Bonding 3 singles - 2 males and 1 female (AND A FALLOUT)

Hi,

I posted last week asking for advice on bonding a male bun (Sulley) to a mixed pair (Jasper and Flopsy). Things were going well until I let the single boy out in the garden and he went near the run where the other 2 are kept. Flopsy became quite agitated about Sulley been on the other side of the run and started getting agressive towards Jasper.

We had to lock Jasper and Flopsy in the shed to calm her down and keep her away from Sulley while he was in the garden.

Anyway we have abandonded that bonding as we do not want to risk Flopsy and Jasper falling out.

Our new idea is to bond Sulley with a newly neutered female (Freya). He sees her everyday when she has her outtime as his hutch is on ground level of the play area. They seems to be interested in each other so once she is all healed we will start the process.

Anyway - we were thinking of maybe including Max (another neutered male) in the bonding. He has also had seen Freya and seems to like her. Sulley and Max have had hardly any contact. Would this be a good idea? Trying to bond 3 from scratch?


All buns are neutered.
Thanks

hi

last week I seem to remember Phill saying that 2 males per group was the maximum that it could sustain, but also that there need to be more females than males - so I would guess they will both try to get the female's attention...I know 3 is a good number for guinea pigs but I think it only works with rabbits if it's 1 male for 2 females, or 3 females.

Have you got another male spare to bond with Sulley or Max?

Hi,

We have 3 other single males - Harvey, Fudge and Oliver. They are all medium sized where Fraya, Sulley and Max are all smaller.

Fudge and Oliver see each other though mesh every day and Harvey has been a little vicious in the past (he bit off part of max's ear through a run and took a few chunks out of Flopsy's back).

I wish i had a magic wand that turned boys into girls!

I have had 1 female and two boys living happily together. All being fixed of course

Then I added a rare breed not fixed female. Being unfixed, that can cause a bit of chasing around, but nothing much top worry about. I think its personality that counts when having buns living together.

bronie

Did you bond a pair to a single or 3 singles at once?

Things took a turn for the worse last night with an already bonded pair. We finally had the 6 foot hutch we ordered delivered (we had to have it especially made since we wanted it extra wide and high in comparrison to the other they have).

We put Dylan and Clover in it. For about an hour they were fine and then Dylan started to try and mount Clover. Clover started biting him and getting very cross. They have been bonded for months and Dylan has never tried this before. They however have never lived together before just played out all day together.

We let them out for an hour and then tried again. They seemed alright but the doubt is there now!

hi

typical :roll:

glad I cheated and got a ready bonded group! Although there's mounting and fur pulling with them occasionally - who knows why? :?

I saw the pics of your new babies and they are so adorable. I still have not got the 5 g pigs together. I think I am being abit of a sissy as I don't like the scuffles that occur.

Charlotte and Sophie are still getting on fine. Charlotte seems to have the upper hand in the hutch but Sophie has a lot more confidence when we are about and when they are playing out.

We have a week off work next week so are planning on trying to get either the rabbits bonded or the the G Pigs (or both - I hope for tooo much!).

Another issue with Dylan and Clover been together is that I dare not let Max out in that play room as he winds Clover up and she and Dylan may fall out again. The group of 3 G Pigs also come out in that area but she ignores them. So what do I do with Max?? It makes me more inclined to try and bond Max and Freya if its better than we go with a pair than a group of 3.

Why do we put ourselves through this?

I started with one bun, then 2, then 3 then 4!! So I bonded them as I got them. Its does take time to bond them and keeping an eye on them.

Now and then a bit of fur will fly, but not often.

bronie

hi

I think you just have to try with bondings and see - With 19 guinea pigs I've been forced to try and bond some as I need spare cages for the babies - and they will get more run time if they can go together - basically if it's for their benefit you should give it a try.

I tried Beatrice with all the adult females but she's very bossy and kept attacking their faces and rearing up - so I put it down to pregnancy and am keeping her on her own till she has babies for company.

I tried Abigail with all the adult females and she's a very confident piggie - disaster with Beatrice! I tried her with Emily who, when I put her with Sabrina would not stop bullying Sabrina, and Emily is sufficiently afraid of Abigail to not attack her, and Abigail is OK if she's allowed to be boss, so great hopes there for a pair for Charlie.

I put Sabrina with Emily's 2 daughters at 6wks and she nipped them a bit but nothing too nasty like Beatrice - and they now live in respect of her and seem to be loving each others company!

Delores will hopefully have a daughter to keep her company - she's a fur chewer so can't go with any of the long haired guinea pigs :roll:

Leaves me with 3 lone males - I'll have to get Derek neutered to put with Florence, and I'm just about to try and bond baby Milo to his dad, Basil - eek - wish me luck :?

:shock: sounds like a regular soap !! :lol:

bronie

hi

:lol: I'm the only one fuelled by alcohol though :lol:

.....meanwhile - :roll: the bonding of Milo and Basil :roll:
I expected mounting, but the problem was that Milo - at half the size - was having none of it and wanted to be dominant piggie :shock:

They were OK for about 20 mins, with the influence of large amounts of luxury foods (typical blokes :roll: ) but then Milo decided he'd had enough and started going for Basil - who at twice the size was not amused - so rather than get Milo's face bitten badly, I removed the little fluffball

Oh well! :?

What you are doing is very difficult. I was told by numerous rescues not to try it. So I got another pair instead. I was hoping to try and 'bond' (I use the term loosely) the new rabbits to the exising two but I have had to face facts that this is just never giong to happen! I have also decided that the stress endured by the rabbits in trying to make this happen is unfair and since Sylvia and Humphrey even tried to fight through the bars of the cage, I don't think it would be a pretty sight if I let them out together (I think one might kill the other eventually).

I hope you are successful but I would be very careful that you don't break up your existing pair, because you may end up with 3 rabbits, none of whom get on. b-m

With the situation at the moment I would dearly like to get Max and Freya together but then I see Sulley little face and I can't bear him not to be Freyas new friend.

I think we might try out all 3 together and see how it goes. If 1 is agressive or if the boy just do not get on then we can always continue with just 2.

Thanks for all your help

hello, I have one female rabbit and one male, they have been bonded now for about 6 months but I'm thinking about getting a third rabbit. I'm having mixed opinions from people about what i should do and from reading this thread I havent gotten any closer to a decision. Has any one else been in a similar situation? If so, what should I do?!! Fiona.

hi

Cheryl's 'no nonsense bonding' thread should help us all

And Milo and Basil decided to be friends the next day - just keep trying is a good idea maybe, although gps are probably easier than those temperamental bunnies :roll:

fionalouise said:

hello, I have one female rabbit and one male, they have been bonded now for about 6 months but I'm thinking about getting a third rabbit. I'm having mixed opinions from people about what i should do and from reading this thread I havent gotten any closer to a decision. Has any one else been in a similar situation? If so, what should I do?!! Fiona.

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Imo, get another pair. But if you really want a third, take them both to a rescue and try and get a bun they don't both hate! But I would say, be prepared for it not to work out and make provisions to get a 4th to bond to your new bunny if it doesn't work.

Sylvia and Humphrey still really hate each other. I think they are both quite dominant. Sylvia goes out in the garden while Humphrey and Tilly are in the run and torments him. He then chases Tilly and it is heartbreaking. They are so naughty. I think if it were just Tilly maybe I could have bonded her in with the two, but Sylvia and Oli have a very special loving bond and I really didn't want to risk breaking them up. They are so totally in love, and Oli has had a hard life so I don't think he really deserves any more stress (he was from a rescue apparently given up because he wouldn't bond to another female. He is also very nervous, probably as a result of this and other things I don't know about!)

I have mixed feelings about this too because I have chatted to lots of people in the States who have bonded trios that live happily together. But reaction from rescues and organisations in the UK was very different (I spoke to quite a few before deciding to get another pair). Hope this helps, b-m