Do Rabbits get Lonely?

I have only just got Misty my little lionhead female rabbit, and as I am at home a lot she will get lots of attention, but I was looking at her and wondering if they do get lonely living on their own even if you give them lots of attention?

Misty is kept indoors (I have a large integral garage which has daylight lighting in) and is accessed via my hallway, so I am in and out a lot, and I also let her out in the house, so she isnt on her own too much.

Hi

Yep rabbits do get lonely, they are a social animal and like to live with their own species. Obviously it is great you are giving her lots of attention, otherwise she would be even lonelier!! But I guess even a human isn't quite the same as another bunny!

How old is she? Is she spayed? A neutered male would be the best partner for her as male and female tend to be the best combination. They like to snuggle up together and groom eachother, it is really nice if you can have two together. There are always lots of male bunnies in rescue looking for good homes

Good luck, hope you find her a friend

Nicola

Hi,

Thanks for your help, she is only 9 weeks old, so she hasnt been spayed yet but will get her done when she is older. She will get a lot of attention as I am around a lot to let her out, but I was just wondering, as somebody told me if you get 2 together they dont bond with the owners as well - not sure if this is true or not.

When she is a bit older maybe I will get her a partner, how easy is it to introduce another rabbit?

Also, as she is inside I see her a lot more than I would if she was out in the garden.

Thanks again - Carole

I also feel that bunnies get lonely and you should certainly consider a second one a little further down the line.

I have had two baby bunnies together and there was no problem with bonding with us at all. In fact, one of them is the most affectionate bunny around! I think if they are both handled equally and not just left to their own devices, they bond just as much with their humans than single bunnies. Although they might not be quite as focused on their humans all the time - which personally I think is a good thing!

Vera

Vera, I second that as mine are the same! They are both very friendly and love their cuddles, although from their Mummy more than their Daddy, I spose it is because they are both boys and I am their female company lol !
Have lots of fun with your :rabbit2:

Anna, Bob & Dexter xx

Hi - I think I will wait as suggested and then go to the my local rescue centre and get her a friend to keep her company.

I am so soft with animals that I feel sorry for her, even though she sees a lot of me and comes out running around the house, but I guess for them there is nothing quite like another furry friend to keep them company.

Thanks for the replies - Carole

It would be much easier to introduce another baby bunny now! And rescues often have litters in. I just got my 10 week old Magic from a rescue 2 weeks ago!

Vera

Dubbs never had a bunny friend :-(

I feel that I should have got him one but then again, he didn't miss what he didn't know, I hope.

I made sure he go lots of attention.

Hi,

So if I were to get her a companion, I presume it would have to be another female or a neutered male!!! which one would be best?

Carole

Neutered male would probably work best. It can be harder to introduce to females. Boys can be neutered at around 14-16 weeks so you can still get a young bun if you prefer. You can probably find a pre-neutered one in rescue so you don't have to wait to introduce them

Tam

Hiya, I would say without a doubt that rabbits get lonely without there own kind around.
I have had many house rabbits. been at home all day with them, and spent lots of time playing with them and socialising them before finally introducing them to a companion.
When you actually observe how rabbits behave when they have another rabbit companion, you realise that although bunnies can (and do) form special bonds with us Humans, they really need to be with their own kind too to thrive.
I would suggest introducing your young Doe to a neuteured Buck as soon as possible, so you can socialise them together, and go through the litter training :shock: just the once..they can learn together

Good luck and enjoy your special little bunny.

When you actually observe how rabbits behave when they have another rabbit companion, you realise that although bunnies can (and do) form special bonds with us Humans, they really need to be with their own kind too to thrive...go through the litter training just the once..they can learn together

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Thank Adele. This was the kinda advice i was dreading! :lol: :lol:

jredk04 said:

When you actually observe how rabbits behave when they have another rabbit companion, you realise that although bunnies can (and do) form special bonds with us Humans, they really need to be with their own kind too to thrive...go through the litter training just the once..they can learn together

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Thank Adele. This was the kinda advice i was dreading! :lol: :lol:

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Oh Dear I am sorry if it has upset you :? ...bunnies love their own kind AND the company of Humans too, does that make you feel any better? :lol: :lol:
I love spending all day with the rabbits, but even I, the rabbit Nut of the Centuary crave Human interaction to keep me sane... well almost sane anyways :shock: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I shall upset everyone :?
i think buns can live as well on there own too?
i have all sorts indoors and out doors pairs and singles and there are good and bad points for both!
with lots of attention they are fine i dont mean just cuddles i mean running about being groomed the works!
you can replace a rabbits company as in the wild yes they live together but they will fight and they dont live all the time in each others space they dont pair for life which is what we as humans tend to force them into and cos they get along they must love each other right? i dont think so rabbits live in groups for protection when i allow mine out in groups they do not follow each other about they go there own ways they will groom any other bunny and live happy alone i have had pairs although i dont feel the need for them to live as such and not as a breeder talking as i have pets too like all you!
i know they do live happy together too but i would never say yes they must be paired although i have rehomed in pairs too! i would never rehome 2 does they dont get along always unless you go for 3 and have a buck to keep the peace.
thats my point added sorry for offending anyone :shock:

Shazlew I am sure you have not offended any one Your point of view is as valid as anyone elses, and I tend to agree with you on some aspects.
We have some rabbits here that we have tried endlessly to bond with other bunnies, but to no avail, and they truly do seem content by themselves. but (and it is a big but) there are other rabbits around, but not actually with them.
The solo bunnies definately seem to demand and enjoy more interaction from me, and I tend to keep a radio on for them so they feel they have company even if I am not in the room/ shed.

I do think so adele
lewis has a bunny aslan his a young boy i guess his around 8 months now dont know for sure he was a rescue fuzzball and he joined the gang and thought he would turn to being a lionhead then lopped his ears to be a mini lol :lol: but he is so grumpy with the others he loves lew to bits he crazes people badley he is right outside our back door where his caged and you cannot pass without taking he wouldnt pair which is a shame as i hoped to pair one of lews girls to him na he dont like em at all! :?
bring him indoors he thinks his a cat he will take on the cats to see who can get more strokes assie wins hands down he sticks to lews legs where ever he goes and to pair him would make him grumpy its the way it is!

shazlew said:

you can replace a rabbits company as in the wild yes they live together but they will fight and they dont live all the time in each others space they dont pair for life which is what we as humans tend to force them into and cos they get along they must love each other right? i

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It's often good to read up on the way wild rabbits interact.

They are very much like human beings, in that they like to be around other rabbits, but that doesn't mean they choose to share their homes with all of them! :lol:

A rabbit warren is rather like an office block, with a lot of individuals living closely together in their own defined spaces, coming together socially in certain areas in their own way. This explains why many rabbits become territorial in their own hutches - it's not normal for any other rabbit to invade that space unless invited.

Like people, it is lovely to have bonded pairs, but for many of them, just being around other rabbits is enough. I think we would all like to be in close relationships with another person but also accept that it's not always possible for all of us to do that.

Wild rabbits too spend a great deal of time apart. Bucks and does come together for mating, and may stay together during the pregnancy and early nursing stages. But then the doe spends more and more time with her babies and usually ends up living with them, not the buck, who if he is a dominant male, may have more than one wife! It is also not every rabbit which gets to breed, and for many rabbits - bucks and does alike - they may spend their whole lives alone without a partner or ever having a litter, depending on their status within the colony.

A rabbit in the house with no other rabbits around accepts us as a surrogate burrow-partner, which may be more than it would have in a wild warren. So they can be perfectly happy with our company, if no other rabbits are around.

On the other hand, rabbits in hutches around other hutched rabbits also feel secure, as they have their own burrow in a large "warren" among others. Breeding rabbits are rarely in bonded pairs, but they can still be as content as those that aren't - they are in fact closer to the wild setup - and until neutered would not be able to form a close social partnership with another rabbit anyway (Those dratted hormones!). One only has to see a mother with her older babies to know she loves having them around, as they are her family, but you can be assured she would fight any other rabbit to the death if necessary who dared to come into her burrow, babies or no babies.

So as with many things in life, it's all a compromise, and the fact that our bunnies seem to do well in a variety of situations means that they are very compromising creatures once their very basic needs are met!

Hi,

That is an interesting discussion, I have kept single rabbits years ago, and as I interacted with them a lot they always seemed to be happy - but who knows what is really going on in their minds - I suppose what they dont have they dont miss.

I also have a chinchilla called Jack who lives next to Misty in a separate cage, so there is some company there, apparantely chins and bunnies can get along quite well, they have seen each other through bars, but as Misty (rabbit) is still small I am loathe to risk her getting bitten or hurt.

Misty was fairly tame when I got her but I notice that after nearly a week of picking her up, grooming and feeding her she is now coming to see me when I go in the place where she is, and she is out and about a lot around the house.

I guess it is nice for them to have a friend to live with, but you also have to take into account the expense of another pet, and I would definately need to get a bigger hutch for 2, another lot of vaccinations and neutering, so it is quite a lot to consider.

I am going to see how things go, is there anyway to tell if you have an unhappy bunny??

Carole

Zeus used to throw himself at us when we came home from work and wouldn't leave our sides. When we left in the morning we would see him sitting and staring at the door. We used to give him loads of attention when we were home but we both work and he was alone during the day.

I think it was really confirmed when we introduced him to some prospective partners and he was just so keen for them to like him (but they were all too scared as he was so big) - he tried to groom them and mount them and snuggle them all at once.

Now with Athena they play with each other and groom each other (when they think we are not looking) and just lay side by side or cuddle up together in their litter tray or in their run they chase each other and he just seems more content. He still approaches us for nose rubs and loves his cuddles he also follows us into the kitchen still but he hasn't got that desperate air about him now.

I really think he was "lonely" during the day.

Caz

P.S. Athena who was a wild human-hater rescue rabbit has also taken a leaf out of his book and has benefited by being with Zeus too - she now approaches us for tickles behind the ears and will stand a couple of minutes of cuddles - she has also stopped biting and has really calmed down

Oh Dear I am sorry if it has upset you ...bunnies love their own kind AND the company of Humans too, does that make you feel any better?

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nope, definitely not upset. (Secretly i want another :lol but at the moment, i'm just going through the 'should i, shouldn't i' arguement. i've promised myself that jack's an only lad at least until Christmas as i'm trying to see how we all fit together; where he lives, how much time we spend together etc before hounding the rescues again.

Zeus used to throw himself at us

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my word, i bet he'd nearly knock you over!!!

i was wondering if Jack was to get a mate if i'd have to get another big rabbit (he's a french lop). How big is Athena? I'm guessing that Zeus went to the rescue to 'pick' his girlie;

wild human-hater

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and what a choice! isn't it amazing how their personalities blossom when bonded.