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Can Single Rabbits Be Happy??

kayjay

Warren Veteran
If you have a single, happy rabbit please post your photos and thoughts about singledom.

The reason I'm asking is that I lost MJ, my male bun, last week. Prior to MJ and Opal, I had MJ and Pippa and after seeing bunnies all cuddled up and grooming each other I said I would never have a single rabbit again :love:

However, after a couple of quiet days, Opal actually seems quite chilled out and relaxed. In fact, the most relaxed since I've had her. I found her earlier stretched out in her litter tray fast asleep - in the 3ish years since I have had her I have never seen her asleep or chilled out. She's always seemed a stressed bunny albeit devoted to MJ. She's friendlier to me also, normally she'd hide behind MJ if she saw me coming but now she's coming to me for her greens.

So would it be unfair of me to try her on her own for a while? Do you have a perfectly happy single rabbit? Do some rabbits prefer life on their own? Bear in mind she lives outside and is unable to live inside due to my hubby's allergy (to hay not rabbits!).
 
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is this a face of a happy single bun?? ;)


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bella and jasper are both seperate house buns and i trually believe neither is very fussed. bella is extremely human orientated and jasper is sooooooo zippy, he just pings everywhere. we do have to consider them, in a sense that i dont like leaving them for long periods of time as i know there rely on us for stimulation :)
 
My little BB self harmed when he lost Lily.
I think it depends on the bunny.When he met Little Miss he charged at her and thrust his head under her chin for a groom, so relieved was he to have bunny company.
 
I really think it depends on the bunny, some can be very happy alone, some so clearly need a friend.

I have 3 single boys, and one single foster boy. My single boys have never known anyone other than litter mates in the dim and distant past. My foster boy was bonded but divorced.

Two of the four clearly think they need a friend (but have a checkered history with bonding and fighting, so it's quite difficult to know what is best to do), and the other two seem very happy by themselves. One of the happier ones thinks I'm his bonded friend :lol: So he only gets sad when he feels 'cheated' on.

I'd love for them all to have friends but all have been tried multiple times with multiple bunnies to no avail. I just focus on making their life happy even though they are single.

My three all have access to bunnies through mesh (and all live inside). My foster doesn't, and he lives in the living room; he has us :lol:
 
Buns can definatly be happy single, and there are some that prefer it.

Max was a single bun for 8 months before we adopted Charlotte. He adores her and I love seeing them snuggle but I honestly dont think he was unhappy atall as a single bun. He used to lick his foot whenever he flopped out which I thought might mean he was lonely, but he still does it so :lol:

If Opal seems happy and you think it is best for her to be single then do it, you know her better than anyone :love:

Sorry for your loss of MJ by the way :cry:
 
WHo do you have in your living room now Sky-O?

Butterfly :love: He's the unrabbityist rabbit I've ever had. Ever. We've invented a move called the 'rolling pin' for him (which involves no rolling pins) and it's so funny. He is SO funny! And no one wants him! We've also upgraded the cage and arrangement a bit since you came because this is likely more longer term.
 
It depends on the bunny. My Spenser is single, and I'm increasingly convinced he would quite like a friend. He has never known bunny company though, except for the other rabbits in separate accomodation where he lived before coming to me. If my own circumstances were different I would certainly get him a friend.

How did Opal show that she was stressed when she had her partner?
 
I think some bunny can be happy their own! atm I have 5 on their own! 4 will be bonded, but 1 will stay on his own! he is free range in the garden 24/7 but in winter he goes away at night! He has always lived on his own and is quite content! he is evil with other rabbits!

the other 4 seem fine on their own at the moment, I think if a bunny have never been bonded, and never ever known living as a pair then they are fine!!

however having seen the bond between Matilda and Grayson I think they should be bonded if possible! x
 
Out of all my rabbits over the years only one refused a friend time and time again so we gave up but all the others have bonded easily :thumb: The only thing I have noticed is some bond but just ' go exist' but others get majorly attached - I took Moss to the vets for his jab and as Hattie had had hers and I was running late decided to leave her behind. When I got back she was frantic, run up to him and licked him close to his life. They spend all their time side by side. My trio always sleep away from each other. Just depends on the buns is the simple answer ;)
 
Thanks for your comments so far

How did Opal show that she was stressed when she had her partner?

No, I probably explained that wrong. She was perfectly happy with MJ but it's only now I'm looking at her thinking that she is looking more relaxed. This could of course be a reflection that MJ was poorly for quite some time and she was his eyes and ears and never left his side and she might just be feeling relaxed due to that.
 
Scarlet didn't miss Boo when he died, but she was much friendlier towards us which I kind of suspected was because she was lonely as she'd always been an aloof bun, but I didn't think she was unhappy on her own. She is however, certainly happier with Orinoco than she was either on her own or with Boo. I think they are happy with the right bun, but I'm not convinced she was really happier with Boo than on her own, I think her and Boo co-existed but weren't very well bonded (we got them as a rescued bonded pair), she actually seemed to come out of her shell after he died. I think it's better that she has Orinoco and they are so loved up it is a joy to see but I think she would have been ok on her own even though she's an outdoor bun (the hutch and run are right outside the french doors though). My husband wasn't keen on getting her another friend, but I very much felt it was important to try and and my husband is now also convinced it was the right thing to do. I'd definately do the same again, and go to a rescue that was prepared to help with the bond and try different rabbits if they needed to. Can't thank Angie at BARC enough for getting them together so successfully.
 
One of mine is very happy on her own & will attack anybun she gets near :oops: I also have one who isn't at all unhappy, but would be far happier with a friend. Sadly, life isn't perfect & it will be a long time until she gets one, if ever. If I thought she was sad though & physically couldn't provide her with a partner, I'd rehome to someone who could.
 
Fudge is happiest on his own - he isn't always good with other rabbits but he's 6 now so i think he's getting stroppy in his old age!

Not the same situation as he is in the house with us but still happy being the only bunny. He even helped open presents on Christmas day

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Butterfly :love: He's the unrabbityist rabbit I've ever had. Ever. We've invented a move called the 'rolling pin' for him (which involves no rolling pins) and it's so funny. He is SO funny! And no one wants him! We've also upgraded the cage and arrangement a bit since you came because this is likely more longer term.

what is the rolling pin lol?
 
oscar was ok for the first couple of weeks after daisy passed but as he became ill he became really lonely and i know he is missing bun company and isnt as happy. Even though hes not happy about being ill hes in no pain so its not a case of him being down due to illness, I spend a lot of time with him but its not the same. It depends on the bun I think but sometimes they are ok and can become lonely.
 
My rabbit is on his own and I think he is happy, especially now he has a run attached to his hutch so he has more room. I'm not allowed another rabbit and he has been on his own all his life (he's 6 years old) so he doesn't know any different. It might be different for a rabbit that is used to companionship though, but I suppose it depends on the rabbit.
 
Beau is happy on his own! We have tried to bond him 3 times, and every time he has got stasis, and none of the bonds worked out. Not only that but he is a very very happy boy, he flops, he binkies. Mind you, I think he thinks he's people ;) People who have seen us with him think we give him so much love and attention he's got spoiled and doesn't want to share that attention with another bun, lol. He is totally spoiled, I'll admit that! And he adores his daddy, he and OH have a very special bond :love:
 
Boris :love: He binkies more than Beano and Gordon and he is very upbeat and loves human attention, he is one of my best friends and I feel I am his, for at least an hour every night he'll cuddle up to me and grind his teeth and groom me as I stroke him. He also flops a lot! :love: But I do think he'll be happy with a partner, and I do intend on getting him one but it isn't practical at the moment. I didn't plan on getting Boris (found him as a stray) but for now, with plenty of attention and stimulation he is happy.
 
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