Bonding a trio - help advice needed! BAD UPDATE

I have honey female neutered who is 2; pongo male five recently neutered; pootle female aged 6 neutered.

Been in pen a few hours and honey and pongo are in large litter tray and humping and grooming but looking good. Pootle is not in the litter tray but is going for the other two if they try to get out or look over the edge and she is biting. How can I get the three more together rather than a pair and a mean singleton?

I would take out the litter tray and give them time.

Pootle and pongo were fighting and pootle was screaming I have taken her out but don't know if I should keep going?

Anyone?

I sit in the pen with the rabbits I am bonding and have loads of hay, a couple of bowls of water and newspapers! The newspapers can be used to push between fighting rabbits or to distract them by rolling into shapes or filling with hay. I don't have anything they can get territorial about.


I would give it another try but I do wonder if it might be a little too soon after Pootle's myxi. She might still be a bit unsettled after all the vet visits. Good luck.

I have taken pootle out as she had some blood on her but I can't see where it is from

Update is that Pootle is at the vets as Pongo ripped her bottom lip off

Now I have three single rabbits with only room for two and I don't want Pongo anymore

I took him on as a favour to a relative and now I have had nothing but problems with him

fluffiebunnie said:

Update is that Pootle is at the vets as Pongo ripped her bottom lip off

Now I have three single rabbits with only room for two and I don't want Pongo anymore

I took him on as a favour to a relative and now I have had nothing but problems with him

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Are you being a bit hasty in saying you dont want Pongo any more ? Although I understand you are upset that Pootle is injured. As it sounds as though Pongo and Honey may have shown positive signs of a potentially successful bond perhaps you could try them together so you have one pair and Pootle as a single Rabbit. I seem to remember that you cant have Rabbits indoors ?? That would be preferable if being alone is likely to be a longterm thing for Pootle as being a lone outdoor Rabbit is not really ideal.

Jack's-Jane said:

Are you being a bit hasty in saying you dont want Pongo any more ? Although I understand you are upset that Pootle is injured. As it sounds as though Pongo and Honey may have shown positive signs of a potentially successful bond perhaps you could try them together so you have one pair and Pootle as a single Rabbit. I seem to remember that you cant have Rabbits indoors ?? That would be preferable if being alone is likely to be a longterm thing for Pootle as being a lone outdoor Rabbit is not really ideal.

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I left Pongo and Honey in together all night but she is terrified of him = he wouldn't let her move all night and now she is back in her playhouse eating and drinking for the first time in 12 hours as he wouldn't let her out of the corner.

I cannot have rabbits indoors so I will have to have singles outside.

Oh dear, I hope Pootle is alright?
It sounds like its been really stressful for you, could you maybe approach a local rescue to help you out with the bonding? Or someone local who's bonded a difficult trio before?

Oh no Poor Pootle, I hope she is alright.

I don't have any experience bonding a trio, hope someone more experienced with bonding will be along soon to offer some advice xx

They are all separate now. Pootle is staying in at the vets, Honey is back in the playhouse and Pongo is in a hutch I have had to get today.

I'm afraid I've never successfully bonded bunnies but didn't want to read and run. Poor Pootle and poor you. I'm sorry things are not working out at the moment.

I hope a happy way forward can be found for all of you. I have three indoor singles and that is the best I can do with them because they have all become used to their solitude. I'm sure they know each one is there but I own it's extra work and (at least for me) a bit sad to see them each alone.
(((((((Hugs)))))) for you and vibes for Pootle. xxxx

I'm so sorry it has all gone wrong. I have successfully bonded a trio but it took time & I never left them alone in the early days. I used a baby pen in my bedroom so I was able to intervene as soon as a squabble started be it day or night. Bonding can be a delicate process & I doubt you will be able to pinpoint exactly why it failed this time. How long has it been since Pongo was neutered? I waited a good 8 weeks before introducing my neutered boy to the others. I'd wait a few weeks before trying to bond again, (Pootle will need time to heal & get over her fright)& maybe have someone help you so the buns are never left unattended. Make sure the bonding area is totally neutral, wash everything down with white vinegar or buy new. I would avoid things like litter trays/dishes, as that can encourage territorial behaviour & scatter feed. I also used 4 water bottles that way a rabbit could always reach water even if another was guarding a bottle. Good luck & I hope all 3 buns settle down soon & remember even though Pongo seems to have come out this the best he would have also found bonding stressful.

I am too scared to try again. It was awful, I did have neutral area. Scattered hay and pellets. I didn't leave them alone but I couldn't stop the fight

You can't blame yourself, sometimes these fights start so quickly. I always have a second person with me even when I'm only bonding a pair, sometimes you need help to keep them separate while they calm down.
You all need time to get over the shock, it's horrifying when you see an animal you love scared & bleeding. Maybe you could just bond 2 of the buns, I've read on here that trios are the most difficult to bond & even maintain the bond, though I myself have been lucky as my 3 were quite laid back. I have 2 males & a female together. Perhaps you could contact a nearby rescue & ask if they could help out for a small fee? I'd have happily helped out but I'm too far away from you *hugs*

I think your trying to bond them too fast instead of bonding them for hours try for fifteen minutes at a time sit with them and use oven mitts to separate them. The first time you put them together again try stress bonding (I turn on the vacuum for short intervals when they start fighting) I know bonding can seem mean and horrible and stressful for them but e results are so rewarding. You just have to try different tecniques until you find one that works for your bunnies. You also might try bonding the two that were showing positive signs together again, bonding a pair and a single into three is easier than bonding three singles.
-just bonded two females and one male together it took a few weeks but they are so much happier.