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Advice needed please as want to make sure that Dipsy is happy

RogerRabbit999

Mama Doe
Hello everyone. I've got a 4 month old rescue bunny Dipsy and I have previously had 'special needs' bunnies for the past 14yrs. Dipsy came to me as a 'special needs' bunny but he is no where near as disabled as my previous buns have been, that all had to be single buns. Dipsy will be 6 months on the 1st January and he will be booked in to be neutered when the surgery opens after the new year, and then when he is fully recovered, I'm really excited about looking then for another rescue bun to be a companion for Dipsy. Do you think he will be happy enough until then as he is not really on his own. He is a house bunny and has the run of the house all day as he is such a good boy, and my daughters 2 guinea pigs who live inside, are some company for Dipsy.They come out for a couple of hours in the evening and all play together really nicely, and sound like a herd of ponies when they are all racing round my lounge. I am at home as well on long term sick which is expected to run until next spring now, and so do you think Dipsy has enough company? He seems a very happy bunny. When he came to me he was very aggressive, but I would not say he was that now, if anything he is now a very friendly bun always coming up for a fuss and seems to enjoy cuddles, as gets 'sleepy eyes' and is very relaxed, which he was not when I first had him, with just a bit of attitude or 'grumpy bunny' syndrome from time to time, but he just growls, he doesn't attack or bite me at all now, and I have started clicker training him and he seems to be enjoying that. I've only had him from Sept 27th, and still need to monitor him and how he is, and I'm not happy to neutor him before 6 months, as my vet who is a rabbit specialist and that is the only animal he works with, says that bunnies under 6 months are a bit more at risk, and it is best to do them then, unless there is some urgent need to neutor beforehand, and now he is no longer aggressive, I don't feel that there is. I guess I'm just wanting some reassurance that Dipsy is happy enough until he has a constant companion in the new year. He is very playful, loves playing with and ripping up paper, magazines, and I had a spare large base of an indoor cage, and have put some play sand in it so that he has got a sand pit to play in and he loves digging in that. He is always racing round the house and has loads of binkies every day, and then flops and conks out wherever he has flopped down, so he doesn't appear unhappy or sad at all.
 
Stephen has been a single house bunny with no other animal companions and just mummy and daddy for over a year and he is a very happy boy, he's getting a new friend and will be introduced around Christmas time. I wouldn't be too worried, as Stephen was, and is perfectly happy, although was much more settled when I was home all day which is why he's now getting a girlfriend. Hope that provides a bit of reassurance :)
 
Yes it does thank you and I don't think it's the same a house bunny being single as a poor bunny outside in a hutch. Just a lot going on at the moment about rabbits being highly social animals and not to be kept on their own, and was just making me wonder that's all.
 
Yes, it's always best if they can be kept with a friend but as I can see you are already planning for your bunny to be paired up I wouldn't worry for the couple of months he'll just be with you.
 
It's best to keep rabbits and guinea pigs apart, for the GPs sake as rabbits can pass on an illness which affects GPs but not rabbits. They can also injure them.

I'm sure he'll be fine with human (hands off - ie, letting him do his own thing) contact until he's old enough for neutering and bonding.
 
Pippa

Hey I spoke to you on preloved.co.uk about you maybe taking on Pippa, just thought I'd let you know that I think it would be a perfect idea and Pippa would really like to meet Dipsy! Keep me posted on what you would like to arrange in the near future :)
 
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