Bonding trio – new rabbit just runs away at any interaction attempt

[Tillylove11]

Hello all!

I have a new baby bunny I want to bond to my existing two. They are a friendly neutered pair and mostly want to get to know my new one. But every single time they approach her she runs away, stamping, sometimes growling, and won’t interact at all. She won’t eat hay or relax, though she has had pellets and sometimes banana. I have tried putting banana on the rabbits’ foreheads to encourage grooming (unfortunately our new rabbit doesn’t like banana that much, unusual, I know). She is mostly just frozen to the spot, I feel really sorry for her. My established female has licked the new one’s eyes a few times when her own requests at grooming have been ignored (lowering her head first) and then suddenly my new rabbit runs away, which then triggers a small chase by the established one – they are in a neutral area, quite small and I interrupt any chasing if it doesn’t cease quickly (which it usually does). The male bunny has initiated contact a few times but hasn’t run after her when she’s run off.

Will this eventually pass? I have never had a bunny so completely avoidant before and can’t find any information online about a bunny that just runs off from other bunnies even though the other bunnies are being pretty friendly. It feels like there can’t be any progress when my new bunny is completely avoidant of any interaction at all.

I have swapped litter trays for a month and transferred scent by hand etc. Because they are free roaming and the lay-out of the house and the presence of a small child who keeps going between certain rooms a lot it is not possible to have them near each other through bars as a middle step. I have taken my new bunny back to her room at the end of the day as they can’t be in the neutral area night-time.

 

 

[DanaNM]

Is the new bunny spayed? If not, then you should pause sessions until after she’s spayed and her hormones have settled. If she is still truly a baby, that could also explain why she is just running away and intimidated by the other rabbits.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Author]

Messages