Hi everyone!
I am in a bit of a dilema. In August I rescued 2 female rabbits, Margot and Tessa. They are 2 and a half years old now and I got them neutered approx 4 months ago. They are sisters and have had nearly 5 homes before they came to me and they weren't particularly good with humans however they lived with several other rabbits when they were with the rescue centre.
A few months ago I adopted Bella, a Netherland dwarf, with the intention of bonding her with the other 2 bunnies. She is almost a year old now and has recently been neutered. When she arrived at our house it was clear the other 2 were not happy having her around (this was with a secure baby gate between them, I didn't chuck her in with them just to clarify!). I split them up and the 2 older girls went outside where they were quite content.
I brought them in a few weeks ago as the weather got colder, with the intention of very slowly introducing them. I swapped them around rooms in the house to get them used to their smells and had the baby gate in between so they could see and smell each other. There was and still is an awful lot of fighting between them with the baby gate and a huge amount of territorial poo from all rabbits. Because of this I have not even attempted to put them in the same room together.
Then it gets worse - a week ago Margot and Tessa unexpectedly started fighting with each other. They have had their occasional arguments but nothing more. I came back from a late shift to find fur and blood around the living room and Margot had literally been skinned by her sister near her leg. She was stitched up by the vet and since then she has mostly been on cage rest in our bedroom away from her sister.
So I now have 3 rabbits in 3 separate areas of the house and it is not easy at all. My partner is getting more agitated with having to hoover up poo and move the baby gates every time he needs to get somewhere and I am slowly starting to despair more and more and wonder what I have done. How on earth can I rebond these rabbits?! Please help!
Apologies for the long post - but any info/help is very much appreciated!
I am in a bit of a dilema. In August I rescued 2 female rabbits, Margot and Tessa. They are 2 and a half years old now and I got them neutered approx 4 months ago. They are sisters and have had nearly 5 homes before they came to me and they weren't particularly good with humans however they lived with several other rabbits when they were with the rescue centre.
A few months ago I adopted Bella, a Netherland dwarf, with the intention of bonding her with the other 2 bunnies. She is almost a year old now and has recently been neutered. When she arrived at our house it was clear the other 2 were not happy having her around (this was with a secure baby gate between them, I didn't chuck her in with them just to clarify!). I split them up and the 2 older girls went outside where they were quite content.
I brought them in a few weeks ago as the weather got colder, with the intention of very slowly introducing them. I swapped them around rooms in the house to get them used to their smells and had the baby gate in between so they could see and smell each other. There was and still is an awful lot of fighting between them with the baby gate and a huge amount of territorial poo from all rabbits. Because of this I have not even attempted to put them in the same room together.
Then it gets worse - a week ago Margot and Tessa unexpectedly started fighting with each other. They have had their occasional arguments but nothing more. I came back from a late shift to find fur and blood around the living room and Margot had literally been skinned by her sister near her leg. She was stitched up by the vet and since then she has mostly been on cage rest in our bedroom away from her sister.
So I now have 3 rabbits in 3 separate areas of the house and it is not easy at all. My partner is getting more agitated with having to hoover up poo and move the baby gates every time he needs to get somewhere and I am slowly starting to despair more and more and wonder what I have done. How on earth can I rebond these rabbits?! Please help!
Apologies for the long post - but any info/help is very much appreciated!