Adding Bunny #3

[MitsysMom1980]

PLEASE HELP!!!

I’m thinking I made a terriable mistake!

I been told having 3 bunnies is possible but
I never really considered it until a all white mini lop
became available and I had to have it because I
always wanted one.
Mitsy and Milo are both fixed and they are a
bonded pair, there have been a few issues
overtime but they resolved it between them,
and mostly they were best friends..
I bought home my new baby yesterday
And not thinking I put the carrier in the
floor and along came Mitsy and Milo to
check it out and out of nowhere Mitsy
attacked Milo! This has been continuing
on and off ever since. I put the new
bunny in the room and keeps the door
closed on him so Mitsy and Milo can’t
see him and Mitsy is still lunging at Milo!
What have I done? I feels so bad for
bringing the new baby bunny home, I
really didn’t expect it to have this kind
of inpact on either of my bunnies, Mitsy
even lunged at me

Mitsy – spayed Female
Milo – neutered male
Marshmallow – baby (male i was told)

[FluffyBunny]

I assume you bonded your original pair yourself?

Aggression and (usually temporary) unbonding of a bonded pair when they see a new rabbit sometimes happens when they see or smell other rabbits. As long as they’re not allowed to fight very severely, they should be able to settle their differences. If they’re still fighting, you may need to separate your pair temporarily and go through the motions of bonding them again. Until the new boy is neutered, based on this reaction, it’s probably a good idea to keep them fully separate and not let your pair come across the other bunny’s scent, if possible.

[MitsysMom1980]

Hi,
Thanks for your reply
Yes I did bond the
original pair myself..
it wasn’t that difficult,
there wasn’t any aggression
and once they sorted out the
humping they were good.
But now it’s spontaneous aggression
I guess I’ll call it.. for example right
now Mitsy and Milo are laying along
side each other and a few minutes ago
Mitsy was grooming Milo.. but it seems
like the aggression comes out of
nowhere they could come down their
cage for to get food or use their litter
and out of nowhere Mitsy will make the
attack. I haven’t seen any blood, just
clumps of fur hauled out and once she
settles everything is peaceful. Milo
isn’t the aggressor it’s all Mitsy and it
all started when Milo approached
the kennel where the new bunny was..
could she have scented something off
Milo where he’s a male? It looked to me
like Mitsy didn’t want Milo to have any
part of the new baby.. Mitsy didn’t even
show aggression to the new baby only
sticking her nose in the cage but when
Milo wanted to take a look she lost it.
I sure hope it all works out in the end..

[sarahthegemini]

You need to keep the new bun away from your bonded pair. The scent and smell of a new rabbit can put a strain on a normally bonded pair. They might continue acting this way so you’ll need to go back to basics, I. E seperate them and do bonding sessions. 

[MitsysMom1980]

I still got my bonded pair together, they are mainly ok but the attacks come out of nowhere.. I watched them earlier laying beside each other, grooming each other and then one followed the other down to the food dish and ate together.. Mitsy finished before Milo so she went and stretched out in the main area of their cage, when Milo finished eating and went to join her she lunged at him and chased him up to the top of the cage.. the two are together again now.. I don’t want to separate if I don’t have to but I don’t think it’s bad enough to separate.. but at the same time I’m afraid she will hurt him..

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By MitsysMom1980 on 8/03/2017 1:41 PM

I still got my bonded pair together, they are mainly ok but the attacks come out of nowhere.. I watched them earlier laying beside each other, grooming each other and then one followed the other down to the food dish and ate together.. Mitsy finished before Milo so she went and stretched out in the main area of their cage, when Milo finished eating and went to join her she lunged at him and chased him up to the top of the cage.. the two are together again now.. I don’t want to separate if I don’t have to but I don’t think it’s bad enough to separate.. but at the same time I’m afraid she will hurt him..

She’s lunging at him unexpectedly and you’re afraid she’ll hurt him yet you don’t think it’s bad enough to separate????

[MitsysMom1980]

Will after being told not to interfere with bunnies
unless I 100% don’t have a choice, I don’t
want to intrude considering they recommend
you leave bunnies to work things out because
Interfering would cause more harm than good
So that’s my reasoning for not separating..
The fighting isn’t constant and they are still
comforting each other

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By MitsysMom1980 on 8/03/2017 2:22 PM

Will after being told not to interfere with bunnies
unless I 100% don’t have a choice, I don’t
want to intrude considering they recommend
you leave bunnies to work things out because
Interfering would cause more harm than good
So that’s my reasoning for not separating..
The fighting isn’t constant and they are still
comforting each other

That is completely incorrect. You can not just leave rabbits to fight. A squabble or a nip, yes. Lunging and fighting, no.

[MitsysMom1980]

Well one lunges the other runs away, then it stops.. if it does
get worse I won’t hesitate on separating them

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By MitsysMom1980 on 8/03/2017 3:51 PM

Well one lunges the other runs away, then it stops.. if it does
get worse I won’t hesitate on separating them

You’re playing with fire. No scratch that, you’re playing with your rabbit’s lives. What if she lunges and he retaliates whilst you’re not there to supervise? 

[MitsysMom1980]

I didn’t realize it could be so serious..
I haven’t hauled one off the other but I
have intervened when Mitsy lay chase
after Milo when he was trying to get
away. They are in a huge DIY cage
made out of wire storage cubes and
there are 3 sections so it’s not hard to
separate.. I just separated them and they
are not liking it, Mitsy is grooming Milo
thru the squares, they do have a strong
bond

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