Terry, Maggie, and Greebo bonding journal

[Bianca]

At this stage it is just pre-bonding, but I thought I would start a journal now anyway. 

Terry and Maggie are my already bonded pair. They insta-bonded – as did Terry with Ogg before she passed away. Terry seems to be a magic rabbit who makes everyone like him.

Greebo just came home with me yesterday, and was neutered on Friday, so it will be a while before I attempt actual bonding. 

But as they have to share a room (separated of course) they might as well start pre-bonding. The set up is that Maggie and Terry have most of the study to themselves, because they are familiar with it. Then I have a section that has 2 real walls, and a desk/bookshelf as a third wall. Then the “door” is a couple of play pen pieces with wire mesh in between which has been zip tied together. It’s currently also covered by some fabric so they can’t see each other very well.

Basically they can be next to each other, and are aware of everyone’s presence, but no touching. 

So far they are all very interested in each other. Terry has found one little corner of the fabric he can shove aside to look at Greebo. So he is spending a lot of time by that corner, with Maggie right next to him. Greebo is spending a lot of his time by the same corner as close to Terry and Maggie as he can get. He grooms himself and flops next to them a lot. There has been no signs of aggression from anyone, and only a couple of poos from Terry or Maggie near him. Terry and Maggie have been cuddling and grooming each other near Greebo quite a bit.

Last night either Terry or Maggie brought some of their hay over so it was right next to Greebo and ate it there. 

Terry and Maggie are still being active and playing and spending time away from Greebo, but whenever they want to rest they do it next to him. 

I look forward to seeing how this goes, but I feel like we are off to a positive start. It will still be quite a few weeks before I try proper bonding because obviously Greebo needs time for hormones to fully leave his system. But so far he is certainly acting like he appreciates the company. 

[Q8bunny]

I’m just picturing so much cuteness right now…

[Bianca]

So much cuteness! 

Greebo spends most of his time in the corner, I even saw him reaching up the side.

Someone (probably Terry) has loosened the fabric so he can see Greebo more. And then done a heap of territorial (and probably I can’t be bothered moving to the litter tray) poos there. But I can understand some territorial poos. That’s fair enough. Still no signs of aggression though. I wish rabbits could magically recover instantly from neutering. Greebo really wants to be with the others and Terry wants to make friends with every rabbit he meets, Greebo included. Maggie doesn’t seem to care about anything provided she has food a comfy place to nap, and someone to groom her. I feel bad for Greebo wanting to spend all his time in the corner closest to the others, but I know it is too soon for bonding. Ahh!

This photo is of Greebo reaching up towards Terry, who is on the other side of that corner. I might just pop a litter tray on that side tomorrow so that if we want to spend so much time there, the poos will be in a litter tray!  

[Lucybunz]

Keep us updated! I’m excited to see how it plays out. I have a bonded pair now and I’m seriously considering getting a third. Mine bonded after a week. A male and a female. I’m not sure if I’d get a male or female for the next one?
Also- my apartment is small so Lucy and thumper are in the living room. Then it’s my bedroom. Then kitchen. So I guess I would keep new bunny in my room at first. But then what? Put him/her in a cage in the living room for the others to get introduced? Or should it be a more neutral spot?

I love bunnies. I’m so excited!

[Bianca]

Well to be fair I put Greebo straight into a sectioned off bit of the study, which is pretty much the bunny room. That bit I sectioned off for him is usually where Terry and Maggie have their food, water, and litter trays. So I put him straight in enemy territory. But I did it knowing how placid Terry and Maggie are. It’s probably not something that should usually be done though, it would upset some rabbits quite a bit. I made sure the area was clean so it didn’t smell tooooooo strongly off Terry and Maggie. But I also knew if things went bad I had back up rooms for him to go in. More inconvenient rooms which is why I didn’t start with them, but I had them in mind just in case.

There are lots of option for you. I’m not an expert in bonding – I have been super lucky with all my bonds so far being instant thanks to Terry. I have never bonded a trio before. I would suggest using the search function of this forum to do some research, I found it really useful.

You do need to consider a few important things though:

Do you have the space for a third bunny if you can’t bond them as a trio?
Are you prepared for the possibility that your current pair may split up, leaving you with three lone rabbits or a different bonded pair?
Are you prepared to spend potentially months bonding a trio?

As for gender, I have seen lots of each, and I think either gender is possible. I think a second female is more commonly suggested, but I think there are a few members here with 3 males, or 2 males and 1 female. Or I think even larger bonded groups of either gender. If all goes well for me, I will have 2 males and 1 female. I went more for “which local rescue rabbit is small, desexed, and needs a home?” I think you mostly want to make sure if you get a third rabbit that it is similar in size to your current ones. A bit of size difference is okay, but things can get awkward if one is too much bigger.

I think it is pretty common to keep the new bun in the same room as the other buns, but keep them separate for a while, similar to bonding a pair. Then move their cages (or whatever you have as living quarters) closer to each other – research pre-bonding if you are unsure. But when you want them to meet for the first time, neutral territory is best – same with bonding a pair. Some people find it easier to do meets separately – introduce new bun to one of the bonded buns at a time. Other people find it easier to put all three together.

I haven’t decided what I will do yet. Will see how they go and decide later.

[Bianca]

Update:

Last night I put Terry and Maggie’s large litter tray next to Greebo’s corner because they made it clear that’s where they wanted to hang out and eat.

This morning I was happy to see they had used the litter tray as intended and only messed it up a bit. On the other side Greebo had eaten more than the night before, and done more wees and poos which is great. He was hanging out in his corner close to the others though.

So I pulled aside a bit of the fabric so they could see each other more clearly. They all sniffed each other, then Maggie went back to nibbling hay which meant that Terry had to eat hay too so that Maggie doesn’t get it all. So on his side Greebo ate a bit of hay too – yay! Greebo is spending a lot of time trying to smoosh his face as close to the others as he can get, and they (especially Terry) are occasionally sniffing him too.

[Q8bunny]

Teddy buns smooshing their faces should be illegal – it’s THAT cute!

[Bianca]

This is how Greebo spends a lot of his time now. He has started eating a lot more when they eat near him too, which is awesome. His poos are getting closer to normal size again.

Maggie and Terry (particularly Terry) spend a lot of their time near him, and sniffing him. At one stage Maggie’s bum fluff was going through the wire so Greebo tried to groom her! Later I had Terry and Maggie out in the lounge room to play, but I had just been cuddling Greebo and smelled of him. So Terry spent a long time sniffing me. He never once acted angry about it though. I really want to let them play together, but I know it is too soon! 😮

[Q8bunny]

Good grief, woman, your bunnies are magical.
*starts humming Puff the Magic Dragon*

[Bianca]

Update: I didn’t do up Greebo’s gate properly. He got out with the others. We were home and I think found out not long after it happened.

Greebo just wants to mount them. To be fair, he has been neutered less than a week. Maggie didn’t care. At all. She managed to keep eating while Greebo flailed around on her body. Terry wasn’t so impressed. He wasn’t super aggressive but bit Greebo gently a few times. But he also groomed Greebo when I caught the bugger and held him on my lap for a moment. I have put Greebo back and made sure everything is shut properly and don’t plan to reintroduce for 3 weeks so someone’s hormones can go away. After that I’ll start bonding and deal with any leftover humping. I hope some of it goes away!

[Q8bunny]

Terry and Maggie sound like such characters. And now I’m picturing Greebo like the inappropriate teddy bear from that movie Ted??

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