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Got more than 1 pair?

BB Mommy

Warren Veteran
I have two pairs of rabbits, the second pair I've had for 2 weeks.
They live in sheds with their runs alongside each other, but from day 1 I've had to keep them screened off from each other as initially it changed my very docile frenchie into a :evil: , andshe would launch herself at the bars to get at the new ones, which in turn mad her partner aroused and made them fight.
I was advised to screen them off initially as the new pair had only been bonded for 4 days, and as they are giants and can do serious damage, I didn't want to risk them breaking their bond.

:?: :?: Problem is both sets take it in turn to have the run of the garden, and at the moment I'm still having to cover the front of the other buns run so they don't see each other.
My frenchie who caused the prob is more settled when she sees them, but now my dwarf gets quite nasty, and now the two new ones bicker when they see the others!!!! :? :? :? I'm very nervous about testing how far they might go if I don't intervene.

Anyone had the same problem.
Any advice on the way forward so they can see each other without WW3 breaking out.
Thanks so much!!!!and sorry it's s long! :D
 
Even if they can't see each other, they'd be able to smell each other :? so perhaps swap some of their poos and toys so that they can get used to each other's scent...? This will kind of introduce them to each-other, then hopefully they won't be quite so territorial around each other. This is just a guess - I've not actually done it myself :)
 
That is a great idea. Do you use litter trays? If you do swap them around as well (already used) as that really hits home when they wee in the same litter tray. If you can stand it, even swapping around the sides of the garden they are living/playing in regularly helps. Stops them feeling so dominant over just one area. Be grateful its in the garden tho....they will be doing major territorial weeing!!! :shock: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :wink:

Try giving your frenchie some extra snuggles to let her know she is not going to be fighting for love or attention just sharing. Worth a try and also nice for you!! :D
 
I have a pair at one end of the garden and the other two doing hutch and run swapping at the other end (starting bonding properly for them again next week :shock: )

When I let two in the garden I usually bring the other pair into the house otherwise Trip and Scarlett just annoy Buu :lol:

Mine dont seem bothered by smelling the others in the garden but im not sure it would work too well if their runs were next to each other :lol: Sorry thats not much help, I guess what others have said could help though :D
 
Never thought of swapping them into each others runs/sheds - I'll try that tomorrow (got workmen here at the mo>), and swapping litter trays.....why didin't I think of that :wink: :wink: :lol:
We've just had to cut down loads of our apple tree so that the workmen have access to a roof - rabbits are in 7th heaven with all the branches!!
Just off to fill up the van with the rest to take to the sanctuary!
 
I have the same problem and have to live with it :cry: Spikes hutch is covered when Totti and Brody are out and vice versa otherwise normally loved up Totti is mega nasty to his lurve Brody :cry:

today Totti was being nasty constantly and I noticed he had some wee on his back. This was Spikes and had dribbled out the hutch, onto Totti when he went under the hutch. I surmised that he was being nasty 'cos he could smell Spike all the time... cleaned off the wee and peace was restored :roll:

I wouldn't dare put T & B in Spikes hutch as I dread to think what Totti would do and I'm so worried that the bond would break :cry:
 
Are you planning on trying to bond them all together or just want them to be peaceful?

If you just want them to stay in their pairs, I wouldn't swap their sheds etc about - that will only serve to confuse them as to what is their territory and may in fact make them bicker even more.

When a bonded pair fights when they see another bun, this is called referred aggression and is basically because they want to attack the other bun but can't get to it, so they attack their mate instead. If buns are going to behave like this, there is often not a lot you can do about it, so your best bet is to try and minimise it as best you can - for example by putting something across the divider so they can't directly see each other (I have attached some corrugated plastic which lets light through and they can see shadows but not actually get too close to each other). If it is really bad, you may have to consider putting a secondary barrier or 'shutters' around the occupied run to stop them from fighting while the others are out.

Hopefully it's just because you've got a newly bonded pair and they aren't comfortable with the others, but I think you've got to prepare for the fact that it may always be the case albeit maybe to a lesser extent.
 
No, I want to keep them separate as one pair is a big frenchie with a tiny netherland dwarf, and the other pair are continental giants...bit too big for little Joey who already has a size complex!!!! :rabbit2:

I've got all day at home Tues, so I'm going to try swapping litter trays initially, and see how that goes, and if all's well try leaving a small gap in the tarpaulin that I'm using to cover the run that one pair are in whilst the other pair take a turn in the garden.

One of my dogs was diagnosed by a behaviourist as doing the transferred aggression thing :evil: ....I can see now that that's what the buns are doing!

I've completed blanked off where their runs join, and all is peaceful when they can't see each other.
Suppose if they don't all get along - or even just ignore each other - I'll just have to be resigned to covering runs so they don't see each other at all :(
 
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