YIKES! Bonded pair fighting now with added bunny! *MORE QUESTIONS* any thoughts, comments, suggestions?

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 15sd replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 8 months ago by SugarbearNPepper.

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- 07/17/2011 at 6:58 PM
  SugarbearNPepper
  Participant
  310 posts
  My buns Sugarbear and Pepper has been bonded for only about 5 or 6 weeks now. I got another bunny Coconut (he’s 8 weeks) and he’s been with my mom for the past two weeks while I was on vacation. Well today I moved him over to my place, and set his NIC cage up next to Sugar and Pepper with a pen around it so they can’t hurt Coconut. When the saw him they started acting different. Trying to hump each other and just seemed uneasy which I’m not surprised at all. I let them out as usual and they started fighting- lots of hair pulling. Now Sugar is outside of his cage and Pepper is inside. He did go in to eat and drink but came back out.
  
  What do I do? They were so in love with each other…did I totally mess things up by getting Coconut? Will this pass? Do they need to just get use to each other’s scent?
- 07/17/2011 at 8:00 PM
  LoveChaCha
  Participant
  6634 posts
  I wouldn’t let them see each other right now, but that is my opinion
  
  Sugarbear and Pepper seem to have a very delicate bond right now and I wouldn’t try to put the bunny next to them for the time being
- 07/17/2011 at 8:15 PM
  jerseygirl
  Moderator
  22356 posts
  Can you set Coconut up somewhere else? In the very least you’ll want to block their sight of one another but moving him would be better I think. Things could be unpredictable for a little while because Coconuts scent is going to change as he matures.
  
  For Sugar and Pepper, do some bonding work (like a car ride or just some calm side-by-side petting) and keep them in their condo for bit until their acting more like what you were seeing before. It’s not uncommon for them to act out against one another because of a new comer.
- 07/18/2011 at 4:46 AM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  The presence of a third bunny CAN break an existing bond. I was considering taking in a third rabbit a couple years ago and my friend brought it over and as soon as it was in the house, my pair started violently attacking each other (and this was after more than a year bonded together!) So not all rabbits will tolerate a third. My family is strictly a two-rabbit household now. I’m not going to risk all of the hard work I did getting my pair together.
  
  I would remove the new bunny from their space as soon as possible and have him in an entirely different area of the house where they cannot see (and hopefully!) cannot smell each other. They may never be able to be bonded into a trio so they might always have to have separate areas. This is always a possibility when taking in a third bunny.
- 07/18/2011 at 7:35 AM
  SugarbearNPepper
  Participant
  310 posts
  Ahh..what a night! I took your advice LoveChaCha and Jerseygirl and moved Coconut to another room. I left Sugarbear and Pepper in their cage. I slept by their cage and they seemed ok for about an hour then started fighting again! I had to let them out so they wouldn’t kill each other. They seemed better after the fight although they were still uneasy around each other. They finally settled down around 2am. When I woke up, I saw them sitting by each other.
  
  I fed them this morning and they ate together. They seemed a little bit better (not as angry and snippy when they would pass one another). I left them in the cage. My mom is over right now watching them since I have to work.
  
  I’m sooo sad about all this. I think I will have to find another home for Coconut. I haven’t had him long but I’m so emotionally attached to him already.
  
  Any advice on how I can maybe KEEP Coconut? I have him in my room right now, but it’s just so quiet in there when no one is home and also dark and stuffy compared to where I have Sugar and Pepper. I want him to be comfortable and happy.
- 07/18/2011 at 10:47 AM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  I’m so sorry to hear that it’s not working out! It’s definitely a possibility when introducing a third rabbit. I don’t really have advice other than moving him to another room, which you’ve done, and see if they settle down. It could be something they can’t get past, or it could be a temporary thing while they work it out – hard to say.
- 07/18/2011 at 11:23 AM
  SugarbearNPepper
  Participant
  310 posts
  Thanks Elrohwen… My mom said she’d take Coconut back to her place until I can find a good home for him. As much as they fought last night, I don’t think they can get past having a third. It was really scary!
  
  So far Sugar and Pepper have been OK (it’s 11:22am right now). Hope they will get along with each other again!
- 07/18/2011 at 3:31 PM
  mint
  Participant
  91 posts
  What is your set-up right now? I had two and I added a third, and my girls don’t like the third either. They act like they want to kill her. Sometimes Moomoo will nip Lulu when Lulu acts up around the baby. I don’t know if this is a possibility for you, but I got a 3 story Leith Petwerks condo so I could keep all of them. The baby lives on the top, out of sight of the other two except when she is out. When the baby is out I block off the condo so they can’t get to each other.
  
  They can still smell her though, and they smell her where she has been out in the house. Lulu will poop and occasionally pee where she’s been. Lulu used to have perfect box habits until I got the baby. So things certainly get shaken up and it’s a lot more work.
- 07/18/2011 at 3:41 PM
  SugarbearNPepper
  Participant
  310 posts
  Mint, I had the cages right next to one another. I’m not sure if they wanted to hurt Coconut (new bun) but they surely were upset at one another! I have Coconut in my room right now. I checked on them a couple of hours ago and they seemed to be ok. Hopefully since Coconut is out of sight, they won’t fight anymore!
- 07/18/2011 at 3:52 PM
  mint
  Participant
  91 posts
  That should help! If they got along before they should be able to “make up”.
- 07/19/2011 at 8:28 AM
  SugarbearNPepper
  Participant
  310 posts
  I went home last night and Sugar and Pepper seemed to be doing better. I found them snuggling together once again! Coconut is still in my room. I let him out and he did a million binkies and gave me kisses. I just don’t think I can give him up! I will keep them away from each other and see how it goes…
  
  Do you think it will make a difference once Coconut is neutered? Also, does it make a difference if they can smell Coconut but not see him?
- 07/19/2011 at 8:38 AM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  I responded again last night and now my post isn’t here! Very strange.
  
  Anyways, I think it could be an option to keep him and get him neutered and see how it goes. BUT… if it doesn’t work out then, would you just keep him always separate forever, or give him up? The longer you keep him, the harder it will be to find a new home, both for you emotionally and him (b/c, let’s be honest, people are more interested in getting baby bunnies.)
- 07/19/2011 at 8:59 AM
  SugarbearNPepper
  Participant
  310 posts
  I know, Beka… It’s already hard for me to think of giving him away. Needless to say my daughter would be devastated! If it doesn’t work out after the neuter, I’d have to keep them separate forever. I know it will be a pain but I just don’t want to regret it…. decisions, decisions… *sigh*
- 07/20/2011 at 11:32 AM
  SugarbearNPepper
  Participant
  310 posts
  Update: things are getting better with the Sugar and Pepper. Coconut is still in my room. I have blocked off the hallway so when I have my room door open and Pepper and Sugar are out, they can definitely see him but not get to him. Even seeing him, they are fine and not fighting.
  
  I’m hoping they will get used to his scent and Coconut being around and eventually I can move Coconut back outside where they are….
  
  I will need to take Coconut in for a vet visit and get him a neuter appointment soon. He should be ready in about a month or so. When we do go, do you think it would be a good idea to take all three of them together since Pepper needs her nails trimmed and Sugar needs his teeth trimmed? I can put Pepper and Sugar in one carrier and Coconut in a separate carrier? Since the fight happened between Sugar and Pepper this weekend, I’m so afraid something bad will happen again if they are too close!
- 07/20/2011 at 3:28 PM
  mint
  Participant
  91 posts
  That sounds like awesome progress! If they can see him and they aren’t obsessed with him or fighting, that shows a lot of promise.
  
  If they are in separate carriers I think that should be fine. A little car ride can help bonding, the stress of it distracts them and brings them closer. I wouldn’t put the three of them in one carrier though.
- 07/20/2011 at 3:39 PM
  SugarbearNPepper
  Participant
  310 posts
  Thanks Mint. I’m hoping that was just a one time deal with them fighting and all….but who knows?! Wish they can talk at times and tell us exactly what they’re feeling…lol.
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