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For those that have 2+ pairs/groups of indoor bunnies

William

Wise Old Thumper
Do you have any problems with referred aggression? Are you able to free range one pair of bunnies in, for example, the living room, and then put them in another room and allow another pair to free range in the living room?

I'm wondering because I have 3 single neutered boys and I want to get a few baby girls. It's something I've planned for a long time but never went through with it because I'm a bit paranoid about making sure I have enough money for emergency vet bills, but hopefully in a couple of months or so I'll finally get more buns! The plan is to keep the girls together until they're old enough to be spayed (I've had a good deal of success with keeping unspayed girls together so not too worried about that, although I know fighting is definitely possible) and then I'll bond them with my single boys to make a group.

The boys know each other as they're housed next to each other and they all go up to each other's cages when they're free ranging so I'm hoping that helps a bit with bonding them. But I know there's a good chance that it won't work out perfectly and I might have, say, a quad and a pair. Or it might work out perfectly but I might get more buns in the future that might cause aggression problems.

Right now my buns free range most of the house but their 'base' area is the hallway. I alternate them so 1 bun will be free ranging and the other 2 are in either my bedroom or in their C&C cage. I'm wondering how this will work if I have 2 different groups of bonded bunnies though. Like if it's likely that a group of buns might fight with each other because they either see or smell another bunny in 'their' territory. How often does this actually happen?
 
We have 4 pairs of buns - all one male and one female. The two pairs that live next to each other are boarded off with wood - they know that they have bunny neighbours - but cannot see them - if they were able to see them - then major fights and scuffles break out within the pairs and plus Bug shoves her nose into the next door pen - and Cheyenne bites it off :( (Don't worry - Bug was fine - just has a bit of a scar now). The other two pairs are more seperated but they can SEE the other buns - but this doesn't cause any problems as the other buns are not right on their territory.

Regarding free range - they all take turns in the same area. And they all poop and wee like mad everywhere - marking their territory - BUT they don't fight - they can just smell other bunnies and react to that by peeing and pooping (we have put water proof picnic blankets everywhere to stop the carpets being ruined but have also accepted that the carpets will be eventually ruined :lol:).
 
my two pairs live close by each other. they didn't at first but its more convenient if they do. they've always known about each other and I did try bonding but they fell out after a while.
 
My main problem with separate buns using the same area has been the territory marking! Seeing each other hasn't caused problems when they can't get to each other, but the peeing is ridiculous.
 
My bunnies live in the same room and can all see and smell each other. I've got three pairs. Two of the pairs are fine with each other (Jacquetta and Lady Katherine, Slipper and Blueberry) they can free range the room, taking turns and no problems at all. The trouble starts if I let Blackavar and Cherry out. We get referred aggression between Slipper and Blueberry when they see Blackavar get too close, but they're more chilled out with Cherry. My girls are not keen on Cherry on the other hand, but fine with Blackavar. The girls have never gone as far as fighting with each other, but I can tell they're not happy if Cherry gets too close so now Blackavar and Cherry free range out of the bunny room upstairs and my other two pairs take turns in their room.
 
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