MiniLopHop
Well-Known Member
I need some advice for bonding multiple rabbits. As many of you know, I currently have 4 house rabbits, two males (Gary and Houdini)and two females (Becky and Sophie), all fixed in mixed pairs. I have a range of sizes from 3 to 10.5 pounds and age ranges from just a year to around 6ish (they are all rescues so I'm not exactly sure).
I split a room down the middle to get them used to each other with the hopes of all four being able to run around the whole house like the cats. They are making nice progress. I have caught the males laying on opposite sides of the fence together or touching noses through the fence then going on their way. The girls aren't as friendly but tend to just ignore each other. I am going to start the face to face meetings in neutral territory this weekend. Gary, Houdini, and Becky have known each other forwell over a yearand had play dates on the weekends when Houdini's first wife was alive. Sophie is the new wife and so more of the wild card in the interactions.
Now I may be getting another female (black mini lop) from a rescue situation who has lived her whole life in a cage with very little exercise or toys.She isover weight and depressed. She is litter trained and would be fixed before I bring her home. I wouldn't introduce them until she had a chance to fully heal from her spay.
Am I better off steam cleaning the carpets with an enzymatic cleaner and rearranging everything to wipe out previous territories and trying them together, or should I try to carve out a spot for the new girl? Is it better to proceede with bonding of the 4 I have now and add the new bun in 6-8 weeks when she's healed or wait for her?
Thanks for your advice.
I split a room down the middle to get them used to each other with the hopes of all four being able to run around the whole house like the cats. They are making nice progress. I have caught the males laying on opposite sides of the fence together or touching noses through the fence then going on their way. The girls aren't as friendly but tend to just ignore each other. I am going to start the face to face meetings in neutral territory this weekend. Gary, Houdini, and Becky have known each other forwell over a yearand had play dates on the weekends when Houdini's first wife was alive. Sophie is the new wife and so more of the wild card in the interactions.
Now I may be getting another female (black mini lop) from a rescue situation who has lived her whole life in a cage with very little exercise or toys.She isover weight and depressed. She is litter trained and would be fixed before I bring her home. I wouldn't introduce them until she had a chance to fully heal from her spay.
Am I better off steam cleaning the carpets with an enzymatic cleaner and rearranging everything to wipe out previous territories and trying them together, or should I try to carve out a spot for the new girl? Is it better to proceede with bonding of the 4 I have now and add the new bun in 6-8 weeks when she's healed or wait for her?
Thanks for your advice.