DanaNM
Member
Hi everyone,
I've just made an account on this forum because it seems like there are a lot of folks with trio and quad experience here! I have bonded I think 5 different pairs in the past, but this is my first time attempting a larger group.
Apologies if this is really long! I am mostly just looking for input from people who have bonded trios or quads themselves. I've read through the trio stickies and quite a few of the threads on this site, so I'm aware of the risks involved with trios (like splitting up the current pair, etc.).
So my situation is that I have a M-F pair (Bun Jovi and Myra), and a single female (Bonnie). All have been castrated for a long time. The pair have been bonded since probably March? My male is about 12 and his previous partner passed away in December 2019. The girls are 3-4.
I started fostering the other female in April or May (I think?). I volunteer at a rescue and she was not doing well there as she had been there a long time (getting pretty cage aggressive, etc.). My scheme was to at least foster her for a while to help her become more adoptable, and/or try to bond her with my pair to have a trio. She had a reputation for being good with other rabbits at the shelter. Of course she is an amazing house rabbit and we are very attached to her now!
So far they've been living side by side for several months. At first there was some referred aggression between the pair, but they have settled down and are not reactive to Bonnie anymore. The girls will occasionally try to "get at" each other through the fence.
I tried doing some marathon bonding sessions at a friend's house, and they went OK, but not great. I had intended to do 24/7 supervision as long as it took, but had some logistical issues and needed to end it after about 8 hours. Plus the girls were escalating to fights quickly and it seemed like I was not physically ready to stay up all night. I was thinking of resuming the next day but Myra was a bit off her food so decided to take a break. Then did prob 2 weeks of 3-4 hour sessions every other day at a dif location. Bonding is tough in that I have a small studio apartment, so I have to take them somewhere for bonding sessions, and daily sessions involving driving seemed to be too stressful for Myra and Bun Jovi.
Then I sent them over to a friend at the rescue for her to work on bonding them at her house. Things went ok until they didn't. The bonder thought maybe the two might not accept Bonnie ever and she would have to get used to being third wheel. All of that said, neither I nor the bonder have actually spent that many hours with them all together. So my hope is that with the right space and enough time the trio would eventually work.
In a few weeks I will be moving, so will have ample neutral space, plus a long car ride to get to the new location. I am trying to decide if it might be a good idea to try dating the whole group with a possible 4th rabbit to see if that helps the dynamic with the girls. I don't want Bonnie to be third wheel! Plus there are so many eligible buns at the rescue and I would love to be able to give one a good home. It also might be possible to just bond Bonnie with another and have two pairs, but I would much prefer 1 big group.
What a folks thoughts on adding a fourth? Has anyone found that it helped? I've heard of it happening with the right rabbit but don't know how common it is.
If I do add the fourth, would it make more sense to work on the second pair, then combine them, or just work with all four together? I do want to be careful with Bun Jovi. He is in great health but is an old man, and I don't really want him getting caught in a bunny tornado.
In either case (trio or quad), what do people think about driving with them all together in the same carrier (or crate), and then keeping them together at the new home under constant supervision until they are bonded? Does that seem like it will be too stressful? It's about a 3.5 hour drive to our new place. The three didn't used to fight in the carrier, but then after their stay with the bonder they were not getting along in the carrier. But I would be sitting with them to break up any scuffles.
I've just made an account on this forum because it seems like there are a lot of folks with trio and quad experience here! I have bonded I think 5 different pairs in the past, but this is my first time attempting a larger group.
Apologies if this is really long! I am mostly just looking for input from people who have bonded trios or quads themselves. I've read through the trio stickies and quite a few of the threads on this site, so I'm aware of the risks involved with trios (like splitting up the current pair, etc.).
So my situation is that I have a M-F pair (Bun Jovi and Myra), and a single female (Bonnie). All have been castrated for a long time. The pair have been bonded since probably March? My male is about 12 and his previous partner passed away in December 2019. The girls are 3-4.
I started fostering the other female in April or May (I think?). I volunteer at a rescue and she was not doing well there as she had been there a long time (getting pretty cage aggressive, etc.). My scheme was to at least foster her for a while to help her become more adoptable, and/or try to bond her with my pair to have a trio. She had a reputation for being good with other rabbits at the shelter. Of course she is an amazing house rabbit and we are very attached to her now!
So far they've been living side by side for several months. At first there was some referred aggression between the pair, but they have settled down and are not reactive to Bonnie anymore. The girls will occasionally try to "get at" each other through the fence.
I tried doing some marathon bonding sessions at a friend's house, and they went OK, but not great. I had intended to do 24/7 supervision as long as it took, but had some logistical issues and needed to end it after about 8 hours. Plus the girls were escalating to fights quickly and it seemed like I was not physically ready to stay up all night. I was thinking of resuming the next day but Myra was a bit off her food so decided to take a break. Then did prob 2 weeks of 3-4 hour sessions every other day at a dif location. Bonding is tough in that I have a small studio apartment, so I have to take them somewhere for bonding sessions, and daily sessions involving driving seemed to be too stressful for Myra and Bun Jovi.
Then I sent them over to a friend at the rescue for her to work on bonding them at her house. Things went ok until they didn't. The bonder thought maybe the two might not accept Bonnie ever and she would have to get used to being third wheel. All of that said, neither I nor the bonder have actually spent that many hours with them all together. So my hope is that with the right space and enough time the trio would eventually work.
In a few weeks I will be moving, so will have ample neutral space, plus a long car ride to get to the new location. I am trying to decide if it might be a good idea to try dating the whole group with a possible 4th rabbit to see if that helps the dynamic with the girls. I don't want Bonnie to be third wheel! Plus there are so many eligible buns at the rescue and I would love to be able to give one a good home. It also might be possible to just bond Bonnie with another and have two pairs, but I would much prefer 1 big group.
What a folks thoughts on adding a fourth? Has anyone found that it helped? I've heard of it happening with the right rabbit but don't know how common it is.
If I do add the fourth, would it make more sense to work on the second pair, then combine them, or just work with all four together? I do want to be careful with Bun Jovi. He is in great health but is an old man, and I don't really want him getting caught in a bunny tornado.
In either case (trio or quad), what do people think about driving with them all together in the same carrier (or crate), and then keeping them together at the new home under constant supervision until they are bonded? Does that seem like it will be too stressful? It's about a 3.5 hour drive to our new place. The three didn't used to fight in the carrier, but then after their stay with the bonder they were not getting along in the carrier. But I would be sitting with them to break up any scuffles.