Introducing rabbits?

Question

I have two male rabbits that I took on earlier this year as their previous owner didn't want them anymore and was planning on killing them. I've had them both neutered and they are always together so they must have a good bond. My older brother has asked if I can take on another unwanted, badly treated rabbit from someone who rescued it from a young boy who wasn't caring for it properly. The woman who currently has the rabbit has said she will take him to the vet to be neutered. My two rabbits live in an enclosure which is approximately 10feet x 8feet x 10feet x 8feet and around 6 - 7feet high and have a hutch in there too, I let them out of the hutch in the morning and shut them in again late at night. My question is, am I doing the right thing taking on another rabbit and are they likely to fight, or will they settle down and be good company for each other? I'd like to give the rabbit a good home, but not if it's going to cause trouble with the other two!

Answer 1

Go to the thrift store and get an old playpen, use it to introduce the rabbits, (neutral territory). Only introduce the new rabbit to the bonded rabbits one at at time, clean the playpen between introductions, and mark it as your territory with an old shirt you wear for 2-3 days or put an old sheet on your bed for a few nights and put it in the playpen. After a while you can put all three in the playpen, clean out the pen in the yard and put the "marker" in it with your scent and all three of their scents.

Kind of a long process, but it will work, with you as the common denominator, sort of the "boss bunny".

Answer 2

What a wonderful thing you have done, from my experience the only way you will know is to try it, rabbits are territorial, so it may end in a fight, on the other hand? the enclosure sounds a good size, ask the lady if a cage came with him.... you could put him in his cage, in the enclosure, that way everyone can have a good sniff, without any worries of fighting, you can see what the body language is like too. Maybe after a few days you will be confident to let them mix? I really hope it works out for him, and he can have a fresh start with you, good luck x

Answer 3

Tough one!

My three rabbits at the moment all came individually. It is difficult to put them together but if you're detemined you can manage it. My first bunny, Hazel, was rescued, and later Socks, also rescued, was brought in too. For the first couple of months they did nothing but fight when we put them together. When we added Smokey the whole thing started over again!

However, if you keep bringing them together, even with three people holding the seperate rabbits, they WILL eventually get used to each other. Prepare for some bites though, and watch yourself too! I currently have a third rabbit (Smokey)who I'm trying to introduce to the other two, and one of them goes for her every time she's introduced. But they're getting better, they don't struggle to each other when people are holding them now.

Before you try and put them together, clean out EVERYTHING in the run and hutch. Disinfect it all. It's better if they can meet on neutral territory, but if you clean out the run and hutch it does the job. Every last bit of poo must be gone!

I would also have somewhere ready for the new rabbit to sleep, in case he dosen't take to the others. Lock the hutch when you first let him in the run so he dosen't invade their home. And have a water sprayer ready (like for spraying plants) to spray the ATTACKING rabbit, make sure you get the right one! It dosen't hurt, it just lets them know that it's not right! If they start to fight, seperate them and also watch for signs of fighting between the first two rabbits.

I know it sounds a bit dodgy but it does work, although there have been a few nips I've done it with two sets of three rabbits and they now get on fantastically and are best friends. Am now in the process of a third set!

P.S Make sure your new rabbit is innocculated against everything as well as neutered so she dosen't bring anything in.

Answer 4

Don't.

Long story short, I have recently taken in a rabbit because, after 1 month of introductions with another rabbit, they did nothing but fight each time.

It's better to have two rabbits that have been together from day dot......introducing another at this stage might prove dangerous, if not fatal.

There is nothing to stop you taking it in and keeping it seperate but close to the other two, so they can see each other but not physically touch.

Is there anyway you can section off a small part of the run and provide another hutch ?

Better safe than sorry.

Answer 5

This is my tip. I used it on gerbils and guiinea pigs, not rabbits. Before introducing them, clean out the enclusure etirely. Get rid of any scents that are settled. Put in fresh hay. Before introducing the pets, wash them both in water (not with soap, don't drown them!). This will kind of remove the smell for 'territoriality'. After introducing them, watch them for at least two hours. If they squabble a bit it's fine. There should be some sniffing and poking. If they start biting however, do seperate them immediately. I have had one bunny kill another one before :( That being said, it was a psycho bunny (even people were scared of her).

Answer 6

my friend had a rabbit for about 2yrs,then got other one ,both male and first rabbit did not take to other one and bit it all the time ,then one day she asked me to look at it and it was thin as it could not get to food and it's ear's had been bit that much they fell off,she had to keep them away from each other all the time,never letting them out the same time,you can try them but any sing of fighting keep them apart,and you look for good home for it,dont leave it with some one that is not looking after it right,moira.

Answer 7

I think you are doing the right thing. I cannot predict what will happen, but if you let things happen slowly then they will get used to them. Let the new one in the enclosure and see how it reacts with the others, and then if it doesn't fight then you should keep him in. But I reccomend that you keep an eye on it to make sure that they don't fight. If they do get along well then keep them in together. Good luck!!!

Answer 8

hi, Do you reside interior the North East of england by utilising any probability?? ok, great which you desperate to get your rabbit yet another chum, notwithstanding the 1st rule of bonding rabbits is to enable them to choose on their very own chum. Rabbits are like human beings and that they might take an instantaneous dislike to one yet another. Being that your new rabbit is merely six weeks old you shouldn't have any problems from her, yet your first mistake grew to become into to get yet another lady (if it particularly is unquestionably what she is) in the experience that your latest lady rabbit isn't already neutered she desires to be completed. you will be able to desire to be very careful introducing a clean toddler rabbit to an latest one, as bites may be nasty and probably very volatile to a toddler rabbit. in the experience that your rabbit keeps attacking the greater youthful one then you definately shouldn't attempt them collectively because of the fact which you probability harm and ailment derived from tension. How old is your older rabbit? If she is an person you may have been greater advantageous attempting her with an person rabbit. An older rabbit can upward thrust up for itself and could the two act submissive or dominant it particularly is what desires to ensue in the time of the bonding technique.they could no longer get on immediately yet with time they might, with a toddler you're merely taking negative aspects and a toddler can no longer consistently look after itself. in the experience that your rabbit is performing aggressively in the direction of her now i might the two wait till she is older and neutered or no longer positioned the collectively in any respect. Bonding is a complicated technique and does in many situations take a collectively as, in spite of if now and lower back it particularly is completed particularly easily. My advice may be to touch an area rescue (in case you're interior the north east i can provide you some numbers) and ask their advice. they might probably supply help to with bonding or if all else fails supply help to choose what to do long term. in case you decide on from now on counsel please digital mail me.

Answer 9

What I did was, I cleaned out the cage. Hosed it down everything so it wouldn't have ANY smell in it. I would put the new one/ males even if their not new in first once they is situated put in the new(if you had to put in males first) or females in. then watch them if they start to fight then I would suggest getting two hutches

Answer 10

if you want the bunny fence a bit of you enclosure off and put the new commer in there and see how they get on.give it a day or 2.dont forget to give the new one some shelter.if they dont get on by then your losing the battle