Can rabbits live peacefully in 3's?

[ellissian]

Thats so funny a smirking rabbit!

My baby Milly is my avatar, not sure if you know but he died on the 8th July. I'm still pretty cut up about him.

Milly has/had a blog which has'nt been updated yet.

I've had Hope 5 days and another still nameless bun since yesterday. I have'nt been able to post pics of them yet as my computer is broke and I'm using a mobile phone to access the internet.

Duh, just realised I wrote about Milly in my buns so you must know.

 

[Bunnicula]

I thought that was Milly. What a beautiful bun. I must visit the blog and learn more about your special friend.

I still miss Stewart even though it's almost 2 years. He was a wonderful rabbit.

It's wonderful that you have 2, possibly 3 in the future, rabbits in your home now. Of course they will never be Milly...but they will be wonderful companions I'm certain. How old are Hope and the nameless one? Perhaps you have that in an earlier post...but I'm missing it.

Emm is 2 now and no less a scoundrel than she was at 2 months!

I'll post some photos of her thievery at our Bunnicula's Castle blog for you to see...don't want to totally hijack this thread for that. Come visit us there.

Mary Ellen

 

[ellissian]

Hope is nearly 13 weeks now, and the new bun is about 6 months.

Don't worry about hijacking the thread, I seem to turn every thread into a ' how much I'm missing Milly' sort of thread anyway.

 

[naturestee]

I'm working on bonding a trio. I've been at it for months, but I haven't been able to spend as much time on it as I should and two of the buns are somewhat aggressive. I have my dwarf hotot sisters Fey- the gentle, shy sweetheart- and Sprite- shy but spunky and wants to be top bun. I'm bonding them to Oberon, the New Zealand boy I'm fostering. He used to be terrified of them and it took some time to overcome that. Now it's mainly little spats between him and Sprite, mostly because Sprite starts it and he responds back. He does sometimes spook a bit- I've realized he has very poor eyesight so he sometimes over reacts to things. I'm pretty sure it will work. In fact, the last few days they've all been lying next to each other through the cage wall more. Hopefully they'll start behaving now!

Oh, and age, breed and size don't matter although you do have to be careful when introducing a large bunny to a much smaller one. They can do some damage, although so can the little ones because they move faster.

 

[ellissian]

Good luck Naturestee, I hope the bonding is a success!

That was my concern with size as my new bun is huge and Hope is tiny tiny. But she is a large ish breed so hopefully there won't be much difference when she is older. If I manage to get a Milly relative the bun will be large ish too.

 

[maladrick]

I have a bonded pair of flemish giant bucks (brothers), coming up 2 years old. Occassionally i will take one out to mate with a doe, but then he's returned to his brother. There is never any serious problems, only the occassional minor disagreement, but never any injuries. I also have a group of 4 bucks together (none of them neutered), a flemish giant, a netherland dwarf, a mini lop and a cross breed. The mini lop was only recently introduced, and after some "humping" for dominace, they all settled down. If their was any serious fighting going on I would seperate them immediately. I also have a grouping of 5 does, 3 flemish giants, a netherland dwarf and a 3 legged crossbreed, all get along well, and most are sexually mature (well all but the netherland dwarf who is about 3-4 months old)

 

[ellissian]

Can a neutered buck not live with an un neutered doe?

 

[maladrick]

yes a neutered buck can live happily with an un-neutered doe.

 

[Flashy]

ellissian wrote:

Can a neutered buck not live with an un neutered doe?

They can live together, but it depends on the individual animals because unspayed girlies can be very territorial, so if it is a territorial doe, then she probably wouldn't tolerate another rabbitin her territory.

 

[ellissian]

I thought it would be ok, thanks.

It's just someone has just told me Hope would need to bespayed first.

 

[Flashy]

If she becomes territorial then you will probably struggle to bond her and have her sharing a hutch with a new bunny, and if that was the case, then a spay would solve that.

To start the bonding process you can start swapping bowls and toys about before they even meet so that they get used to the smell of the other being around them in their home.

 

[ellissian]

It was for a new bun not Harvey, just so you know.

 

[Flashy]

I guessed that from things you have said before, but the same rules still apply.

 

[ellissian]

ok thanks

 

[ellissian]

These 3 babies have been rescued and I am quite interested in rehoming the black lop, however the lady who has them is'nt very keen with Hope not being spayed yet.

I would love to give them ALL a home since they are bonded but I just don't have the space.

 

[Flashy]

Aw, what adorable bunnies

I know that any bunny you take into your home will have a loving home with you and will thrive in that environment.

Having said that, make sure that you make any decision with your head, and not your heart. Remember what you said to me about Harvey recently? And I know what my PM said, but I am trying to balance everything outand be non biased about it. Do you think you will still want a Milly relative?

I'm not trying to be a party pooper or anything, I just want you to be happy with whatever you get, that's all I hope you can see that those are my intentions.

Just make sure whatever you do, you are ok with and it feels the right thing for you

 

[ellissian]

There is nothing I want more in the world than a Milly relative, but we both know the risks involved. And is it the right thing to do.......probably not. I am confused on that one.

Hope is going to need someone to bond with, she craves attention all the time. She is getting more and more affectionate and licky everyday. Where as Harvey appears to be happy living alone, he actually tooth purred for me today!

 

[Bunnicula]

Ellissian,

Gingivere was not spayed when we had Stewart (he was neutered). They lived together quite happily. However, after his passing, she became very territorial and aggressive with Emmaline. I think her "anger issues" are much more a matter of dominance than hormones. Stewart was very docile and let Gingi be top-bunny with no problems. Emmaline never quite agreed with that set-up.

So, perhaps Hope could be bonded to a neutered buck prior to her spay if the personalities were a match. If you try it just be careful to keep an eye on things (which I'm certain you would do any way).

Good luck!

-Mary Ellen

 

[TK Bunnies]

I had a group of 3. Till Bud passed away. NowI have 2, but I'm thinking of adding anouther!

-TK

 

[ellissian]

The lady who has the black lop at the moment said she is happy to adopt to me providing I pass the home visit.

Only problem is the bun lives miles and miles away from me, I have no idea how I will get him. :?