need help. good news & bad.

[amanda-penny & lola]

Okay.  So a few days ago I said I was thinking about adopting a third bunny.  Her name was Bugsy.  I went to go look at her today and another beautiful bunny caught my eye ( and heart).  He’s still pretty young.  They don’t know exactly how young.  (he’s still a baby).   So I spent a long time with him and I fell in Love!   He is a small white dwarf/ albino & he looks like he may have some lionhead in him.   He’s tiny!

I will post pictures soon.   He has been home for about 5 hours now and I’m having problems with my other two rabbits (Penny & Lola).   I have the new baby in a nic grid cage that is doubled with a different type of grid so they can’t nip through the cage.  Penny and Lola are pooping everywhere. (both littertrained).  When I started to pick up the mess Penny lunged at me and growled.. I never expected that he would ever do this.  Lola did the same and got my hand.   Penny is just staring at the new baby through the cage.   He also tried to attack my feet.   I should have known this was going to be stressful.  I’ve just never seen either Penny or Lola react to anything or act like that period.

Is all of this normal? ( silly question, I know) 

any advice?

 

 

 

[Monkeybun]

The pooping is definitely normal, its territorial. Both buns are likely just reacting to the invasion of another bun, after you’ve handled the baby make sure to wash your hands thoroughly and get rid of any scent of him on you so Penny and Lola don’t get aggressive to you.

[Lintini]

I dealt with a lot of pooping all over from bringing my third home as well. “Let the Poop Wars Begin!” Can you put the baby in a different room where your other 2 can’t get to, to put them more at ease? I know Bun was PISSED when Indy came home and I had to move her away encase she would have a false preggers from having the Indy in there with her. I have to clean up about 50-100 poo’s a day with all this poop war business. I can’t wait to get her spayed to let bonding begin. Hopefully poop wars will come to a stale-mate :p

[Beka27]

We are absolutely a two bunny household. About a year ago, a friend of ours brought his rabbit over (we were *maybe* thinking of taking him in permanently) and within moments of the 3rd bun being in the house (not even in the same room!), Mead and Max were pottying everywhere, they were fighting and chasing EACH OTHER with fur flying. Our house is not large enough for separate bunny areas, so as much as I’d love another rabbit… it was not worth breaking Max and Meadow’s bond to have a 3rd bunny. I know this isn’t very encouraging for you, and hopefully you can work it out once he is neutered… but it is possible they will need to be separate to preserve the other bond.

[Karla]

Maybe you should put a teddy bear or some fabric of some kind into Bugsy’s area and then perhaps tomorrow or the day after give it to Lola and Penny, so they can get used to the scent. And definitely go for the swap-living-area thing.

Penny doesn’t sound like he is being aggressive towards Bugsy? Only staring? Karl did that when Molly moved in. But he was clearly in love.

[Deleted User]

I saw all these same behaviors in my pair when I brought in a third rabbit, and then again in my trio when I got my fourth rabbit. It is to be expected. It’s just part of it. Over the course of your bonding you will continue to see your rabbits act in unexpected ways — don’t be alarmed. You will be busier with cleaning up after them etc, but it’s only for a time if you invest yourself in the bonding process. I personally find it interesting to watch these behaviors, they are part of rabbit communication.

[Author]

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