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Rescue Hares as animal companions and bonding bunny?

mokwa32

Alpha Buck
Went to the rescue centre today as although I have a doe in mind for Binx I just wanted to check what they had. They had 4 does, 2 lionheads and 2 belgian cross hare. They had all been there for a year living outdoors in a sheltered cosy hay nest with run. The girl said the hares were 1 years old. I thought the hares were gorgeous, beautiful big eyes, lovely faces, but I wondered what they would be like as an indoor bun, and bonded to a german lop. With being outside for a year would they adapt to indoor life? Does anybody on here have a domestic hare?

Thought they were so so beautiful like from a magical fairytale.
 
They are not actual hares, they are a domesticated breed of rabbit. Search Belgian Hares on the forum and you'll find lots of info on them.

It's impossible for a hare and rabbit to mate, they are different species :D:wave:
 
I have a Belgian hare indoors and she loves it. She loves to climb about but is not keen on being picked up but we are slowly getting there. Although she is on her own most of the time as she fights with the other bunnies. She is a real character though, she was playing in the room last night up and down on the furniture. She is also very curious about my laptop, she climbs on my lap and try's to inspect the keypad and screen...... a very loving baby girl too.
 
I have a Belgian hare indoors and she loves it. She loves to climb about but is not keen on being picked up but we are slowly getting there. Although she is on her own most of the time as she fights with the other bunnies. She is a real character though, she was playing in the room last night up and down on the furniture. She is also very curious about my laptop, she climbs on my lap and try's to inspect the keypad and screen...... a very loving baby girl too.

She sounds sweet. Do you think it would be possible to bond a neutered buk and spayed doe belgiun hare?
 
I wouldn't rally know, I am not an expert just a bunny mummy as my kids call me. We have 7 in total and only 2 sets are bonded. Both bonded pairs and mini lionhead sisters and the others are lop eared brother and sister. We had to get the boy done fast as he was getting curious about his sister, now they are fine together. I don't say it's impossible but I say try and see how they go but slowly does it as Belgians can be jumpy and cautious.......
 
Thankyou for the replies. One of the hares looked right into my eyes. Guess I have a soft spot. Maybe not the best for a busy house with kids and dogs. :?
 
Jack is a belgian hare cross, not as large as a full bread belgian hare, but he certainly has their characteristics. Very smart, playful and energetic, and loves attention and cuddles. Very easy going. They need a lot of room to run though; Jack's only a half breed but he figured out how to unlock his playpen and if he's not allowed the full run of a room, he throws tantrums :lol:. He's very much a people rabbit, snuggling up like a puppy to people on the sofa. All rabbits are different, special, and full of character but even a half-belgian hare will keep you on your toes :lol: but you'll love it.
 
Thankyou, im really intrigued by these hares.

But if they are already living together 2 hares 2 lions all does.... then won't they already be bonded, me taking one away will result in the poor thing pining for her sisters?? Or maybe being taken into a cosy house with a chilled out buk will be a possitive welcomed step?
 
Thankyou, im really intrigued by these hares.

But if they are already living together 2 hares 2 lions all does.... then won't they already be bonded, me taking one away will result in the poor thing pining for her sisters?? Or maybe being taken into a cosy house with a chilled out buk will be a possitive welcomed step?

If they are a bonded group of 4 then IMO they should remain that way. If one is removed the dynamics of the group will change. This could lead to the remaining 3 all falling out big time :cry: I would only ever split a bond as a very last resort on the grounds of health and welfare. Not because someone wanted one of a group.
 
Jack is a belgian hare cross, not as large as a full bread belgian hare, but he certainly has their characteristics. Very smart, playful and energetic, and loves attention and cuddles. Very easy going. They need a lot of room to run though; Jack's only a half breed but he figured out how to unlock his playpen and if he's not allowed the full run of a room, he throws tantrums :lol:. He's very much a people rabbit, snuggling up like a puppy to people on the sofa. All rabbits are different, special, and full of character but even a half-belgian hare will keep you on your toes :lol: but you'll love it.

Hearing this makes me feel optamistic that it might work. Being a rescue centre they will pay for half of the spaying and maybe helf me bond her with my buk. I do have a doe lined up, not from a rescue, she is gentle and sweet but my heart strings are being pulled here.
 
If they are a bonded group of 4 then IMO they should remain that way. If one is removed the dynamics of the group will change. This could lead to the remaining 3 all falling out big time :cry: I would only ever split a bond as a very last resort on the grounds of health and welfare. Not because someone wanted one of a group.

Very good point, thankyou, I dont know if they are bonded but they live together because its a rescue and thats the only available space, so im assuming they are.
 
Very good point, thankyou, I dont know if they are bonded but they live together because its a rescue and thats the only available space, so im assuming they are.

if they live together without fighting then they are bonded. i would not trust or support a rescue that is willing to split up a bonded group other than for health or welfare reasons, as Jane mentioned
 
if they live together without fighting then they are bonded. i would not trust or support a rescue that is willing to split up a bonded group other than for health or welfare reasons, as Jane mentioned

This.

I also wouldn't trust a rescue that just bungs rabbits in together because that's the only space they have. :? That sounds very dodgy to me.
 
If they are a bonded group of 4 then IMO they should remain that way. If one is removed the dynamics of the group will change. This could lead to the remaining 3 all falling out big time :cry: I would only ever split a bond as a very last resort on the grounds of health and welfare. Not because someone wanted one of a group.

^ this :thumb:
 
Re would it work: There is no reason why not - a belgian hare is a rabbit - although ones I have had contact with have all been very lively and intelligent so perhaps the livelier end of the bunny spectrum!

Re the rescue keeping them as a foursome: It does seem odd that they should split them - however are they originally siblings and they are looking for separate homes for them? I know that rescues do keep siblings together often if they come in that way (or are born in rescue) but for obvious reasons not many people want to adopt a whole group and the groups get split. Even the most reputable rescues split sibling groups up just because its unrealistic to wait for a home for all of them together .

However did you infer that she is not yet spayed??? At 1 years old? That would be a very peculiar thing both for the rescue (not spaying a 1 year old is risking cancer) and also to have a group living together of unspayed does is asking for problems - especially as spring arrives.

Could you adopt both the girls for your buck? (presumably a neutered buck!!!)
 
I think the lion heads came in separately. And the 2 hares are sisters, born in the rescue. Yes they are unsprayed. I haven't got the space for 3 buns, I wish I did, I really do.

I would probably be thinking on going to a rescue that knows their rabbits more. I wouldn't trust any rescue that didn't spay their buns, would willingly split bonded pairs/groups and also kept the rabbits together, even when they weren't bonded.

There are any places that have neutered bunnies and would actually help make a perfect match.
 
Jack is a belgian hare cross, not as large as a full bread belgian hare, but he certainly has their characteristics. Very smart

That's completely unfair. Little is a Belgie X too and she's as mad as a snake and as thick as two short planks glued together with stupid glue :lol::lol:
 
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