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One bunny or two?

percyHQ

New Kit
Hi,

I have a male house rabbit coming up for 5 months old. He has been neutered. I have read that rabbits are happiest when they live in two's as part of a bonded pair. My plan was to get a young female in the next month. I have reserved a little bunny with a local rabbit enthusiast and thought it was all systems go.

However, during my visit to the local pet shop today for some bedding supplies the woman in the shop thought that having two was a very bad idea. Saying "two rabbits are an awful lot of work" in a very condescending tone. As if I would be unable to cope with the demands!

She said they would probably be more hostile to humans and I could expect a big change in personality which alarmed me as Percy is a lovely natured little bun. I know that when a rabbit is kept alone it is more attached to humans through necessity but once they have a rabbit friend they are still friendly aren't they? I am wanting to do the best for the bunny but still want to enjoy him being affectionate. Any thoughts or advice? Many thanks.
 
She's way off the mark there.

It's true that a pair of rabbits can change and would be more likely to spend time together than with their human, but that's natural and actually what we should encourage it - allow them to be bunnies. It's actually more likely to be down to individual personalities anyway and not how many. One rabbit that isn't that fussed by humans can learn from a partner that likes humankind and will pick up on it's security so that has to be a good thing. Anyway, they will always still know who the person is that feeds and cares for them so will come charging when you go to give them their pellets....

As far as being harder work - that's balderdash unless they are being kept separately. Cleaning out the hutch for two is only a wee bit more than for one and if you only use litter trays rather than cover the whole hutch in bedding, then it should still take no time at all.

Can't imagine where some people get their ideas from.

There is nothing nicer than seeing a pair of loving rabbits together and thinking I did that!

Once you have a pair/group, you would never consider it any other way I promise you.


Helen
 
She's way off the mark there.

It's true that a pair of rabbits can change and would be more likely to spend time together than with their human, but that's natural and actually what we should encourage it - allow them to be bunnies. It's actually more likely to be down to individual personalities anyway and not how many. One rabbit that isn't that fussed by humans can learn from a partner that likes humankind and will pick up on it's security so that has to be a good thing. Anyway, they will always still know who the person is that feeds and cares for them so will come charging when you go to give them their pellets....

As far as being harder work - that's balderdash unless they are being kept separately. Cleaning out the hutch for two is only a wee bit more than for one and if you only use litter trays rather than cover the whole hutch in bedding, then it should still take no time at all.

Can't imagine where some people get their ideas from.

There is nothing nicer than seeing a pair of loving rabbits together and thinking I did that!

Once you have a pair/group, you would never consider it any other way I promise you.


Helen

I agree. Complete rubbish. I have never had 1 on it's own but when I bonded a third to my pair I didn't notice a change in the amount of work at all apart from giving a few more pellets, chopping a few more veggies and having 1 extra to give nose rubs.
 
Thanks

Hi Helen,

Thanks for that post. I guess the pet shop worker isn't so interested in customers having happy rabbits! Glad I didn't get my rabbit in a petshop! I have been looking into this since we started researching rabbits months ago. I was so sure we were doing the right thing for Percy getting him a friend. Must confess now that we are about to take the plunge and get another one I have discovered I am quite nervous about doing it right. Hence my hysteria after her criticism!
 
I Have several pairs of bonded rabbits who adore each other and are so happy washing each others ears etc. I'd hate to see a lonely bunny. They are still friendly to us and love cuddles, but just as happy to go back and be together !:wave:
 
Hi Helen,

Thanks for that post. I guess the pet shop worker isn't so interested in customers having happy rabbits! Glad I didn't get my rabbit in a petshop! I have been looking into this since we started researching rabbits months ago. I was so sure we were doing the right thing for Percy getting him a friend. Must confess now that we are about to take the plunge and get another one I have discovered I am quite nervous about doing it right. Hence my hysteria after her criticism!

Hi

It's weird actually isn't it because you'd think that a pet shop worker would tell you that you should have two because then you'd buy another one. But maybe they don't know their stuff about neutering etc and they have taken the easy option but not choosing to inform themselves.

Don't be nervous, you will find your feet and if you love your bunnies and give them the time and care they need they will reward you 10 times over in their behavior and love for each other.

Certainly by going to a good rescue, they will be able to advise you and should also be able to bond your buns for you so that most of the worry is removed. You will have to remember though, that just because you fall in love with a particular 'friend', your existing bun might have different ideas :lol: and choose one to be his special friend that you didn't expect.

Good luck and keep posting if there's anything else that you'd like to know!

Helen
 
I used to work in a pet shop and most of my colleagues only had basic knowledge about animals, e.g. they would advise people to buy goldfish without a proper tank and filter. they thought they knew it all though! good on you for coming here, you will find most things you need to know about bunnies here from people who own them and love them!

Good luck with ur second bun :wave:
 
I hate to say this but. . . .

We've got a gorgeous neutured boy, he is so mellow and laid back, can pick him up, cuddle him and he loves people and licking noses. Everywhere we went people were telling us we should bond him. We had so much trouble finding a rabbit rescue centre and when we finally found one they put so many obstacles in the way, they wanted home visits and us to email pictures of our first bunny and our house before they'd even consider looking at adopting us out a bun. We'd planned to extend the cage once we had 2 rabbits bonded to 4 cages but needed seperate cages for before they'd bonded to live in seperatley (Our first bunny had 2 large dog cages joined together already for the 4 hours of the day we were out of house, rest of the time he had the run of ther house) however the adoption centre wouldn't even consider looking at adopting unless we extended so was a vicious circle
We decided in the end to get a girl bunny from Pets At Home, once she had been spayed we bonded them. Because our boy bun was around 8 months old by then and had the full run of house and all our attention previously it took ages to bond them. We started to bond them in November and they bonded last week.
At the moment we're not sure it was best to bond our buns, the boy bunny is so laid back and just likes to chill, whereas the girl is far too hyper for him. He just wants a quiet life where she wants to climb all over him, when he is chilling out she wont leave him alone. She loves him to bits but I think he'd be happier on his own and he tolerates her.
The moral of the story is I think it might depend on the rabbit and how much interaction they have with their owner but please make sure that you do test your bun with other buns to see how they get on together, personality wise too. If we had 2 rabbits like our girl bun I'd deffo say get 2 rabbits. I know some of the stuff I've said goes against what everyone else says on this site but this is our experience.
It doesn't seem like a lot more work with 2 buns than 1 though as one bunny alone makes enough mess!
 
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