Bunnymummy3
New Kit
....I know there are a few threads on bonding trios, but i just wanted to explain the situation and see if i could get some advice....
We had two pairs of two female/male bunnies, sadly we lost Lilly last November which left Ollie alone (they were brother and sister).we left Lillys body for a few hours before removing it so Ollie had time to grieve and realise she was not coming back
After a few weeks he seemed back to his normal self, so tried introducing him to another girlfriend from a shelter(in a neutral place) but this was disastrous. Ollie did not respond to her at all and stopped eating and drinking. We decided to cancel the bonding and we brought him home alone. After two weeks of syringe feeding him, he was back to normal
Recently i have decided to try to introduce him to my other pair of rabbits (Layla and Oscar, who Ollie can sniff and see through a mesh partition). The two hutches have been side by side for over a year and the bunnies always go to the partition to see each other.
Took them all into the house and put them all together and kept an eye on them, Ollie was much more interested in the bunnies and went over to see them. There was a bit of chasing and fur pulling but no fights. Repeated this the next night and left them a bit longer, similar behaviour really. Layla was grooming herself and Ollie sprawled out on his side, Oscar doesnt seem to enjoy being indoors though and just sits in a corner.
Does anybody have any advice on where to go next with these three? All signs are good, but im wondering if putting them together in a neutral place and then putting them all back in their own territory is doing any good or not.I feel like i am jumping back to square one every time. Should i be putting Ollie inside a cage inside their territory, or should i be taking them for a car ride together then putting them all in an outdoor run in a neutral place?? Please help, any advice or tips are greatly welcome.
We are moving shortly and my idea was for them all to have the run of a neutral garden, would be so nice if i could get them all happily living together. If the trio does not work, i will try Ollie with a girlfriend of his own again.
I realise a trio is much harder than a pair to bond, and its not going to be quick to sort.
We had two pairs of two female/male bunnies, sadly we lost Lilly last November which left Ollie alone (they were brother and sister).we left Lillys body for a few hours before removing it so Ollie had time to grieve and realise she was not coming back
After a few weeks he seemed back to his normal self, so tried introducing him to another girlfriend from a shelter(in a neutral place) but this was disastrous. Ollie did not respond to her at all and stopped eating and drinking. We decided to cancel the bonding and we brought him home alone. After two weeks of syringe feeding him, he was back to normal Recently i have decided to try to introduce him to my other pair of rabbits (Layla and Oscar, who Ollie can sniff and see through a mesh partition). The two hutches have been side by side for over a year and the bunnies always go to the partition to see each other.
Took them all into the house and put them all together and kept an eye on them, Ollie was much more interested in the bunnies and went over to see them. There was a bit of chasing and fur pulling but no fights. Repeated this the next night and left them a bit longer, similar behaviour really. Layla was grooming herself and Ollie sprawled out on his side, Oscar doesnt seem to enjoy being indoors though and just sits in a corner.
Does anybody have any advice on where to go next with these three? All signs are good, but im wondering if putting them together in a neutral place and then putting them all back in their own territory is doing any good or not.I feel like i am jumping back to square one every time. Should i be putting Ollie inside a cage inside their territory, or should i be taking them for a car ride together then putting them all in an outdoor run in a neutral place?? Please help, any advice or tips are greatly welcome.
We are moving shortly and my idea was for them all to have the run of a neutral garden, would be so nice if i could get them all happily living together. If the trio does not work, i will try Ollie with a girlfriend of his own again.
I realise a trio is much harder than a pair to bond, and its not going to be quick to sort.
