HELP NEEDED ASAP

I picked up Teddy and 8 year old lop on Wednesday. As you can imagine he is very laid back and likes to chill out. Last night I bought him a run and put it about 4 feet away from Hector and Kittys run.

At first they didn't realise that Teddy was there. Then Kitty started sniffing the air. Sensing a bit of tension I placed a blanket over one side of Teddys run so Hector and Kitty couldn't see him!.....it was too late, just a few minutes later Hector and Kitty were having an almighty fight!

We separated them and gave them a sweet each, and back in the run they seemed pretty relaxed.

Whilst I want Teddy to enjoy the outdoors as much as possible, I don't want Hector and Kitty to start fighting! what should I do?

I am afraid it is something they have to get over by themselves. This happened to me when I brought Violet home, Zeus and Athena would fight whenever she was in the run next door. Luckily it wasn't actual fighting it was just dominance mounting and fur pulling. It was deja vu for me as it was exactly what they went through when I bonded them. I was pretty worried at the time though.

I persevered and put them all out in side-by-side runs every day. I put extra toys in my bonded pair's run and hidey holes to break up their line of site so they weren't able to fight for long.

After they established who was boss in the presence of the newcomer (Athena won again), they settled down to normal again but it took a week or so.

If it is real fighting (i.e they go for the throat and kick with the back legs at the belly) then you will need to stop it possibly by keeping the newcomer away from them to allow them to calm down then slowly put the newcomer's run closer to theirs over a period of several weeks or try swapping toys that has the other rabbits scent on, if it is mounting and fur pulling you will have to leave them to get on with it and only split them up if they appear to be getting really stressed.

Caz

I'll swap their toys over then and see what happens. Last night I actually sat in the run with Hector and Kitty and let them have a sniff (I had just been handling Teddy) and they did seem a lot calmer, but it will be difficult if we can't leave them out in their runs, eventhough Teddy doesn't run about like the other two he still enjoys lying out on the grass!

Is that Teddy from Alice? I met him last Sat, what a lovely boy

This is quite usual I'm afraid Hopefully they will get used to him. Rabbits are very territorial, but they do get used to having neighbours, or most of them do :? Alice has two pairs she has to keep well away from other rabbits I believe. Mine occasionally jump over their partners or pull a piece of fluff when displaying at another group, but once a pair is properly bonded I haven't had a real fight between a pair.

yes I did get him from Alice. Every member of my family has fallen in love with him! He has spent most to the weekend lying on th carpet in front of the fan!

Hector seems to accept him, it is Kitty who is picking fights.

I'm still swopping over toys etc and I handle Hector and Kitty after Teddy so thay can get used to the smell!

I hoping things with settle down a bit now!