3 bunnies?

[Sarah Jones]

i have two bunnies, dougal, a dwarf lop boy, and ermintrude, a mini lop girl. they are bonded though dougal is far lazier and chilled than bouncy min.

my question is, i really like french lops, and i’m finally moving into a bigger flat with a garden (come hell or high water – bloody london house prices!) and am wondering whether i could introduce a french lop girl to the mix. i spoke to a chap at the rabbit welfare association when i was at a rescue last weekend, and he suggested it either will work or it won’t. much the same as my bunnies now! bonding is possible.

is it something that could go terribly wrong and best not too, or could i get myself a big floppy bun to give big fat kisses to without them running away!

[MooBunnay]

Hi! I have definitely seen trio bonds before, though its a little tougher sometimes. I would recommend doing some dates to find out which big floppy bun works the best with the two of your bunnies first. Its bes tto get off on a good foot getting a bunny that is at least OK with both bunnies. Is your male or female the dominant one? I would think it would be best to get a girl, however, if your female is extremely dominant, then a boy would be best. Once you have picked a bunny that gets along relatively well with your buns (basically, a bunny that ignores your other buns rather than fight when put together would be the best) then you can proceed with the bonding. I have been recommended to put the bunnies togheter one at a time before trying all three!

[Sarah Jones]

thanks for your reply i am actually likely to get a french lop from a breeder, i’m specifically after the right temperament with the new girl i get. also, i am moving house soon, and want to buy EXACTLY when i move. that way i am home for a week, and also there is no area of the new place that will have any rabbit smells (this is how my first two bonded – took them to my dads!). Neither of mine is dominant. Dougal is very quiet and Ermintrude very excitable, but neither seems to have power over the other one. They both fought a lot at the beginning and i think they’ve agreed to disagree sometimes! This is why I’d like a nice friendly lady lop… This sounds like a good idea, there is a rabbit place near my mum (which sadly burnt down and lost a lot of bunnies ) so i am going to go there, if i see one i like i may go home and get them and bring them up.

[osprey]

I have a trio, one boy and two girls.  If you get the new bunny from a breeder, you’ll have to be prepared to house her seperately if the bond fails.  Are you going to adopt a baby?  This changes the bonding dynamic a bit because the new one will not be spayed and will go through her "teenaged" phase before she is spayed.  She will likely be aggressive as she starts to mature.

In terms of bonding a trio, you should introduce your pair to the new bun separately at first.  Make sure that neither of your buns will fight with the new one, and then try all three together.

 

Good Luck!

 

[BinkyBunny]

Both MooBunnay and Osprey have given good advice. I have seen trios work, and some don’t.  I have personally experienced both – with the two of the same bunnies. 

With Forrest (who has passed), Rucy and Bailey tolerated each other, and so the three were able to live together.  Then when Forrest passed, Rucy and Bailey were inseparable.  But then when I fell in love with my foster bunny, Jack, and I brought him into the mix (they didn’t choose), well that really changed the dynamic, and though the trio got along after bonding for a couple of months, Bailey must have thought Jack was one handsome prize, because she became more and more aggressive toward Rucy.  

Jack bonded right away with Rucy, and he scuffled a bit with Bailey as she thought she could beaet him up.(even thought he’s double her size)  Regardless, Jack still ended up liking Bailey until she became too aggressive with Rucy. That’s when Jack would get aggressive with Bailey.  I tried everyday, for  8 MONTHS, before I gave up .  I tried bonding the girls back together, tried one on one, all three.  But both Rucy and Bailey have health issues and it was wearing on their immune system so I felt it was best to just keep them separate.

They will lay near each other contently through their cages, but the moment they meet up outside, it’s a big fight.   So that means they must be housed separately (which is better anyway since Bailey has e.cuniculi), but even if she was healthy, this separate housing can be a real pain.  They must have separate times out. There are constant marking issues near the boarders, and if they have given each other the stink eye that week, well, then Bailey marks up her place  – looks like a poop bomb went off.  This has nothing to do with litter training and all to do with their territory battles.

Sooooo…though this may not happen, and your trio may have a happy ending, just keep in mind what could happen.    So as long as you are prepared for the best and worst, then it should be fine.

[Sarah Jones]

thanks for the advice binkybunny. Yes, it is a big step to take I think. I will wait until I get a flat first (currently doing a closed bid now. I may die from stress before this even becomes an issue!), and then I will see what is nearby to my mum’s, and if the french lop at the shelter is still there, i will take my babies to meet her and see if they get on. I think I would take them, or both, to see whichever bunny i might buy. if i were to take one to look at a bunny, which is best, a docile male dwarf lop, or an excitable mini lop lady who hasn’t aged since the day she was born i swear! or should i really be taking both?

[BinkyBunny]

It really is hard to tell what a rabbit will be like with your rabbits. My first instinct would be to go with a docile rabbit, however, how they act with us means nothing. A docile rabbit with us can be dominant with bunnies, and a lively bunny can take on the passive role within the hierarchy….or vice versa. It’s how they act around other bunnies that is important. Maybe the person you thinking about buying him from will be able to tell you how he has reacted to others if he’s had contact. If he’s more passive or dominant.

What are your two like with each other?

[MooBunnay]

I would recommend taking them both – then you could introduce each separately with the new bunny and see if they both get along. I recently fostered the probably MOST chill of all big buns a couple weeks ago – then I introduced him to a girl and the fur was FLYING! So even if one bunny is very calm, they can still get into some fights. I know you have a specific breed you’d like, but you might want to consider still thinking about looking at bunnies in a shelter. This is for two reasons: 1) the people at the shelter can be very honest with you about the bunny’s personality, and how the bunny interacts with other bunnies, and 2) With a rescue group you could consider a “foster” situation where if the bunny was really tough to bond to your bunnies, you could just “foster” the bunny until he/she found a home.

[Hedi]

Hi and welcome!

I have two girls and a boy. The girls are not bonded because I have been unable to get them to even get along so I gave up. Currently I am bonding my boy with my little dwarf. I got Cooper from a shelter because I fell in love with him. I accepted the fact that if I was unable to bond him with either girl that I would have to let them out one by one forever. You will have to consider this too…

Take into account the rabbits can be possessive and territorial and adding a new girl to the mix may cause some issues between your current pair. Also keep in mind that buying a baby you will have to wait until they are old enough to be fixed, then wait the appropriate amount of time to let her heal before you could even consider bonding them.

It seems that having two bonded pairs is easier than having an odd number because someone kinda gets left out not having a mate.

Like was said before, I know you have your heart set on a certain breed but remember that particular bunny may change in her demeaner by the time she is fixed and grown up a little. That is the chance you take with babies.

Most of the people here are not big fans of breeders because for every baby they produce there is another bunny in your area who loses their chance for a forever home. There are so many bunnies in the shelters right now all over the world. When I got my little boy he wasnt a baby and came from the shelter. Not being a baby I knew what personality I was taking home. Have you tried looking in a shelter for that breed? I work in a shelter and we have full breeds as well as mixes that come in all the time. The bunny that is meant for you may be there right now.

[Sarah Jones]

blimey this is a really old thread, but just wanted to mention, that french lops / large buns are not a dime a dozen unfortunately in rescues at all. they go straight away. however, i saved a bun from a life in the bottom of my ex bf’s garden in a tiny hutch and two girls and a boy have bonded so all is well, and didn’t get a breeded one! also, over here, rescues that did have buns i wanted were UNWILLING to let me have a third.

got to be honest, i have more problems with rescues than breeders sometimes… if a rescue centre wants things rescued and i am in a position to do so, why not even try me? i have lots of rabbit experience, and as shown, was able to bond three

shame, i wonder how many people don’t rescue when they want to because they aren’t in “house checking” territory, or have not got the circumstance the rescue centre requests… this might well be a uk phenomenon though…

ack, well, alls well that ends well!

[Beka27]

why are they unwilling to adopt to people? they don’t meet requirements or something?

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

In the UK you have to have a house inspection before you can adopt and that sometimes takes a while I’m told

[Sarah Jones]

yep – the bigger problem is if you live somewhere outside an area that has a rescue. then you just actually can’t rescue! to adopt minnie, i had to drive two hours just to get to one who was willing to let me adopt, as i didn’t meet requirements (apparently having run of my flat wasn’t good enough, i needed a garden too).

it’s just gone a bit too much the other way over here and now rescues are shooting themselves in the foot. it’s got totally ridiculous!

[MooBunnay]

I’m glad to hear you were able to save a bunny after all

I agree that sometimes rescues can be highy over-cautious, but I think the reason is that rescuers see all the very worst that can happen to animals. Rescuers are generally animal lovers, so I think its very hard for them to see the terrible conditions that bunnies are rescues from, and they care so much about the animals that its hard for them to risk seeing it happen again, especially to ones who have already been through being dumped, or rescued from abuse etc….. Sometimes a good way to become an adopter is to volunter with a rescue for a bit so that they get to know you and what a great rabbit care-taker you are!

[Beka27]

i see. i think house inspections are a great idea… and those are great points, MooBunnay. i think there’s always a reason why places operate how they do, but it might not always be easy to comprehend to someone on the outside.

[Sarah Jones]

i can comprehend why. it’s just frustrating for me as someone outside a housing “zone” not to be given the opportunity. and anyone on here with over two rabbits, well you wouldn’t get to adopt 3 in the UK, they say more than two is detrimental to the buns. i can certainly see and understand why they are cautious, and they definitely should be, but i was at some points wondering what i had to do to prove myself (and this was in my new flat, with an enclosed garden, with rabbits being allowed inside and out and a hutch that is 8 foot by 4 foot by 4 foot and total run of the garden and house when i’m there)… i certainly think rescues do an amazing job however and have the utmost respect for them. i just have a few complaints as an adopter! (and think that on the otherside, it should be understood why some people have to go to breeders to get a rabbit).

i have pipe dreams of opening my own rescue or retirement place for rabbits one day when i move to my mansion in the countryside

and i also did enquire about working at my local rescue, so i’m not all bad, just a bit lazy (and of course, don’t want to neglect my own bugs).

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