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I feel as if Im neglecting my bunnies!

k.mdaniels

Alpha Buck
Just had to get this off my chest.

I'm giving my boys the best life that I can but I feel / know its not enough.

My two Lionhead male rabbits are both 3 1/2 years old. We got them from.......PAH :oops: We were going to originally go to rspca but when we saw little Leon he just melted our hearts as he came up and leaned on the enclosure to say hello to us. So we got him and his buddy Sammy.
Anyway after three weeks of having our rabbits they had to be split up due to male hormones setting in (my fault, I know). We would never have given up on them just means they had to live separately and alone :(

Their runs outside are next to each other, so they do see each other and they get lots of attention from us and they also rule our house but I wish someone could promise me if I got them girlfriends that it would work out:roll:

I hate the thought of them never knowing another rabbit for company. My OH loves them but strongly draws the line at any more as he doesnt want to risk getting mates for them and then end up having 4 hutches outside. I can see his point but its still sad :(
 
Could you try taking them to a rescue on a 'date' to see if they get on? I know if you're anything like me if you got them home you would fall in love and not be able to part with them, but if you took them to the rescue it would be easier
 
Think of the miserable lives most rabbits have. Totally alone, neglected etc... and then look at how yours are kept. Ok it's not the absolute ideal but chances are they are much happier now than they would have been if some child had got their hands on them - they prob would have ended up alone. Girlfriends would be lovely and you could give it a go - maybe a rescue would let you try bonding girlies on a kind of foster agreement??? Other than that - you're better having two rabbits you can afford than 4 that maybe you couldnt! You are giving them the best life you can give them. :D:wave:
 
I agree with trying to bond them together. If that doesn't work you could get one doe and try to bond the three together as a trio.
A lot of rescues will let you take a bun as a foster prior to adopting, so that you can avoid the 'four hutch' scenario.
 
I have three neutered bucks and a doe bonded living together, and my single buck managed to open his pen and get in with the trio before they were bonded and they had a huge fight so i really do know what you are going through, he was only fostered by me but i completely fell for him and didnt want to rehome him. Bonding wasnt easy but i did it and the two bucks that really hated eachother are now best buddies. Have a read through the bonding threads.

Alternatively you could take your bucks to a local rescue for bunny dates if you want two sets of pairs and makesure they get on with a spayed female before you tek them home that way theres no risk of having four single bunnies :wave:
 
Heh - why don't you just take them for a rescue to be bonded either with each other, or females? Then if it doesn't work out there's no obligation to keep the females.
 
Yes they are neutered. I dont want to try them together again as I feel they definitley wont get on, their like chalk and cheese. Their runs are right next to each other, every now and then I catch them trying poke their noses through bars to get to one another but Im sure Leon managed to nip Sammys nose one day due to the way he jumped back and then gave his nose a wee rub:shock:

Im in the Lanarkshire area in Scotland, I dont know of many rescues round here. Do the RSPCA foster out rabbits?

Couple of questions if bonding were succesfull with other rabbits -

1 - The two couples would have separate runs but they would be close to one another, could this create a problem?

2 - Rabbits come in the house everyday, would 4 different scents of rabbits upset the bonds?
 
Bonding wasnt easy but i did it and the two bucks that really hated eachother are now best buddies. Have a read through the bonding threads.

That is a bit re-assuring but I think I'd still be terrified to put them back together as you will know what a horrific site it would have been to see them fighting.
 
I've just had a thought but I'm thinking out loud and it may be totally out of the question but ......

What about..... if a rescue would bond one of your boys with a wifey that you would rescue as a kind of swap for the other boy. They could then bond him with a girlie and rehome him with a wifey bun.

That sounds bad now that I read it. I couldn't choose between my two if I were asked to give one up. It's just the only way I could think of you ending up with two happy couples but still just the two rabbits for you.....?

If that was a crappy idea, just ignore me.
 
If that was a crappy idea, just ignore me.

:) Thats ok I know you mean well.

Funny you should say that - I went on holiday a couple of weeks ago and left my two bunnies at a family boarding place for the week and I did actually have the thought of..........what if I came back to find out one of my boys had somehow got bonded with another bun and I had to choose between giving him up or destroying their bond:( thankfully it never happened.
 
:) Thats ok I know you mean well.

Funny you should say that - I went on holiday a couple of weeks ago and left my two bunnies at a family boarding place for the week and I did actually have the thought of..........what if I came back to find out one of my boys had somehow got bonded with another bun and I had to choose between giving him up or destroying their bond:( thankfully it never happened.

Well I'm all suggested out!!! Bunnies are complex aren't they!!? :?
 
That is a bit re-assuring but I think I'd still be terrified to put them back together as you will know what a horrific site it would have been to see them fighting.

They will always fight in territorial areas, you'd need to try in a small neutral space, you could see if a rescue near you is expereinced with bonding and let them try, rescues do bond for people in exchange for a donation.
 
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