Bonded pair started chasing each other?

[Silwerkitty]

Hi everyone.

Oy, bonding again. A friend of mine asked me this morning if I could possibly handle a third bunny since a woman she knows got a baby bunny (via a grandson being given one as a birthday gift!) that they couldn’t keep because their other pets were bullying it. I already have a bonded pair, but you wouldn’t say so from the way they’ve been acting since the new baby got home. I don’t know what sex it is yet, so it’s as yet nameless, but my bonded pair is Renji (neutered male, 1,5 years old) and Suki (less than a year old). I don’t know the age of the baby, but it’s still very young, but very sweet and friendly. I’ll find out from the vet on monday what the sex is and estimated age.

Anyway, I set an old cage up in the lounge (my buns are free to roam most of my flat) with the baby bun inside, having read suggestions online that this should be done a week or so before bonding all three together. Renji was very interested in the baby, Suki seemed freaked out and then for whatever reason I don’t understand, Renji began chasing Suki all over the lounge. 

The chasing only stops when they’re both in my bedroom, out of sight of the cage, then they happily groom each other and lay down together, (although I’m noticing more territorial poops even in the bedroom) but whenever they’re in view of the cage, there they go again. Last time he chased her like this was after her spay when they got unbonded for awhile. It doesn’t seem like he’s about to chase, but then she starts running away and Renji just can’t seem to help himself. I’ve closed Renji and Suki in my room with me for now, just so I can get through the night without waking up to foodbowls flying as he chases her.

What should I do? I definitely want to keep this baby and eventually bond the three. Oh and baby bun is so excited from all this activity that he does binkies in his cage, so he seems happy with his new situation.

Oh! I did come accross this website about bonding multiples: http://www.mybunnies.com/bonding.htm but it’s so discouraging to see my two acting this way just from seeing and smelling the newcomer.

[Beka27]

Unfortunately, this is pretty normal behavior between a bonded pair when an invader (I mean, new, sweet baby bunny lol) is brought into the house.

The usual recommendation is to keep the pair completely separate from the new bun. Have the baby in a room that is as far as possible from the pair, wash your hands between the being with the pair and the single bunny.

Bonding sessions shouldn’t begin until the baby is neutered (or spayed) and allowed to heal. At that point, we can revisit this…

Your pair’s space will probably need to start to be reduced. When you’re bonding, you don’t really want them free roaming.

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