Chasing and conflict through bars?

[Nishi]

I have a 1 y/o neutered male (Kyuu) and 2 young male bunnies (Plue and Mokona) that joined the family recently. My vet won’t neuter them until they are 6 months old, so I decided to keep them in separate but adjoining cages. They don’t seem to have a problem when they’re in their respective cages.

The trouble begins when I let my oldest free roam and have Plue out in an enclosed space I made out of joined wire cubes. Plue will be running and binkying around as normal when Kyuu comes and tries to nip him through the wires. Kyuu also seems to be chasing him, which I at first mistook for playful behavior. I had a really bad scare the other day when I thought Kyuu bit Plue’s face/nose and Plue seemed to be freaking out. However, it turned out to be that he pulled on his hair a bit (it was kinda wet). Kyuu doesn’t seem to have problems with Mokona even though Mokona is by far a more hormonal bunny and has even sprayed him. One time when I left the room briefly to brush my teeth I came back to 2 scared buns and fur everywhere as Kyuu had briefly gotten into Plue’s play area, which I think was when the aggression began. Is there anything I can do to improve the relationship? When I first got them, I had them do one bonding session and it had seemed like Plue and Kyuu would get along the best since Plue had started grooming him. Should I try a scary car ride? Or turn the blow dryer on with them in the tub? 

[Mikey]

Typically males dont get along well with others males at all. They all tend to fight for the alpha role leading to multiple scuffles and possible fur pulling. That being said, i have a male trio that get along super well

Kyuu is likely pissed off because there are two new boy bunnies in his territory. Youll have to start bonding in a neutral territory in the future after all three are neutered. I personally wouldnt bond before that, as if hormones start in your two youngest, it can lead to another big fur flying fight and youll have to start all over with the bunnies already disliking one another. Just wait a few months with them how they are (cages near one another). If you see any biting through the cage bars, make a loud noise to stop it. If it doesnt stop the nipping, youll have to find a way to make them stop. I like the trick of doubling C&C cage grids to make it harder for them to stick their noses through to one another

[Nishi]

I hope my male trio will get along eventually. My main goal is getting these 2 to get along because the 3rd one is my boyfriend’s and I’ll be moving to another city soon, so it won’t be that huge an issue. For a while I ended up turning my hairdryer on every time I saw a nip about to happen, but needless to say I felt like I couldn’t look away for a second. I still haven’t tried bonding sessions, since I haven’t had time, but I was hoping to get them used to each other enough to stop having to be that watchful over them in their playtime. Wondering if short bonding sessions may help towards this end.. not planning on truly bonding them to share a cage until the young buns are neutered.

[Mikey]

For bonding, i started with very short sessions (about a minute or two long), several times a day in the bathroom. Id put them down next to one another, pet them both, pick them up and put them back in their cages. I did this until they felt more comfortable in the bathroom. Then i went to about 10 minute sessions. I let them stay together longer and longer until they were in the tub for over an hour, then i moved it to a box in the living room (their free roam room, previously “owned” by Blue and Bombur). There were some scuffles here and there since neither of them wanted Badger in “their” room. So it was short sessions again leading up to hours in the box after the course of a few days. At this point, i added a trio bonding journal in this forum, if you want to see my process

But yes, shorter sessions to start can help them get used to one another

[Nishi]

Now I just need some time to do nothing but bunny watch in the bathroom. Hehe, I think my boyfriend’s roommates are going to be weirded out at the buns in the bathtub.

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