This might be long so I apologise in advance! I have two bonded and spayed female rabbits. They are lovely wee rabbits, so friendly and I adore them. They are in a 10ft x 10ft converted dog kennel (inside part 4 x 10 and run 6 x 10).
I saw an ad on a local selling page, not an animal selling page but a general one... for three female rabbits with their hutch. People were tagging others left right and centre. So heart over head, I messaged the woman and asked a few questions. One of which was are they spayed. Her answer was 'I'm not sure' so I took that to be a 'no'. She also told me they were ten months old. With people most likely impulse responding with things like 'oh little [insert child's name] would love them!' I thought it could be a disaster waiting to happen. Not only with the three, unspayed young rabbits but the hutch was totally unsuitable. I decided to get them and planned to find a rescue space for them. I arranged to get them the next night but someone messaged her to get them that night so I had a message saying if I wanted them, I had to get them that night or this other woman would get them...
Once home though, I got too attached to them. They needed spayed and new housing. I didn't have the money for everything so decided to get the money together for spaying first, as it was most crucial. Temporarily, I blocked off part of the garden so they could have free range of that when I was home, giving them more space. Housing was always going to be difficult due to lack of space in the garden and the layout but I was going to figure something out.
However, four weeks after getting them and before managing to get them spayed, I woke me morning to find the smallest of them dead. She had fur pulled out, bald patches and bite marks. I was so shocked, never witnessed any fighting etc but there was no other explanation. I thought they had may be ganged up on her and in the confines of the hutch (they were shut away at night) the space was too limited that she had nowhere to escape to. The other two seemed okay and the next week went by without incident. Eight days later though, OHs mum was round and as she was leaving she said hello to all the bunnies, and I watched as she did so. An hour later I went out to feed them before bed, and found one lying, struggling to breathe. I carried her into the house and she died in my arms within ten minutes. I couldn't believe it after her being fine an hour earlier...I was devastated. I hold so much guilt over the fact I didn't separate them after the first died, but I didn't think it was a specific rabbit... please no one tell me it was my fault, I had enough of that when I posted about it in a FB group. But my worries were right... I just failed to prevent it... I didn't think they would fight so soon especially after never having seen aggression between them.
Now though, it leaves me with a lone rabbit. So, I need to decide what to do. I have decided on two options. The first is to rehome her, preferably if I can find a rescue space for her. The other is to have her spayed and then when the hormones are settled, attempt to bond her with my pair. Now, my first thoughts were fear that she could do that same to my pair but I have been assured aggressive rabbits can be totally changed when spayed and can be bonded successfully. However, I hear so many mixed opinions on bonding when a pair is involved. Some people are very against it in case the bonded pair fall out and others have done it very successfully... some people with quite large groups too... so opinions seem split on it... so I don't know whether to risk it or not. But I don't want to leave lone bunny on her own... I just don't know what to do...
Any opinions and advice on the situation would be much appreciated.
I saw an ad on a local selling page, not an animal selling page but a general one... for three female rabbits with their hutch. People were tagging others left right and centre. So heart over head, I messaged the woman and asked a few questions. One of which was are they spayed. Her answer was 'I'm not sure' so I took that to be a 'no'. She also told me they were ten months old. With people most likely impulse responding with things like 'oh little [insert child's name] would love them!' I thought it could be a disaster waiting to happen. Not only with the three, unspayed young rabbits but the hutch was totally unsuitable. I decided to get them and planned to find a rescue space for them. I arranged to get them the next night but someone messaged her to get them that night so I had a message saying if I wanted them, I had to get them that night or this other woman would get them...
Once home though, I got too attached to them. They needed spayed and new housing. I didn't have the money for everything so decided to get the money together for spaying first, as it was most crucial. Temporarily, I blocked off part of the garden so they could have free range of that when I was home, giving them more space. Housing was always going to be difficult due to lack of space in the garden and the layout but I was going to figure something out.
However, four weeks after getting them and before managing to get them spayed, I woke me morning to find the smallest of them dead. She had fur pulled out, bald patches and bite marks. I was so shocked, never witnessed any fighting etc but there was no other explanation. I thought they had may be ganged up on her and in the confines of the hutch (they were shut away at night) the space was too limited that she had nowhere to escape to. The other two seemed okay and the next week went by without incident. Eight days later though, OHs mum was round and as she was leaving she said hello to all the bunnies, and I watched as she did so. An hour later I went out to feed them before bed, and found one lying, struggling to breathe. I carried her into the house and she died in my arms within ten minutes. I couldn't believe it after her being fine an hour earlier...I was devastated. I hold so much guilt over the fact I didn't separate them after the first died, but I didn't think it was a specific rabbit... please no one tell me it was my fault, I had enough of that when I posted about it in a FB group. But my worries were right... I just failed to prevent it... I didn't think they would fight so soon especially after never having seen aggression between them.
Now though, it leaves me with a lone rabbit. So, I need to decide what to do. I have decided on two options. The first is to rehome her, preferably if I can find a rescue space for her. The other is to have her spayed and then when the hormones are settled, attempt to bond her with my pair. Now, my first thoughts were fear that she could do that same to my pair but I have been assured aggressive rabbits can be totally changed when spayed and can be bonded successfully. However, I hear so many mixed opinions on bonding when a pair is involved. Some people are very against it in case the bonded pair fall out and others have done it very successfully... some people with quite large groups too... so opinions seem split on it... so I don't know whether to risk it or not. But I don't want to leave lone bunny on her own... I just don't know what to do...
Any opinions and advice on the situation would be much appreciated.
