Introducing young rabbit to a bonded pair?

i introduced my girl when she was a tiny baby to my two bonded boys, i know it's a different situation, but thought i'd just contribute here... they doted on her(see my picture linked below). no trouble at all.... untill i took her away to be 'done'. by the time she recovered they had unbonded and i had to go through the whole bonding process afterall.... the girl is very agressive and teritorial, but even tho she started growling lunging as soon as the came anywhere near her cage they were bonded within a week. i put them all their run, on some carpet, in the bedroom to keep an eye on them over the first few nights... there were a few scraps, and fair bit of chasing and humping but they all worked things out in the end. and are all better for it!

ps.. i've hear it said that it is easier to bond two pairs together..... :wink:

Hi all

My friend's rabbit has just had babies (Her stupid boyfriend put her two separated rabbits in a pen together for 15 minutes without her knowledge, don't worry she's had serious row with him :evil: )

Anyway she said that we are more than welcome to take one of them when they are old enough and i'd love to but i have some doubts.

We have a bonded pair. Neutered male and un neutered female (to be done in the next year). They've been bonded for approx 18 months now with no problems at all.

I'd obviously have to have a female off my friend but has anyone had experience of introducing a young female to a bonded older pair? I'm thinking Smudge (the female) will either mother her or be very jealous of her. I'm not sure how Bailey (the boy) will react.

They didn't fight when we bonded this pair, just humping.

Hope somebody can help.

Thanks in advance x

Edited: They are outside rabbits that live in a 4ft x 4ft playhouse with 4ft x 4ft run attached.

I've always found very young females (ENSURE DEFINITELY FEMALE!!) easier to bond than adults or males.
Your other female may be territorial though - spaying her first may be a good idea.

(Incidentally - my bloke did that with my 2 un neutered buns - I was lucky though, no kits)

Thanks for your reply

We can't get smudge neutered til next year because i still live with my parents and don't have the space to separate them while she's recovering. We're looking at getting a house next year so can do it then.

Maybe it might be best to leave it?

Smudge said:

Thanks for your reply

We can't get smudge neutered til next year because i still live with my parents and don't have the space to separate them while she's recovering. We're looking at getting a house next year so can do it then.

Maybe it might be best to leave it?

Click to expand...

You might not have to separate - if they are already bonded - you could take both buns together to vets, & leave em together all along. A lot of people on here never separate their bonded buns. (If there is no re-introduction, there houldn't be much humping - though you do have to keep an eye on things).

Might be best to leave it though if you have nowhere to put extra bun if bonding isn't instant

Hmmm i think i'll have a serious think - it's just hard to refuse when you are being offered cute buns! :lol:

I do have space to temporarily separate them thinking on it, just not if the newcomer if they didn't get on with my existing pair permanently.

Thanks for the neutering advice too, i always thought they would have to be separated even though they was bonded. He hasn't humped her for ages but gets the urge for a minute once every few months or so :roll:

Smudge said:

Thanks for the neutering advice too, i always thought they would have to be separated even though they was bonded. He hasn't humped her for ages but gets the urge for a minute once every few months or so :roll:

Click to expand...

With the neutering, it's surgically easier to do it when they're under 1 year old.

Good luck with it all!

AMETHYST

Urm don't know, I chickened out of doing this and got another pair instead. In hindsight quite glad I did since Sylvia hates all other rabbits than Oli!

b-m