• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Advice greatly appreciated please

missniknak

Alpha Buck
Apologies for the waffly post...
I adopted Adelaide and Toby from BARC in June, and then later adopted their brother Orinoco, with the intention of having a trio. After initial bonding success, I posted a couple of weeks ago that the bond had come undone, with the boys fighting. I think the cause was Orinoco's refusal to groom Toby, and Toby suffering from jealousy. I put Orinoco into his own hutch and contacted Angie about returning him to BARC. It didn't seem fair for him to be alone, when he seemed so happy when he was in the trio.
My current set up is Toby and Adelaide in a hutch and run, and Orinoco in his own large (4ft by 4ft) bachelor pad. They have separate free range time, getting about 4 hours a day each, and in excess of 7 hours each day on a weekend, or when we are home.
Orinoco has lots of toys, tunnels, snuggly fleece igloo, and I spend as much time with him as I can. He is a lovely snuggle bun and I look forward to his cuddles. He has stolen a piece of my heart for sure. He seems really happy in himself. He is quite an independent bun and is so full of beans. He's currently digging a big hole in the garden - not good for a white rabbit in the drizzle!
Angie has said I can keep him as long as he seems happy and healthy, and has plenty of stimulation and play time. We would build him a run for his hutch so he had more space.
My worry is that I am not being fair to him or the other two. We would have to continue to split their free range time. Is four hours a day enough for them all? Would Orinoco be better with a wifey bun of his own, or do rabbits do ok on their own?
When they each get their free range time, they always go and investigate the others - so Orinoco sits outside Toby and Adelaides run, and they go sit outside his hutch. They all seem ok with each other in this situation - no aggression shown.
Do you think it would be possible to try bonding again at a later date?
I'm really struggling with what would be the best thing for all of them. I know Angie does a brilliant job at BARC and I'm sure she would find Orinoco a first class home, but with so many bunnies in rescue, I feel awful adding back to this. Plus he seems so happy and settled here.
I just want to know that by keeping him, I'm not doing the wrong thing.
 
I don't have much experience of bonding so I'll leave that part of your question to someone with more knowledge. However, I would say that most bunnies crave company of their own kind. It's very rare to find a bunny who won't bond with anyone. I would therefore suggest that it would be better to get Orinoco a partner. I think he'll be happier with less free range time and a permanent friend than lots of lonely free time to himself.

I have to allow my two pairs to free range at set times or they'd all have a big punch up. But 90% of the time, when in their sheds/runs they are cuddled up together grooming or just enjoying being with another rabbit and doing 'rabbity' things.

If you feel that it wouldn't be right getting Orinoco a partner then I'd strongly consider bringing him indoors so that he at least has you as his constant companion and can see, hear and smell the goings-on in the house throughout the day. It's much less lonely than being on his own in the garden.

Hope you find a solution for all of you. Let us know how you get on.
 
I think the set-up you have for them at the moment, while not what you had hoped for, is better than many rabbits have (including mine). Your description of how Orinoco spends his time certainly doesn't suggest unhappiness. It's your decision at the end of the day, but if he seems content and you have a real soft spot for him I would be inclined to leave things as they are.
 
Back
Top