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Are rabbits a lifetime commitment?

clutterydrawer

Wise Old Thumper
I was having a conversation with an acquaintance today which made me think.

She lives with her partner and his kids stay with them at weekends. A few years ago they begged for a pair of rabbits, got them, and needless to say my friend ended up doing all the care and vet bills for the buns when the kids got bored. She likes animals so this wasn't a big problem for her.


However one recently passed away, the other one looks miserable alone so she feels obliged to get another to keep it company. Eventually one of those will pass on and she will be faced with the same problem ad infinitum.

This is somewhat irritating for her as obviously they weren't her repsonsibility in the first place, but it applies to voluntary rabbit owners too - if you don't want to rehome, and don't like to see a rabbit kept alone, then surely by getting them in the first place, you are comitting forever.:shock:

Personally I'm fine with this cos I could never be without them now :) I was just wondering what people think about this, and whether it's something that occurred to them when they first took on their rabbits.
 
I had 2 guinea pigs a while ago and when one died the other was so sad, but she soon became happy again and didn't need a new partner. Also, you could rescue an older rabbit to pair with yours if one passes away.
 
It occured to me when I took on my first pair back in April that it would be a neverending cycle to ensure each bun has a friend, and I'm totally happy with that :D My OH, on the other hand, failed to forsee this cycle and I had to break the news to him gently a couple of months back.. I think he's still coming to terms with a lifetime of bunnies... :lol:
 
It depends how many you have, when I lost Milo, I had a single buck and bonded him with Twinkle, you could perhaps add singles into already bonded pairs, or if you are left with just one, you might consider it becoming a housebun.
 
yup i have thought about this actually i think it depends on the rabbit to be honest my bun Misty would need another friend if Crystal passed on before he did as he gets very lonely and depressed when alone however Crystal i often get the idea she preferes to be alone before she met Misty she couldnt stand any rabbit and used to attack them at first glance and was perfectly happy alone with human contact for socialisation ofcourse if Misty passed beofre Crystal, she would then be brought inside and made into ahouse bunny where she will get more attention from me and my sister.
 
I had 2 guinea pigs a while ago and when one died the other was so sad, but she soon became happy again and didn't need a new partner. Also, you could rescue an older rabbit to pair with yours if one passes away.

yes, that was my point - you'd still end up continually having two rabbits ;)


Mine are housebuns anyway but as I'm at work for 10 hours and asleep for 7, I don't feel I could give a single bun enough attention. It's a good thing I enjoy having no money and hay everywhere isn't it :lol:
 
I hadnt really thought about this. But then I generally dont look beyond the next 5 years or so anyway (apart from when I think about being a mischievous old lady).

I would be perfectly happy though with this responsibility and more (!) UNLESS such a time came that I couldnt physically care for them anymore or if I had to go abroad for a long period of time.

But they are part of my family and if a bunster needed company again then I would be ok with it. Wow, serious thinking going on here....:|
 
I should add that I did think further than 5 years ahead when I adopted Twinkle and Star, of course, cos I hope they live to be happy old ladies, but apart from that I'm quite vague!!
 
I have thought about it before. More with the rats than buns though, I worry about being left with one rat because if I am generally going to have to travel to the UK to get more each time the group gets small. Then there is the worry of bringing rats all this way and them not getting on with the ones I already have. When I was on the ferry coming home with Flip and Wyatt a couple of years ago I was actually saying to my mum unless they all happened to go to the bridge at the same time I am going to always have rats so none are ever left completely alone

I am happy to always have bunnies, and if I am ever left with a single bun would try my best to pair them up so they aren't alone
 
i love matthew and tabitha and no doubt if one were to die, the other would need a friend... but i hadn't planned on that originally.

also, i find myself wanting more buns. lots of black buns would go with the lovely urban gothic ruin i want to renovate (pipe dream) and there was a little tiny white with grey flecks bunnykins in p@h at the weekend and no-one was with her/him and she was lovely and so needed a cosy home...and the giants look great, and i love ted... and rimmi makes me want a nethie...and fluffy white bunnies are so lovely, and dill, and twinkle and star are so pretty, and morse has such character... and there were two sweeties with long hair, an orangish boy and a girl who goes to my hairdresser from the look of her... i think i have the makings of a bunny-napper!

i can only have two bunnies. i can't clean up after any more. two. i must stick to two. two bunnies. just two.
 
i love matthew and tabitha and no doubt if one were to die, the other would need a friend... but i hadn't planned on that originally.

also, i find myself wanting more buns. lots of black buns would go with the lovely urban gothic ruin i want to renovate (pipe dream) and there was a little tiny white with grey flecks bunnykins in p@h at the weekend and no-one was with her/him and she was lovely and so needed a cosy home...and the giants look great, and i love ted... and rimmi makes me want a nethie...and fluffy white bunnies are so lovely, and dill, and twinkle and star are so pretty, and morse has such character... and there were two sweeties with long hair, an orangish boy and a girl who goes to my hairdresser from the look of her... i think i have the makings of a bunny-napper!

i can only have two bunnies. i can't clean up after any more. two. i must stick to two. two bunnies. just two.

Yay my girls got a mention!! I will tell them about it tomorrow!!!

Maybe we could arrange a bunny dating service whereby single bunnies could meet other single bunnies and then we could 'time-share' the pairs (or threesomes or groups if there is mass bonding)!! :lol::lol::lol:

PS I know what you mean about the bunny-napping - there are way too many cute bunnies on this forum!!! :lol:
 
Personally I used to get a new bunster everytime one of mine passed to RB but I have lost another 3 now and not adopted anymore. This worked out OK for me as like some others I have rebonded within the rabbits I have left.

Currently I have a trio and a single (single through her choice, not my lack of trying). I suspect that when one of the trio goes I will not take on another one but will make a decision on furher adoptions when I end up with just two single bunnies. Juno may have mellowed enough by then to accept a friend (I can dream).

For the time being though I find 4 the perfect number for me.
 
I dont ever want to not have rabbits. I have already decide that when I get married I will have to have three bedrooms. One for me and my hubby, one for the kids and one for the bunnies. :lol:
 
I dont ever want to not have rabbits. I have already decide that when I get married I will have to have three bedrooms. One for me and my hubby, one for the kids and one for the bunnies. :lol:

Hee hee hee, I am going to have to win the lottery so I can have 3 houses for bunnies!! :lol:
 
she could perhaps consider fostering a long termer for a rescue as a companion? Perhaps one with dental or other problems that mean he can't be rehomed?
 
There are times when you miught lose both of a pair at the same time, so 'starting afresh' (what a horrible way to put it).

Personally it would depend on the bun and the situation as to whether or not I would get them a new friend.

I do think they are a lifetime commitment, but only because I couldn't do without :p
 
This is what has happened to me with piggies for years, but I haven't minded. This will unfortunately not continue though, as all my pigs are carriers of a nasty infection.

With the bunnies I was left with a lone house bun for a few months because I knew she wouldn't last much longer either, so it doesn't always have to be the case.
 
If you want rabbits for another 10 years, then when one dies, you can buy another. But if you don't, then when you have a single bunny, it's best to rehome for the rabbit husband/wife.
 
If you want rabbits for another 10 years, then when one dies, you can buy another. But if you don't, then when you have a single bunny, it's best to rehome for the rabbit husband/wife.

Do you mean if you are left with a single bunny and won't get another you should find them a new home?
 
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