Bonding my group, (bonding number 4 and 5)

[Becka]

Hi everyone. I have been on here with another post. So we finally got our netherland dwarf! So. We now have, Stellar our mini lop buck, about 6 months. Frankie and Binky, sister lion heads getting spayed early january. Our newer addition Quinn who is a doe and a mix of sorts. They are all together, technically not all bonded there are a few scuffles but never broken skin. Stellar I believe is the alpha and he let’s everything slide but when there’s a fight he’s like ok stop it. Ha. But our new Quinn who is by the way about 12 weeks, is mounting Stellar.

We just got our netherland dwarf doe, no name yet which I will post a pic on the naming thread. She’s a 10wk old doe. She is very new and in a cage next to the very large enclosure we have the 4 in now. Stellar loves everyone and everyone loves him. However Quinn has been getting super possessive over Stellar and doesnt want anyone near him. Or if they’re cuddling she needs to be between Stellar and whoever else.

Besides that, I think I made a mistake because since the young girls are around the same age, for the start I ended up putting Quinn and the new baby togrther for 1 day. (I know. Bad IDea now…) and I think I somewhat broke the bond because they all got along so so well. Now there is bickering and scuffles. I started slower and kinda restarted again.

With the baby netherland, I have done a few dates. Stellar loves her, just like everyone. Frankie and Binky are always iffy and nip butts. Frankie also doesn’t like when there’s a chase because then she tries to get involved as well.

Sorry if this is confusing.

Anyway now I did the bonding process with the four, had them all together for 3 whole days while I’ve been home. I slept next to them and the first night there were little scuffles. It’s mostly because Quinn now is trying to mount which I didn’t even know they know how at 11 ish weeks old!!! But the other girls don’t like it at all. There’s a nice tight knit bond between the 3, and then with Quinn, Stellar, and Frankie but Binky seems left out. (By the way Binky is tiny, she was the runt of the litter and weighs about 1.5lbs and probably won’t get bigger) She’s always a little butt nipper too.

I also read Chamomile can help with the mounting etc until they’re able to get spayed. I also don’t want to re Break the group now. I feel after the first time, things went a little awry when I put her back and like I said it was like almost starting over.

So. Frankie and Binky will be getting spayed early January.

Quinn and the new baby won’t get spayed until march, April ish.

Ok so some advice on that would help.
Now. My next issue. Which is down the line…

I have a deposit on a litter that isn’t here yet. I have been looking for a magpie, it’s a Holland lop. It won’t be born and weaned and ready until April, which is great and gives us time to work with bonding number 5. So that will be number 6. (That’s our last lol. We don’t wanna become hoarders) but my bf wanted a netherland, chin color and we seemed to come across it. And I wanted a magpie and I wanted it down the line and it’s why I made my deposit.

So I’m wondering since Stellar is the only Buck, what should we add? I feel maybe adding another buck would go over easier with bonding the females. And Stellar is really accepting. But we would have to make sure everyone is spayed first which we planned on anyway. Or do you think just adding another doe in anyway is fine?

I’ve seen two bucks alone living together and two bucKS with does in a group. I just don’t know if we should be looking into a buck or doe for the group. I feel it’s strange having just our Stellar but I’m pretty sure he loves the grooming and lady love lol

So yeah there are my questions or what I’d need some advice on?

And yes I do have a very large space for them. And when supervised they get playtime too but their enclosure is about 12sq ft. And we’re adding a second level also. (We tried a beautiful hutch for them, they’re indoor buns only by the way. And they decided it’s a better chew toy then actual living Quarters.)

Also the territorial poops, will it ever stop? Lol
Its getting to be a pain with cleaning up poops 3 to 5 times a day. I’m trying to keep it as poop free as possible so it kinda shows them I don’t want it on the floor!!!

Ok so I will leave it at that.
Please let me know what you think is the best bonding ways for them. Or about the sex of the new addition. And can it be that 3 are bonded and Binky is refusing?

Bonding Quinn at first was so easy, until I took her out for a day. I feel so dumb! But anyway, I learned and I don’t want to seperate anyone anymore after they’re good and cohabitating well.

Thanks for reading and I hope to hear back soon with feedback. Also. I will be going to the name section in a little and upload a pic. Maybe you all can come up with a name. Hehe

THANKS!

[RabbitPam]

Hi, sorry it took a while to respond. It sounds like quite a big group you’re planning!
I’m a bit confused, though. Are you having everyone as pets for yourselves, just wanting a large bunny family, or are you planning on having litters?
We are a house rabbit site and not a site for breeders, so I felt it was important to ask.

If this is the first, and you just have lots of room and want several bunnies, I want to begin with a caution about trying to bond them before all the speuters. Some of them are already old enough to become pregnant, and with the humping, it may be both dominance behavior and mounting that could result in pregnancy.
I know you feel like you are starting over with bonding, but I would suggest keeping them separated until one month after the spayed/neutered ones are healed and their hormones have died down before attempting to bond. Then you can bond those that are ready.
With adults and babies, or even siblings, a bond from birht does not last. They stop caring that they are family once the hormones kick in, as early as 10 weeks in some cases, (especially with does, who can get pregnant much sooner than you’d think). It makes them aggressive, so don’t worry about any pre-hormonal bonds.
Let us know what your situation is. If you are planning on breeding, or having litters to sell, we can redirect you to sites with others that are doing so. We tend to advocate speuters here, focusing on quality of life indoors with their slaves – that’s us.

[Becka]

All are pets. They will all eventually be spayed and my male is neutered. I know it’s a bit confusing. Our total will be 6. Right now we have 5. In onr large pen we have 4. Our neutered male Stellar. And then there is Frankie and Binky, two lionheads. Which have their appt set for the first week of jan to get spayed together. And then we have Quinn she is now about 14wks. They all live fairly happily but it seems that there has been some hormonal changes now so my question is basically when the sisters go in for their surgery I know I should remove them from the group until they heal and we also have a Netherlands who is 11 weeks old she hasn’t been with the group much but we have done bonding sessions.

So I was thinking how to go about when the sisters are healing, should I try bonding the netherland with my Stellar and Quinn while the other girls are out? The bonding sessions seem to go very well and I always put them in a fairly small space I’ve also been going very slow the bonding sessions seem to go very well and I always put them in a fairly small space I’ve also been going very slow but the only issue that seems to arrive is that binky is hormonal and she doesn’t get along with the baby meaning the neyherland. Sorry , she doesn’t have a name yet it would be easier maybe to describe if she did. But no all of my animals are my pets I don’t think I could breathe even if I wanted to because I’ve never give any awaylol. Does that kind of answer the question you were looking for?

[Becka]

Maybe this is a better way of explaoming.. soo right now, I have Stellar he is a neutered 6 month old mini lop, then there’s Binky and Frankie, 6 month old sister lionhead does, Binky was the runt of the litter and is quite small but still adorable I love her. And then there’s Quinn our mix of sorts and is 13 wks as of now.

These 4 all live together in a very large area.

I also have a new Netherland dwarf doe who has yet to be named. I should post a pic and see what you guys think, but this is off the subject. This lil girl is in her own pen, next to the others, she is 11wks now.

We have done bonding sessions although slacking because it seems we don’t know exactly what to do with the situation at hand. The bonding sessions have reached up to 30 min and sometimes an hour. At the moment it seems Binky has been spraying and she is hormonal and is a butt biter. So once she scares the baby, Frankies ears go back and she’s the one who is pretty much like, ok stop now. Hah. I am pretty certain Stellar is the alpha. QUINN has been mounting Stellar lately though, she seems to have attached herself to him so much that she is always at his side. BINKY was a bit shy but now she seems to want Stellars attention too. So first Quinn will mount and then Binky will bite her butt, and that’s that. And Stellar gets a bit angry and looks like he’s a hippy boy saying, stop guys let’s all love each other lol! Anyway that’s how the bonding is going at this point and the bonds seemed to be easier before. Maybe I am more worried due to size when our newest baby came and I wanted to bulk her up a bit considering she’s a young dwarf.

Anyway.

BINKY AND FRANKIE will be getting spayed early jan. Possibly the first week, if not the second.

So, during this time, I am hoping to keep them together, but seperated from their group. I’m wondering, should I introduce the baby netherland to Stellar and Quinn. They are sweet and usually anything flies with them. But then what about the bonds with Frankie and Binky? Should I wait to put them back with everyone and then continue my bonding sessions? Or if I put the baby in and she makes good with Stellar, then maybe Binky and Frankie (mostly binky) would bemore accepting of her?

Someone suggested chamomile on a site, it has worked so well doe the hormonal time, I need some more lol.

Ok, so that’s that on the bonding question while spaying the 2 girl sisters.
When Quinn and the new ND are of age they will be getting spayed as well. These are my pets I don’t breed btw. And they live indoors only too.

Another question is, I have a deposit on a Holland Lop magpie that will be coming to us around April. This will be our last bun. Our max was 5 but we decided on 6. My bf wanted his netherland and lionheads. He has them lol. And I wanted my lop, well so did he. And our mutt mix Quinn was kinda a quick decision thing, but it worked out nicely. In a way I feel we shouldn’t have made that quick decision but I couldn’t give any of my bunnies up and not know where they will be going. But this is why we decided to stop at 6. Because I’ve wanted my magpie for a long while now plus April gives us time to wait and bond etc

I was going to go with a doe but, I’m wondering because I will have one buck, and 5 does, maybe bonding would be easier for the girls to bond with another male instead? But then what about my male?He is already neutered though. I judt don’t know what would be easier at that point. Our deposit is on a doe as of now though. So that’s another question, but this isn’t as important as the above stated info with spaying and bonding. I really need your suggestions on who you think should go where and maybe why?

I really appreciate you reading this and I’m freaking out a little cause its going to be here before I know it.

(Be stellar was Stella, we were told he was a girl lol. Since we found he was a boy I have checked so many bunnies and feel I am way more educated on the sex of a bun, which helped us ensure we won’t have any pregnancies)

K rant over…

Please respond with questions comments or if anything is confusing I will check back soon so, please let me know your thoughts! Our happy bunny clan will surely thank you, and so do I very very very much plus I haven’t gotten any feedback in this issue

Ty again!

[Becka]

By the way here is Stellar

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Binky

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Frankie
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And Quinn

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[jayne fine]

it seems like the general consensus on bonding rabbits is to wait until all involved are spayed and neutered- unlike a lot of small animals the concern isn’t just breeding but is also a concern with hormone levels causing fights. Just because the male you have is neutered and they can’t breed doesn’t mean you should try bonding them, especially at such young ages when hormone fluctuations are going to statr kicking in- seems safer to keep everyone separate until they’ve been altered.

Once the lionheads heal, bond them with the boy, then add in the other females once they’ve been altered and healed.

To me this sounds like playing with fire- all your female rabbits are approaching the mark where their hormones (and often dominance/aggression to other rabbits) an kick in and be unpredictable. If a really bad fight breaks out you they never be able to recover from it mentally and bond.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I agree-it’s a lot easier to do things well and slowly then undo hurt feelings if they do have a fight. Do you have any way of keeping them separate until they are all fixed? That would be idea-not to mention sometimes rabbits are missexed so you might be surprised to find another male in your midst (It happens ALL the time-their bits just aren’t very different and I’ve even heard of vets who have missexed them).

Ideally I would suggest housing them separate until they are fixed, letting them heal and relax. In the meantime you could do stunt double swaps (mixing toys together so they are used to the smell) and plan your bonding by reading lots of bonding journals. We have a few members here who have big groups and even with them all fixed it can get complicated so I would totally recommend finding those threads and giving them a good read to prepare

[Becka]

Hmm. Well the only one seperate is the newest which is the 10wk old baby netherland. The 4 are all together. We just booked their spay for Jan 15th. So I don’t really wanna seperate them they’re doing well and have been for a while now. Like weeks and weeks… but stellaris neutered and the two young ones can’t get spayed until 6 months which is like 3 months from now. So. I don’t know. I feel I know them fairly well. But I know you are right. But we started out this way. I know hormones are flaring but it’s not too crazy. We will removed them while they heal. Stellar and Quinn are very attached and she is young. So I was hoping to get the other baby in while they heal since they have a while to be hormonal. Idk. This is just what had worked for us thus far. But. I guess we shall see. We have done a lot of bonding stuff too so we have what we need to know. But. I appreciate the suggestions. I just. Maybe we can put the babies together, but then stellar will be alone and he loves the company.

[Becka]

Just wanted to mention girls have been spayed and it’s 2 weeks today. Have 4 together in the pen living there for the last few weeks. Going to try and reintroduce the girls shortly. ThanKS for the input

[Becka]

Just wanted to mention girls have been spayed and it’s 2 weeks today. Have 4 together in the pen living there for the last few weeks. Going to try and reintroduce the girls shortly. ThanKS for the input

[Author]

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