introductions with a momma rabbit?

[DwarfGirl]

i have a female rabbit who has a 3 week old baby. when i had my rabbits out for exercise time today i thought it would be a good idea to introduce them (three girls) two of the girls were fine together for a few hours and then i decided to add the third one,whohad already been playing for about an hour by herself,and she viciously attacked the other two. could it be because she has a baby, even the baby was no where around, in another room?

 

[Aliena]

How old are the three girls? Are they related? Usually you can't put unspayed does together once they reach puberty, they will fight just like bucks do. I wouldn't imagine it has that much to do with the baby.

 

[DwarfGirl]

Aliena wrote:

How old are the three girls? Are they related? Usually you can't put unspayed does together once they reach puberty, they will fight just like bucks do. I wouldn't imagine it has that much to do with the baby.

oh, okay.

im told one is about 7-8 weeks old, ive had her for about a week now.

i just got another one today that i think is about 8 months old.

those two are getting along fine.

the mother is about 7 months old and tried to beat the crap out of both of the other 2.



so since the 8 week old and 8 month old are getting along good, it is okay to let them stay together?

 

[Aliena]

It should be ok, but you'll have to keep a really close eye on them. When the young one reaches the puberty age trouble might start so if you want them to stay together it would be more likely to happen if they were spayed.

Keep the mum with the baby away from the others, the baby shouldn't leave it's mother until it is eight weeks old either.

 

[Starlight Rabbitry]

It actually has a lot to do with the baby. Regardless of where the baby is, the mother is always protecting it. She also could be a very dominant doe and she is making sure they know that.

I would wait until the baby is older to try anything. Putting the mother is that kind of situation could cause her to attack her baby when you put her back.

Sharon

 

[DwarfGirl]

thanks!

 

[Flashy]

Our mum rabbit stands guard for your young, even if they are not near. She also stresses if she is not sure where they are, so it might be your doe is similar and the whole situation, protecting the baby, new rabbits, unknown location of her baby, etc, all stressed her out, which is why she went barmy, understandably so.

It might be worth (if you haven't already) reading the links on bonding bunnies to each other, etc.

Good luck with them.