Companion Bun or More Money?!

I am having some serious guilt trips at the moment Bobbin is a lone house bun and although he gets a lot of human socialisation I still fear he's lonely without a friend

If it there were no issues I'd run to the nearest rescue today to find him a mate but I have concerns about money. What if they both fall ill at once and have huge vet bills, already Bobbin has eye trouble and I've spend £100 on vet bills since July. What if something more serious happens to one, or god forbid, both of them?!

Should I wait to see how my money situation pans out over the next year or so? Can I introduce a friend to him at anytime, despite him being alone for so long prior to it?

Any advice or suggestions would be super valued and please vote Has anyone else been in this position and how did you decide?! :?

Money is the main reason why I'm not allowed a friend for Evo! That and the fact that o/h thinks Evo won't be so friendly towards us if we got him a friend. I actually think he's ok being a lone bun. He's in the room where we spend most of our time, so always has some company.

If you're concerned about vets bills, what about getting them insured?

Amy

I decided to get two because i was worried Bugys was a lonely house bunny.
I looked into health insurances but that would cost me £25.00 a month and a £60.00 excess which i didn't feel was very good for me. So i know try and save a bit a month and i have a credit card locked away incase anything happens. I know two is my limited now as much as i want more.
When i made the decision my heart ruled my head! And to be honest i'm so glad i got her a friend.
Maybe you could go the pet insurance root because at least you are covered if anything happen's or just put that money away, if you put £25.00 a month away you would save £300.00 a year.

I would say though don't take on more than you can afford.

I haven't voted at all. I would suggest thinking about insurance for both or putting money to one side. I have two and both have been ill a few times this year so I've wracked up massive vets bills...thought I had them insured but they aren't!:shock:

I would seriousely consider getting another bunny. Are you around most of the time?

I was originally going to have Barney as a single bunny but I'm so glad I didn't, they are so happy together and if I have to go out for a long time I don't have to worry that I've got a lonely bunny at home.

EDIT: Excess is a good point. Although I've had to fork out this year its because they got ill at the weekend. If they'd got ill during the week it would have been well under the excess. PLus even the weekend rates are usually only about £40 higher than the excess rates so I don't really think insurance is that great for bunnies.

Well im going to be the odd one out and say that i think you should wait a while. As long as he gets plenty of attention, hes obviously well cared for and loved i dont think waiting a bit longer for a friend is going to hurt him. To me having one pet that you know you can fulfil all their needs is better than having two and possibly not be able to care for them as well as you'd like. (Btw im not saying you wouldn't care for two just as well as one but if your going to hit money problems, possibly get into debt i dont think its worth it.)

if you feel that you dont have nough cash then i would wait. however...insurance is an option but i put a little money aside few weeks and have a vet fund, which makes me feel alot happier. Unless something goes wrong with bobbins girly, then the daily cost isnt hardly different. and if it does...well thats what your vet fund is for! x

Hi guys, thanks for the speedy replies!

Rallybunny - Bobbin is in the room I want to make into my studio so as soon as I have more things to do in there I should think I would spend even more time with him.

A the moment he gets 2-3 hrs at night, and probably about 6 hours a day on Saturday and Sunday. He has the run of down stairs while he's out but he's not allowed upstairs in the living room (I live in an upside-down house!) becasue A) we smoke and B) there's too much expensive equipment about :roll:

abbymarysmokey - "what about getting them insured?" yes, I have seriously considered this, the only reason I haven't done it with Bobbin on his own is I think it's probably much more economical if you have a couple of buns because the chances of needing it are greater.

joey&bugys - "I would say though don't take on more than you can afford" Totally agree, this is why I'm thinking about it so much, I could never take on another, then realise I couldn't afford it and have to give him/her or both up, that would ruin me.

IsabelM - "Are you around most of the time?", I am around in the evenings from 5.45 and as I said above he's out for 2 hours or more, considerably more att he weekends. Ideally I want to work from home, but seeing as this is just a dream I can't base my decision on it :roll:

Hi Thea

You've raised exactly the same quandry I am in. I got my bunny 2 weeks ago and am now agonising over whether we should get him a girlfriend (neutered, of course!)

But, my question to the group is can you house them in the same cage or do they need separate living space?

Bigwig currently has a large cage as a bedroom plus an attic room to himself for through the day and evening. This is his run, playground and toy room!

I would be looking for a rescue girly and would look to introduce him before taking her on by taking him along and letting him decide but what about afterwards ... should i be considering another cage in my decision?

Just a thought, but can't you pack in the cigarettes.
The money you would save could then be saved/used for insurance towards vet bills. Then you would be able to have two buns

You might find that you'll have some left over to treat yourself

Well I think you should get a friend as soon as you're able. I have a pair of buns that are 6 and 7 years old, had them for 5-6 years but Petta did have to go to the vets for bloat twice (but that was because she didn't want to live outside and got depressed in the middle of summer next year after bonding)

I have not had to take them to the vets apart from vaccinations. Although now they're getting old I'm expecting some. Several months ago Petta had to have a lump removed, cost me £60 as I had them insured. (Would've been £200)

I do have mine insured and it's up you you if you think it's worth it, but nowadays vets want payment up front. Or you could get a credit card purely for vet bills (if you have good willpower - I don't have one anymore :roll: ) or put £20 a month away which is how much I'm paying and the choice of most people which I think is a good idea. I chose insurance because if a long term health problem popped up I don't think I could afford it and I'm really pap with managing my money.

Bettyboo - yeah a second spare cage or hutch will be best as rabbits need to be introduced on neutral territory. There's lots of webpages about bonding buns.

With bonding it depends on the bun. Petta had an indoor cage and pen. Peter had a small hutch and run outside so one would run around the garden while the other was in the run. I bought a 6 foot hutch and a family member built a 8 foot by 6 foot run (so it was neutral territory or they'd fight) that was against the house. As it was in April I left them both in it for a week (and watching whenever I could) then once I was happy they got along enough to live in a smaller space I cleaned out her cage and put them in. It did take them months to love each other but now I always see them like this;






This was the hutch and run they were bonded in - I still have them but now against a fence instead and they use it in the summer and nice days.

joeyred said:

Just a thought, but can't you pack in the cigarettes.
The money you would save could then be saved/used for insurance towards vet bills. Then you would be able to have two buns

You might find that you'll have some left over to treat yourself

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Hehee! Great idea, I'd love to, but at the same time I do enjoy it Yes, the extra money would be great, quitting is something that I think is on most smokers' minds, but for now I'm staying put :roll:

Thanks for the very sensible suggestion though

I voted wait and see, like you said it would really upset you if you had to then give one or both of them up.

Also.....did you realise you've put Monkey not Money on your poll?! :lol: :lol:

No...definitely don't get a monkey :no: :lol: :lol:

It's your mind tricking you into "thinking" you enjoy it.

Pop into a local NHS quit smoking clinic and get your carbon monoxide levels measured ( blow into thingy), you'll be like :shock:

There are plenty of quit books about, the allen carr one is particularly good.

And in case you think I'm lecturing i was on 40 a day until 5 years ago, and i feel so much better for quitting.

I'm afraid I do think that they need a friend of their own kind. Having said that, I know there are some buns who can't be bonded. I think this is the minority though.

I had Daisy on her own as a house bun but not for very long and the best thing I ever did was getting Daisy a friend. Once you have seen them interacting together you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner. Having said that, it's very responsible to be thinking about the money side of it first. I have both my buns insured. With a previous bun I used the insurance lots and lots and it is well worth it. I also put a little money aside each month for emergencies and that works quite well too.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

joeyred said:

It's your mind tricking you into "thinking" you enjoy it.

Pop into a local NHS quit smoking clinic and get your carbon monoxide levels measured ( blow into thingy), you'll be like :shock:

There are plenty of quit books about, the allen carr one is particularly good.

And in case you think I'm lecturing i was on 40 a day until 5 years ago, and i feel so much better for quitting.

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Thanks for the lecture! Really though, well done on quiting, 40 a day to nothing must be a right old challenge :thumb:

babybunnies3 said:

I voted wait and see, like you said it would really upset you if you had to then give one or both of them up.

Also.....did you realise you've put Monkey not Money on your poll?! :lol: :lol:

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I agree, it would be awful, thing is I don't think I'd give them up until we were all living out of a cardboard box, not a very good way to go! :lol:

Monkey... yeh same thing!

Wizbit said:

I'm afraid I do think that they need a friend of their own kind. Having said that, I know there are some buns who can't be bonded. I think this is the minority though.

I had Daisy on her own as a house bun but not for very long and the best thing I ever did was getting Daisy a friend. Once you have seen them interacting together you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner. Having said that, it's very responsible to be thinking about the money side of it first. I have both my buns insured. With a previous bun I used the insurance lots and lots and it is well worth it. I also put a little money aside each month for emergencies and that works quite well too.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

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Awww thank you! I like to think I try to be responsible when it comes to finances... but it is hard isn't it?!

That's it, I would love to see him interacting with a friend, and like someone else said I hate to think of him lonely during the day

Awwwww if only poor bobbin knew that if his mummy and daddy would just give up smoking he'll have a lovely girlie bun to be his friend.

(waits to see if the guilt angle works!!)