I'm gathering advice about introducing other bunnies to my two bonded buns.

I have two neutered male brothers - Nosy and Spike. They are difficult to handle (I can only pick them up for emergency purposes or at the vets) and not especially friendly ie wanting head rubs etc. Nosy is very dominant over Spike When they are alone they sit together etc - Nosy grooms Spike, but not the other way round. As soon as I, or anyone else, shows up, the dominant one will chase the other away.
I can't get to pet or talk to Spike as, even when he is 'chased away' - he was a wary eye out for Nosy, and would rather I left him alone!
Neither is aggressive in any way towards me or anyone else. Although 'talk to the tail' is quite frequent!

I feel sorry for Spike as he can't form any relationship with me or anyone, as Nosy won't allow it.

I am wondering if I can introduce a female to the pair. Would Nosy simply dominate her too, and Spike would have an even harder time? Should I separate them both and bond them with their own girl? and then bond them back as a foursome?
Would a girl calm Nosy down, or bring Spike out of himself more?

I want to do what's best for the bunnies. Right now they are so entrenched in this submissive/dominant behaviour that I can't establish much of a relationship with either of them.

they are from the same litter and are now 14months old. they are dwarf lop x with ...... not sure. the vet thinks a bit of wild bunny in there. They are grey but there is brown coming in round their necks. they were from a whole litter that was up for rehoming. sounds dodgy and probably was.

They live together outside, in a HUGE walk in run, aviary type thing - and there is lots of space for them to get away from each other.
I had them in the house over the winter - in my workroom where I was every day. Nosy would then let me head rub him, when he was very relaced in the afternoons. I even managed tooth purrs.

does anyone have any insights? or advice?

I have just become a bun mum again with the addition of a little Lionhead X. She is only 9 weeks. She is to be a house bunny. I have a dream of them all living together in blissful harmony! ha ha. She will have her own 'man' later on, when she is spayed. Question is, do I try to bond her with the others in some way. it wasn't my intention when I got her, because I was sold her as a boy!

Hi, Are they neutered? Before you do anything I would have them neutered as the problems you are having could probably be helped a lot by this. It should certainly help with the dominant behaviour. You will always ahve a more dominant one but certainly do get them booked in at the vets asap.
Other people on here coud probably advise further as I have no experience of bonding. Good luck with it all

yes, they were neutered at 16 weeks.

See what the others on here say, they are full of advice (thankfully)

Adding a female to those boys will undoubtedly cause more problems, as they will be trying to show dominance to get the girl! The submissive one now might try to take over with a girl in there, which would cause fights. Plus she may get a hard time with 2 boys pestering her!

I would in that situation, seperate the boys and bond each with a girl. Leave it as long as you can (a couple months at least) then you can try to bond a 4. There is no guarantee that the 2 boys wont just be as they are now in a bonded 4 tho

As for the not so friendly attitude, try sitting in the run(if you can) with a good book and totally ignore them. They are very curious and will eventually come to see what you are doing, carry on with that and they should realise that you dont just go out there to pick them up, you sit with them and stroke them(once they are more confident). Rabbits on the whole hate being picked up as they are a prey animal and thats what would happen if they were attacked.

*Heidi*

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