Bonding Three Rabbits (pre bonding questions!)

I have three rabbits, 2 females (1 year olds) and one male (18 - 24 months).

The two females were housed together until one started to turn quite aggressive and bully the other. I seperated them after seeing how timid the bullied one had become.
Now the male rabbit has just been neutered and it is my intention to spay the more aggressive female in the next week or so, and then the other in about a months time (god, this is soooo expensive!).

My questions are, firstly, will the two females be able to beome "re-bonded"? and also will I be able to bond all three? - I've had different responses from my local vet practice, and wondered if anyone had experienced anything similar?

Incidently, the male rabbit is the most docile pet I've ever seen! (a real contrast to the dominant female). I'm hoping that if I do bond them, his attitude will rub off on the others! (lol)

Hiya Cristian

There are loads of good posts on here for advice on bonding and more recently there have been several on bonding three bunnies together so if it helps you can do a search and have a look at some of these.

Bunnies are all individuals so you can never tell how a bonding will go, it may also be difficult in that at the moment 2 of the females are not neutered so if this could trigger their hormones making the bonding process more difficult. How long ago was the male neutered :?: - might be worth bearing in mind that males hormones do not subside for some 4 weeks plus so I'd be very careful at introductions before this time as if he pesters the girls or any scuffles break out he might be injured as the wound will still be healing.

If your going to try it before both girls are netured make sure they are on neural terriotory, I heard it mentioned that its much easier to introduce females into the male environment than the other way round.

If your going to try them in the boys territory, I think I'd pop the two girls in a pen and praps sit in with them to see what their reaction is - that way if any scuffles break out between the girls due to their hormones racing you can stop it quickly - this way you can ensure that there are no bonds broken between the two girls whilst your trying them out.
If all goes well praps you could leave the girls in the pen with the male free to come up and introduce himself and have a sniff etc.

Hope this helps but try and have a look at some of the previous posts as I know quite a few folks have tried threesomes lately.

Good Luck - let us know how you get on.

Thanks Lany,

The male (Smokey) was neutered 2 weeks ago, but I have intention of introducing them all together until each have been neutered. Even then I thought of leaving it at least a month for the hormones to calm down.

Also, the dominate female is still quite agressive at the moment. Although she has calmed down a bit since I seperated her from the other female. (still tends to growl at me, if I take her food bowl!). When they were housed together (in a large run area), she was ok with the other rabbit for 80% of the time, but started to get quite territorial, when I fed them and would scrap with her friend.


Cristian

Cristian said:

Thanks Lany,

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Glad I can help Cristian no worries - on the up side I know Jeremy and Caroline bonded a threesome really sucessfully.

Flump (the male) was being boarded at the time and Mishka and Sparkle were two girlie bunnies I had recently taken in from a Rescue situation and they have all bonded fine, even though Mishka and Sparkle had grown up together - I guess they would have been around 2 ish years old at the time of bonding so in your case hopefully is should be easier - but hey bunnies are bunnies so you just never know what suprises are around the next corner eh :lol: :lol:

Good Luck.

I have successfully bonded 3 rabbits and am attempting to re-introduce my spayed female.
Harry (6yrs), Smudge (2yrs) and Treacle (6mths) are 3 boys who have bonded better than I could have ever imagined. They spend ages grooming each other and playing chase (collapsing in a heap on top of each other when exhausted :lol: ).
Marmalade (18mths) is my female, she was bonded with Harry and Smudge before she went to be spayed. She hasn't met Treacle properly. The only time they have met is through the bars of the run and they ppear to detest each other. Treacle hasn't been spayed yet but am hoping to get him done the first week in June, hopefully this will allow me to re-introduce Marmalade into the group (so I'll be bonding 4 hopefully!!!)

Mum to Harry, Marmalade, Smudge and Treacle

Just booked the dominate female (Coco) to be spayed this Thursday. Not looking forward to giving her the antibiotics afterwards, but hopefully, this will help her calm down (fingers well & truly crossed!)

Look to have the other female (Bluebell) done next month and then think about bonding them in 6-8 weeks after that.

Cristian

If you can drizzle the medicine onto a cabbage leaf or dandelion she might just take it herself. Thats what i do with Sooty

Thanks for the tip Fiona.

I want to try to handle her, but see how it goes. All three rabbits spent the winter roaming large runs in our garage. They had plenty of attention, but there wasn't much need to pick them up. So (with the exception of the male, Smokey, who is so easy going), the girls are a little unused to being handled, and Coco is adamant on growling/snapping at anything that comes into her way at the moment.

Cristian