Seperated again...have I done the right thing? (sorry v. long post)

[newbabybuns]

Ok so story so far..... I had 3 litter mate sister bunnies (they are now 5 1/2 months old), 1, Lola became much more humpy than the other two about 2 months ago now and got injured when one bit her trying to get her off after relentless humping (there's a thread I started on here somewhere). I seperated her as she had staples in her injury and was just not going to let up with the humping. She has remained seperated ever since.

Now there been a bit of a dominance battle with them all since the more dominant one got poorly not long after we had her, it's been a real long haul to get her back to strength (I'm still not confident she would be ready for a GA for spaying at 6 months), but once she was she has regained her dominance with humping etc.

Now the last couple of days the humpee Cookie has become the humper (I think still being able to smell Lola around has not helped), and when she has humped Frankie (the previous dominant humpy one) Frankie has made an awful quacking sound. She really does not like it at all. She did it just now and I immediately went in to them and Frankie tried clambering into my arms. Now she is normally unhandable, so I knew how scared she was. She's been through so much I am not prepared to let her be stressed. I removed Cookie and she is currently free ranging in the dining room having a whale of a time but looking for her sister.

OH has been sent to pick up a large indoor cage while he is at work, and the plan is to bring Lola in as she copes much better as a house bunny, then put Cookie in Lolas hutch and just have them all seperate for now.

I can't believe it has come to this before they could get spayed. They also have a lovely playhouse in the garden that I ordered ready for me to construct a lovely home for them with an aviary when the patio gets extended in a couple of months. Then they were due to go out in late spring. I was hoping to be able to bond Lola back to Cookie and Frankie and they'd all live happily ever after, but it's just not working out that way. I'd already considered as a last resort reworking it so there were two slightly smaller aviaries and potentially getting Lola a husbun from a rescue, but OH isn't keen how much this is ending up costing, and how little garden we would have left. I don't know if I could afford to take on another with vacs, vet bills etc

Is there hope for them all to go back together do you think as now it looks as though I'll have 3 seperate bunnies to put back together as a trio?? I'm so upset and don't know what to do if they won't. It's going to mean a major overhaul of our small garden as I'd want them to all have an aviary run with a house inside (just discovered the house behind has had their coop broken into and a fox got the quails, so just as much for safety as for having a lovely home and run).

Nothing ever goes smoothly for me, I've had lots of buns in the past and never ever have they caused me this many sleepless nights as these 3 have!

Sorry for huge ranty whingey post, would appreciate any thoughts

 

[prettylupin]

This is the time that hormones kick in. I think you would be wise to keep all three separate until they have ALL been spayed and recovered and then try to rebond as a trio from scratch in neutral territory.

 

[newbabybuns]

Thanks PL

They are due to go for vacs on Friday, so will ask the vet about spaying, and how to go about making sure Frankie (the one that was poorly) is up to full strength before her spay. I suspect it won't be for an extra couple of months at least. I was already getting a headache trying to work out how to go about getting Cookie spayed and recovered whilst living with humpy Frankie who couldn't yet be spayed. Guess the buns have made that a bit easier for me at least! :lol:

 

[elis-mum]

hi :wave:

i really feel for you as i am in a very similar situation myself at the moment. i have a 3 year old boy and 2x 8 month old girls.
when the girls were about 6 months Blousy started attacking Lula to the extent where i had to split the girls. they both kept getting swapped so each could still spend time with the male (Buddy)

i tried re bonding but got a lot of wrong advice (not from here) and the girls are still not right together.

i have a great set up outside with an 8ft shed and a 7ft runn attatched through the day. the thought of having to seperate one of the girls is really upsetting, i cannot keep one indoors for many reasons but if i do split them i could not afford to keep a 4th bun and hate the thought of one been alone..

i have since had helpful advice on here and am bringing them all in to try bond again this weekend.

all the worry and stress over them has made me physically ill and i have had buns for over 15 years but none of them have caused me grief like these..so know how you feel and hope you can resolve it when they are all spayed and the hormones are a bit more settled.

fingers crossed for you.

 

[yvette]

This is the time that hormones kick in. I think you would be wise to keep all three separate until they have ALL been spayed and recovered and then try to rebond as a trio from scratch in neutral territory.

Ditto.After the speys, youll have 3 very different bunnies.

 

[newbabybuns]

hi :wave:

i really feel for you as i am in a very similar situation myself at the moment. i have a 3 year old boy and 2x 8 month old girls.
when the girls were about 6 months Blousy started attacking Lula to the extent where i had to split the girls. they both kept getting swapped so each could still spend time with the male (Buddy)

i tried re bonding but got a lot of wrong advice (not from here) and the girls are still not right together.

i have a great set up outside with an 8ft shed and a 7ft runn attatched through the day. the thought of having to seperate one of the girls is really upsetting, i cannot keep one indoors for many reasons but if i do split them i could not afford to keep a 4th bun and hate the thought of one been alone..

i have since had helpful advice on here and am bringing them all in to try bond again this weekend.

all the worry and stress over them has made me physically ill and i have had buns for over 15 years but none of them have caused me grief like these..so know how you feel and hope you can resolve it when they are all spayed and the hormones are a bit more settled.

fingers crossed for you.

It sounds like we are in very similar situations :shock:

I have been barely sleeping and going to bed at really stupid times, so I can stay up and monitor them and have became ill more frequently than I normally would. At least tonight with them seperate I can go to bed and not worry about them having a fight!

Best of luck for your bonding this weekend, hope it works out this time

Thanks everybody for your kind and helpful words

 

[elis-mum]

It sounds like we are in very similar situations :shock:

I have been barely sleeping and going to bed at really stupid times, so I can stay up and monitor them and have became ill more frequently than I normally would. At least tonight with them seperate I can go to bed and not worry about them having a fight!

Best of luck for your bonding this weekend, hope it works out this time

Thanks everybody for your kind and helpful words

we do fret over our little critters don't we!

my tummy is in constant knots with worry and like you i am constantly checking them day and night.

hope you have a good nights sleep and thanks for your good luck wishes! can't say i'm looking forward to this weekend. :roll: