have enough hutches, one of the hutches is not in great condition and will not be suitable when the winter weather sets in. I've currently got Bramble and Blossom in the run together, they seem settled and I feel happy enough to leave them alone for short periods of time. I was thinking if all continues well of putting them to live together in the wendy house, and then trying to rebond Buttercup to them a month or so after spaying.

Also with spaying, how long do they take to recover? What additional care do they need? We do have an indoor cage in the loft if needs be.

Thanks again
x

I think that would be the best way forward. Keep separate until after neuter wait 6 - 8 weeks then try bonding. You don't need anything special for when they have been spayed, just a clean comfortable hutch to recover in. Hope it all goes well.