# Can 3 bunnies live together?



## NickyB

My husband and I are wondering if its possible to bond 3 bunnies together? 

Our house bunny Heidi is looking lonely since our other bunny, Gavin, died last week. She is still bright, eating her food and coming out to play, but she just looks a bit lost when she's sitting in her pen on her own. We were going to wait a while before thinking about another bunny as we were so devasted to have lost Gavin, but seeing Heidi lonely makes us want to get her a friend sooner rather than later. 

However now that we are considering rescuing another bunny we are wondering whether we could rescue a pair and bond them with Heidi? Space should not be an issue as the pen Heidi occupies when we are not in the house is very large (approx 3m x 1.5m) and can be extended if necessary. Anyway she is not always shut away because 1. she is a very well behaved rabbit and 2. the house is bunny-proofed after many years of learning what Gavin would destroy! Heidi also has access to the bunny-proofed garden when the weather is good. 

Is the success of bonding 3 bunnies down to the personalities of the rabbits involved rather than anything else? And will an already bonded pair accept Heidi into their group? She is very laid back and calm and we had no trouble bonding her to Gavin when we got her as a rescue last year (Gavin had lived on his own for 3 years before that). In fact, we'd prepared ourselves for the worst after doing lots of research on bonding and were very pleased when they settled down together within 24 hours! We also have space to set up a second rabbit pen if things didn't work out, but if a 3 bunny pairing is unlikely to work we'd probably rather just get one friend for Heidi as we don't want to stress her out.

Should also mention we have two cats as well - both are fine with rabbits, but I guess we'd need to find a rescue pair that were happy with the cats.

Any advice/shared experiences would be appreciated x


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## VampiricLust

NickyB said:


> My husband and I are wondering if its possible to bond 3 bunnies together?
> 
> Our house bunny Heidi is looking lonely since our other bunny, Gavin, died last week. She is still bright, eating her food and coming out to play, but she just looks a bit lost when she's sitting in her pen on her own. We were going to wait a while before thinking about another bunny as we were so devasted to have lost Gavin, but seeing Heidi lonely makes us want to get her a friend sooner rather than later.
> 
> However now that we are considering rescuing another bunny we are wondering whether we could rescue a pair and bond them with Heidi? Space should not be an issue as the pen Heidi occupies when we are not in the house is very large (approx 3m x 1.5m) and can be extended if necessary. Anyway she is not always shut away because 1. she is a very well behaved rabbit and 2. the house is bunny-proofed after many years of learning what Gavin would destroy! Heidi also has access to the bunny-proofed garden when the weather is good.
> 
> Is the success of bonding 3 bunnies down to the personalities of the rabbits involved rather than anything else? And will an already bonded pair accept Heidi into their group? She is very laid back and calm and we had no trouble bonding her to Gavin when we got her as a rescue last year (Gavin had lived on his own for 3 years before that). In fact, we'd prepared ourselves for the worst after doing lots of research on bonding and were very pleased when they settled down together within 24 hours! We also have space to set up a second rabbit pen if things didn't work out, but if a 3 bunny pairing is unlikely to work we'd probably rather just get one friend for Heidi as we don't want to stress her out.
> 
> Should also mention we have two cats as well - both are fine with rabbits, but I guess we'd need to find a rescue pair that were happy with the cats.
> 
> Any advice/shared experiences would be appreciated x


I have bonded trio's before, it is down to the buns personalities 
If you found a suitable rescue, most are willing to bond for you 
What area are you in?

Edited- Just seen you are in herts, im in Essex, if you wanted to come meet the buns here?

Or you can look up local rescues on www.rabbitrehome.org.uk


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## Lumpy

I have three bunnies who live happily together. 

Originally I had two, then one died and I went to a rescue centre and bonded the remaining one with another. I started volunteering there and rescued another three - who were slowly introduced to the two and got on fine. Then I fell in love with another and gradually bonded him to the group. Last year I sadly lost three which leaves me with the three.

Whenever I introduced a new bunny or bunnies to the mix I always did it very slowly and in stages. In the case of the last male to be added it took a good few weeks before he was fully part of the community.

I have eight cats and they get on fine with the rabbits. I've never had any problem at all.

If finances permit I am hoping to get another pair or trio later in the year and fully intend for them all to live together, but won't rescue any until I have the time to spend supervising their bonding. I love watching a large group of bunnies playing together but think it's important they have sufficient space to have their time alone if they need it.

I think you will be fine bonding three together so long as you have lots of patience


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## kellyrich

I am currently trying to bond my three! 

I have a bonded pair (Dexie and Barney) and i got Dave on Sunday. 

Barney is fine with him, just sniffs him out and then ignores him but Dexie scares him a little bit at the moment and he starts running away so then she chases him and they both run like crazy round the room (which is quite funny on wood flooring!!) but its also quite stressful but i think once he stops being scared then she will stop chasing, i just hope it does stop as there is no way im getting rid of Dave!! 

I just cant tell if she is chasingim being nasty or if she is just chasing him cos he is running!! Usually she has no energy at all and just lies there so its quite an unusal change in her!!


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## EGoody05

I also have a trio - It was a neutered and spayed bonded pair with a baby bunny. They are fine and all sleep in a row


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## NickyB

Thanks for your replies.

It was looking at rabbit rehome that originally got us thinking about bonding a pair with Heidi. When we looked at the website yesterday we just found so many buns needing a home that we wondered if we could take in more than the one. 

I think we'd like to try the bonding ourselves as we'd feel horrible leaving Heidi somewhere else, however nice, for any length of time. We did it ourselves with Gavin and Heidi (not that it was difficult!) and had done a lot of research in advance so we know how much patience it can take. 

I've just had a look at your website VampiricLust - you have some beautiful bunnies needing a home. Just wish I had the time and space for them all!! I know there is a rabbit rescue about 20 minutes from us so I think we'll visit there first but if we can't find the right buns I'll be contacting you about a visit.

Getting excited now at the thought of looking for new buns - still miss Gavin terribly but the thought of adopting more buns makes me feel better


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## kellyrich

NickyB said:


> Thanks for your replies.
> 
> It was looking at rabbit rehome that originally got us thinking about bonding a pair with Heidi. When we looked at the website yesterday we just found so many buns needing a home that we wondered if we could take in more than the one.
> 
> I think we'd like to try the bonding ourselves as we'd feel horrible leaving Heidi somewhere else, however nice, for any length of time. We did it ourselves with Gavin and Heidi (not that it was difficult!) and had done a lot of research in advance so we know how much patience it can take.
> 
> I've just had a look at your website VampiricLust - you have some beautiful bunnies needing a home. Just wish I had the time and space for them all!! I know there is a rabbit rescue about 20 minutes from us so I think we'll visit there first but if we can't find the right buns I'll be contacting you about a visit.
> 
> Getting excited now at the thought of looking for new buns - still miss Gavin terribly but the thought of adopting more buns makes me feel better


However many you get it sounds as though it/they will be going to a good home!!


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## NickyB

kellyrich said:


> However many you get it sounds as though it/they will be going to a good home!!


Thanks! We really love bunnies and feel they get a raw deal as a pet. Getting Gavin was the best thing we ever did (although we did buy him from a pet shop - which I would never do now I know how many bunnies are out there looking for a home). I definitely think that if we ever win the lottery (I can dream!) or retire (which is many many years away!) we'll have lots of buns and maybe even set up a rescue ourselves.


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## Maevster

Hi everyone,

I got these posts on google and was wondering if anyone would be able to help me. I had a pair of happy bunnies 'Annie and Parsnip' and then i rescued Belle. Every time i try and introduce her to the other female all hell breaks loose, they fight and tear each others hair out. At the moment belle lives in the living room and the other two live in the back room. Belle has been neutered 3 weeks now and the other two a couple of years. I really want them to all live together and be happy and any advice at all would be really helpful 

Maeve


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## frags

Maevster said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I got these posts on google and was wondering if anyone would be able to help me. I had a pair of happy bunnies 'Annie and Parsnip' and then i rescued Belle. Every time i try and introduce her to the other female all hell breaks loose, they fight and tear each others hair out. At the moment belle lives in the living room and the other two live in the back room. Belle has been neutered 3 weeks now and the other two a couple of years. I really want them to all live together and be happy and any advice at all would be really helpful
> 
> Maeve


hi welcome to the forum, have a read of croftys thread http://www.petforums.co.uk/rabbits/44634-ok-here-we-go-bonding-four-has-started.html this will help with bonding x


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## crofty

Maevster said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I got these posts on google and was wondering if anyone would be able to help me. I had a pair of happy bunnies 'Annie and Parsnip' and then i rescued Belle. Every time i try and introduce her to the other female all hell breaks loose, they fight and tear each others hair out. At the moment belle lives in the living room and the other two live in the back room. Belle has been neutered 3 weeks now and the other two a couple of years. I really want them to all live together and be happy and any advice at all would be really helpful
> 
> Maeve


Im currently bonding four and the does are causing all the trouble too 

They need to be introduced on neutral ground, at the minute it sounds like you are introducing them in the other pairs territory which will always result in a fight. You need to neutralise an area like the bathrrom, vinegar is good to get rid of bunny smells (as you know bunnys mark everything) then make a small pen, they have to be in a small area so they do not have too much room for the fight to escalate, it feels cruel mine are used to a huge garage and i have all four in a little dog crate at the mo but trust me its the only way.

Id suggest you let things settle after the last fight and before you introduce them bath them so they are all smelling the same plus it encourages them to groom, if they groom eachother that is a huge step in bonding. It can take up to 2 weeks to bond them, most people say it has taken them 4-7 days. You have to be with them at all times, i move the crate around with me and made sure i started when i had days off, i do have to work today though so have a little dog crate right next to the other to seperate them until im back then have tomorrow off again.

Have a water bottle handy that you can spray water at them if they start get aggressive with eachother (ears down tails up), there will be fur pulling/humping but you dont want a huge fight and injuries. Id also wait until your does hormones have calmed abit more, 3 weeks is very early days.

Hope this helps! have a look at my bonding thread there are pics first 2 pages.


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## Maevster

Thank-you so much for the link : )
I will try this bonding technique, fingers crossed!
Mx


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