Keeping rabbits in groups of more than 2

14 Rabbits · Oct 12, 2005

Does anyone have experience of keeping rabbits in groups of more than 2?

Everything we've read explains how to team up two rabbits, but as we have a fair few bunnies we wondered if it was possible to keep them in bigger groups.

If so what mix is best (2 males / 2 females, 1 male / 3 females) etc.

Thanks in advance!

Mikeymoo · Oct 12, 2005

I dont have any experience myself although there are plenty of people on here that can help you

bunnylove · Oct 12, 2005

i have a group of 6! four girls and two boys!

if think the more girl in the group are better as although girls can be territorial boys are very competive!

eve x

sgprescue · Oct 12, 2005

I have a group of 2 males/2 females and another group of 1 female/2 males and they all get on very well

Cheryl

Karly · Oct 12, 2005

I've got 3 boys together, just used the car method (going for a drive and popping them in the same carrier for the journey back)
Bonded two, then bonded the third to the both of them at the same time.
The confined space and strangeness of the car ride makes them pretty docile and they learn to snuggle up and put up with it! They were fine to go in the same crate the very same day, although I felt a bit more confident as all 3 have had their incisors removed!

Pink_Princess_Linzi · Oct 12, 2005

i have 21 rabbits and that all live toghether there run takes up most of the garden but they are really happy and I have never seen any of them have a fight. All my males are nyetered and I am in the middle of getting my females done.

sgprescue · Oct 12, 2005

Pink_Princess_Linzi said:
i have 21 rabbits and that all live toghether there run takes up most of the garden but they are really happy and I have never seen any of them have a fight. All my males are nyetered and I am in the middle of getting my females done.

wow, 21 together, thats impressive

elve · Oct 12, 2005

hi

Yes I'd love to know how you get females in a group that size spayed, without breaking their bond with the group?

Gem · Oct 12, 2005

I have a group of four females to one male, which happened by total accident :lol:

Karly · Oct 12, 2005

Re: hi

elve said:
Yes I'd love to know how you get females in a group that size spayed, without breaking their bond with the group?

I imagine with so many buns they wouldn't notice if one went missing for a bit :lol:

I want to try bonding my 5 together, but Joey's nasty to the others through the bars of his cage, not sure how he'd be in neutral territory!

bunnylove · Oct 12, 2005

Pink_Princess_Linzi said:
i have 21 rabbits and that all live toghether there run takes up most of the garden but they are really happy and I have never seen any of them have a fight. All my males are nyetered and I am in the middle of getting my females done.

wow, what do 21 rabbit live in? and how did you come about to have a group of 21?

eve x

cycas · Oct 12, 2005

I have a group of 4 - three girlies and a boy, and 2 lops and two non-lops.

I find the 2 lops tend to hang out together, and the 2 non-lops stick together usually as well - not sure if that is just the personalities of this group though.

I used to have just a pair, and I was amazed by how much easier the relationships of the bunnies are when there are more of them. Rather than relying totally on one other rabbit for company, they can mix and match according to their moods. If one bunny gets in a strop, or feels a bit down or whatever, the others don't get upset: they just hang out together and ignore it.

haffyj · Oct 12, 2005

i would love a group of 4 i might try it, one day once every body has gone in and had their ops and i feel much braver

AlisonA · Oct 12, 2005

It's clearly possible to bond bunnies into groups. I would add, however, that it is really important to observe the behaviour of all the rabbits in a bonded group, and check that they are all equally happy. If it seems that one or more are slightly ostracised or just don't seem as "bonded" and happy as the others, are often sitting alone, a little bullied etc, as I have seen in large groups in the past, I would consider removing them and getting them their very own dedicated partner.

I think it's one thing to keep a group together that don't fight, but quite another to ensure that every rabbit is happy within that hierachy!

(not having a pop at anyone here by the way, just an observation of mine from the past)

elve · Oct 12, 2005

hi

I agree Alison - my 5 girls don't fight, but I know Primrose is bottom of the heap because I find her fur in tufts around the shed - In fact I've seriously thought of putting them in pairs and getting a partner for the odd one - It's very hard to monitor the health of individuals in a group - who is pooing/weeing/drinking/eating properly and who isn't - It's still easy to miss in a pair as I did with Benny and Pepsi, but virtually impossible to follow in a group of rabbits - Plus I will never tame them whilst they are in a large group as there is no opportunity to relate to them individually - I think that pairs are best, or singles - Although my girls look cute eating their tea together, and they are easier to care for in a group :wink:

Beebop · Oct 12, 2005

I am hoping to bond a third rabbit with my two girlies, unsure of what way to go about it, still researching though!

Karly · Oct 12, 2005

Re: hi

elve said:
It's very hard to monitor the health of individuals in a group - who is pooing/weeing/drinking/eating properly and who isn't

I have to agree, the other week I found odd poos (very small & not healthy looking) in their crate and had to take all 3 along to the vet. I suspected it was Mary as he has molar problems but he hadn't gone off his pellets - it's too hard to monitor who's eating the hay though, and the vet did find a spur.
But it makes it very difficult to tell if a bun's not eating or drinking as much as they used to, or if their poos are normal, if any excess caecal poos are around you can't match them up to the culprit, etc.

Beebop said:
I am hoping to bond a third rabbit with my two girlies, unsure of what way to go about it, still researching though!

I just did it the same way as I bonded the pair, put them all in a carrier together in the car, and they were all bonded by the time we got home!

bunnylove · Oct 12, 2005

i dont aggree (althought the pooing can be hard) but i know my group very well, i know all there individual quirks and can just tell when something is wrong with them! take bracken for instance the alpha female a few months ago i took them there breakfast and she stayed at the top of the shed, which instantly pricked my ears, she is normally the first down for breaky, i felt he tum and shed had a bout of stasis.

i think you just learn to know when there some thing wrong with them whether they are single, in pairs or in a large group.

Eve x

touie · Oct 12, 2005

Can any one else identify their rabbits by their poo or is it just me? :shock:

:lol: I only have 4 bunnies but they all have different poo! :lol:

I'd like to bond a pair of girlies with treacle and fudge but not sure how to go about it!!

bunnylove · Oct 12, 2005

touie said:
Can any one else identify their rabbits by their poo or is it just me? :shock: :lol: I only have 4 bunnies but they all have different poo! :lol:

I'd like to bond a pair of girlies with treacle and fudge but not sure how to go about it!!

i can with some but not others!

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