Bonding four rabbits

[Cheddar33]

Okay, after successfully (mostly) bonding Cheddar, Poopy, and Meatball, I go and decide to get another bunny as Meatball’s girlfriend, Noodle. My former trio lived in the same cage and were fine.

Cheddar and Poopy are as bonded as can be and are in the same cage now. They are enclosed in a gate. Meatball and Noodle are in another cage together. They are not bonded, but they get along very well. Meatball and Noodle get free roam of the living room except for the caged off part.

Now that Poopy doesn’t live with Meatball anymore, she doesn’t like him anymore. It’s not like she ever liked him that much, but they were okay. She keeps nipping him through the gate. 

Poopy hates Noodle. She stalks her and bites her through the gate all the time. Poopy also marks with poops everywhere. Cheddar seems to not like Noodle either. 

How should I go about bonding the four? Any tips from people who have successfully bonded four buns?

 

 

[Jackie237]

That’s interesting…

I have 5 rabbits, and I got them all to bond with each other, but it was easy for me because they were all little when I got them/rescued them.
At first, I got a male and female, they both got along the second I put them together. After this, I rescued another doe, and two bucks. They got along very well, but as weeks go by, the two younger male would always fight.

I separated the two, but I placed them near each other in separate caged (Not close enough so they can make contact).
After a while, they seem to get less hostile with each other (they stopped trying to bite at the cage to get to the other).
The progress improved when I would take one out on my bed and held him, while I let the other one wander around the bed to smell everything. Their prescence seems to not bother each other anymore. They ignored each other at first, but now they sleep together, eat together, and binky everywhere with each other. (the two are unneutered males-4 months old)

So, I suggest you let them be in the same area together but don’t let them make contact yet…Rabbits eventually adapt/get use to their surroundings, and won’t find another bunny/person a threat anymore when they’re so used to the other one. Almost like humans, really

[Elrohwen]

The only person on this site who I can think of with a quartet is Petzy, but she’s not around anymore. Her main tactic seemed to be working on bonds between one pair at a time – so really work with Poopy and each of the others individually until she’s better with them. Once they can get along in sessions as a pair you can work on putting them all together at the same time.

We had another member with a situation like yours – a male/female pair where the female did not like the third male. She got a fourth and decided to stick with two pairs instead of forcing the quartet that wasn’t working. I know that’s not what you want, but if you try everything else and can’t get quartet it may be your best option.

[Mr.Buck]

Oh my goodness – 4 buns! I have my hands pretty full with one right now, but plan on getting him a girlfriend. I wish you the best of luck with the buns, but have heard that getting them fixed is the best way to get some of the dominance issues out. However, I have no experience with bonding buns, and only adopt already speutered pets.
Please keep us updated, in the case that mine takes well to free roam, I would might look at more than just 2.

[Cheddar33]

I haven’t tried much bonding yet. I think I’m going to bond Cheddy with Meatball again…they used to love each other. Then Cheddy with Noodle. Then Poopy with Meatball and then with Noodle. It’s going to be a long journey.

[Cheddar33]

I put Cheddy and Meatball together and they were fine. Cheddy even licked Meatball. Then I made the mistake of bringing Poopy in too quick and that bonding session was a failure.

[Monkeybun]

Yeah, give them time before bringing in Miss Cranky

[Deleted User]

I have four buns. Two bonded pairs. Everyone knows the existence of each other and sometimes “meet-up.” Otherwise, the pairs stay mainly to themselves.

That said, it should be noted that the second bonded pair, Mr Moo and Mr Poo, that came into my home are a more “mature” pair (est. 4-6 yrs old) compared to Missypants and Bighead (est. 1-2 yrs old). I think because it’s just pure luck and coincidence that their personalities meshed out. Mr Moo and Mr Poo are more relaxed (and lazy). Missypants is generally shy but she’s very friendly. Bighead is quite friendly except for the rare alpha bun (dominance) display. The older buns’ don’t interfere with the younger buns’ more energetic adventures; and the younger buns don’t get in the way of the older buns’ lazy hay chomping. The two pairs were kept separate for about a year, but within the same room. So, they had some time to adjust to each others’ smells.

The pairs still have their own separate parts of the room with their own space, litter bins, and hay. They have a shared play area of cardboard castles and tunnels.

[mint]

I have four also. Bamboo is my cranky bun. She would never get along with the older girls, Moomoo and Lulu, so I got her a friend, Puni. Bonding them has been rough, a slow going process. I got him in December and I’m still not comfortable leaving them together in one cage. I think they will eventually get there. When they are together and sweet, it’s nice. It’s nice to know they all have company.

One pair doesn’t like the other pair. They will try to kill each other through bars and nip each other. I think the only way to bond is one at a time, and then be aware that it cold break the existing bonds. Throwing them all together doesn’t seem like a good idea. Anyway that’s the strategy I’m taking right now since I can’t even get Bamboo and Puni to keep their bond right now in its early stages. I think I am going to just keep them paired separately, since it would be unfortunate to basically be putting them through bonding for a good amount of their lives, and mine.

[Author]

Messages