advice please - re-bonding Zinniea to the group?

Well I don't know if it's all that fresh air, space and good food, but the girls have definitely matured since I got them nearly 2 weeks ago - there's a lot of chasing going on, and no-one gets any rest - So I've been forced to book Zinniea (the seemingly most hormonal one) in at the vets next week - sooner than I planned as I wanted to settle them in and get them a bit tamer (how on EARTH am I going to catch her??) :?

Anyway - go she must - but she has to spend the night in my bedroom afterwards or the vets won't let her go home - As the group of girls play rough and are always chasing and humping each other, I imagine I'd better keep her seperate for a few days in fact?

In which case will the group reject her do you think? I've got 4 more to spay as well, and I can't get them all done together on the same day.

Do you think I should buy some more hutches as a backup plan?

Hi elve, remember when i had velvet spayed? Well i was all worried that pan would'nt take her back after. We had velvet seperate for a week and then we pu her back with Pan and they were fine and dandy, they acted like they had never been away from each other. I know thats not much help but you could try just putting her back a few days after she's done. Im sure someone will have better advice but Good Luck XXXX

hi

thanks Phill - that sounds promising but I'm finding group dynamics a nightmare with this lot - I spend ages watching them trying to figure out who's bossing who - Last week Primrose was a demure little thing who submitted to everyone - this week she's chasing and humping :shock:

I think maybe having Benny around is making them feel a bit... :lol:

I actually decided to put Zinniea in the 3 foot cage today, in the shed next to the others - managed to trick her into the cat carrier after half an hour

She's not a happy bunny - chewing the bars trying to get out But she wasn't giving anyone any peace - and she's a fanatical ear washer - I was afraid she'd chew them off the rate she goes at it - the other bunnies wince, but submit - then she humps them all and they all run away and start biting each other :roll:

I hope I've done the right thing seperating her early - at least she won't have a new cage to get used to after her op on Wednesday - poor baby...
I can see why people keep pairs rather than groups - it's much easier for them to reach an understanding when there's only 2 bunnies...

It really would be better to get them all done at the same time if they are to go back together - is there anyway you could manage it? At least the same week so they could recover together? The vet might give you a group rate or let you pay in installments?

Good luck.

Is there anyway you could section part of the shed off for Zinniea so they were still all together and could still see each other and smell each other 24/7? with Chicken wire maybe? this way she will get some peace and quiet but still have her family around her? She may not get any rest in a hutch if she is trying to get to her sisters and mum.

I know when I had the boys done and I know its a much simpler opp the vet said keep them to what they know and their freinds would deffo aid recovery.

Good luck and I can't believe you have had them two weeks already how time fly's

hi

Zinniea's cage is in the shed with her family - she can wave to them through the bars when she's not chewing them - I hope she's been OK today as I've not checked as it's siesta time still till 5pm...

with the mass spaying - I've got the money to get them all done at once (nearly £400!!!) but it's the logistics of keeping 5 bunnies warm, calm and indoors afterwards - I can't cram them all into one cage - don't have a spare bedroom (we are a 2up/2down house) - and I don't think the shed is clean enough or warm enough (it's brick on concrete) and they are very active as group - there's a lot of chasing and mounting - so the vets would insist on keeping them in - and they wouldn't cram them all into one cage but would split the group...And then there's the difficulty of monitoring who's pooing and who's not - as it is one of the girls does very tiny poos - but I haven't a clue which one. I don't think it would work - not to mention I'm worried about the vets rushing the last 2 bunnies due to running out of time - I don't want anyone doing a rush job on my bunnies :shock:

and then there's the TINY matter of getting them there and back on the bus or taxi.... :?

I think I'll need a lot of luck to carry this off really - but I'll try - If all goes pear shaped I'll have a couple of spare females in hutches looking for new boyfriends...oh dear!