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Rescue bunnies as single rabbits.

Kylie541

Warren Veteran
I was just looking at the rescue thread and I noticed that none of the rabbits are allowed to be a single bunny. Why? I know it's a company thing but surely a single house bunny in a house where someone is always in and they have a secure loving forever home is better than them staying in rescue. My single house bunny is spoilt absolutely rotten and he loves running around the house :D
 
Which thread?

I have rehomed a couple of bunnies as single house rabbits but it all depends on the individual circumstances.
 
The rescue I got mine from generally doesn't rehome rabbits as singles. However, they did make an exception with my two because I already had one rabbit, so I needed another to make a pair.

I'm sure I read in the Telegraph pets bit about a rabbit that had to be rehomed as a single house rabbit. I think a lot depends on circumstances and the rabbit itself.
 
we have rehomed the odd bun asa single..but rabbits are much better off in pairs.
However good an owner you are there will be long periods of time when they are on their own..
but it is an individual's choice and some rescues will rehome single buns
 
A lot of rescues make it their general policiy to rehome rabbits in pairs as they are sociably creatures and benefit from this.
But even the rescues with this poiciy will cometimes make exceptions if a particular rabbit would benefit from being a lone house rabbit for instance.
 
I was just reading the rehome section bit. Lots of lovely bunnies. Apart from when I was in the hospital Buster is never alone for more than an hour or two ;) We went to a number of places to look at rabbits and there was a adorable mini lop who had been there 4 months and was not bonded and I told them she would be house bun but they wouldn't let me have her unless I took a boy to. :cry: :cry: :cry:
 
I was just reading the rehome section bit. Lots of lovely bunnies. Apart from when I was in the hospital Buster is never alone for more than an hour or two ;) We went to a number of places to look at rabbits and there was a adorable mini lop who had been there 4 months and was not bonded and I told them she would be house bun but they wouldn't let me have her unless I took a boy to. :cry: :cry: :cry:

That does seem a shame but I guess if that's the rescue's policy. Some rescues will rehome single bunnies though so don't stop looking. Although I do think if you can fit one rabbit in then another won't take up any more space and if it's a little bun like a mini lop much food either, so why not consider two little ones? Mine are so happy together although I think it depends on the personality of the rabbit. Pippa and MJ are hopelessly in love but Teddy, although he likes Jemima, I think would be as equally happy on his own.
 
I'm sure there are many happy single rabbits but unless you intend on licking your rabbit, sleeping with it and growing your ears to communicate better I don't think a person can provide the same type of social interaction another rabbit does.

Tam
 
All my bunnies are single (more or less) and I never heard a complain...lousy excuse I know:lol: Though I did notice a small change in Zakura's temper after I got Sasuke, she used to be extremely aggresive, but then I moved cages and moved her back next to Sasuke and she seemed to calm down...then she started having fake pregnancies and got worse:roll:
After she was neutered she's been allowed to play with Sasuke sometimes when I watch, but he likes her a little too much:roll: (Not neutering him, he's a show and breeding rabbit, same goes with Aroma)
Aroma's greeted the other rabbits trhough the fence, ended with Zakura growling at her but Sasuke liked her fine.
When they get new cages I'm hoping to get a wire fence/haynet between the cages so they can see and smell each other, at least the girls, Sasuke has a habit of spraying his neighbour (even though she's neutered)

Un-neutered bunnies are as good as impossible to bond it seems:roll: We've tried at school with litter-mates but all (male or female) ended up fighting when they reached puberty :cry: (A story I've heard all too many times:roll: )
Even so, I've heard from one person who was trying to rehome a rescue rabbit, it had been kept as a house rabbit but would might be rehomed to someone who would keep it outside, and the rescue stated that if the rabbit were to be an outdoor rabbit it needed company. Which I can probably agree in (I have two bunnies outdoor and one indoor, all have their own cage)
 
I already have a bun as he grew to big to live with the ladies guinnie pig:? I think you could say the same about every single type of animal and child with the interaction argument. But are single pets really unhappy? If I had 2 bunnies they would have to live out doors and I wouldn't spend any real time with them. Buster constantly seeks my attention and follows my dogs around I really don't think he is unhappy. And surely a bunny can't miss what they never had. I just don't understand why it's such a big issue with rescue centres with regards to house bunnies.
 
i think at the end of the day each rescue centre has a certain criteria and they just want the best for the bunnies =] sorry to hear about the rabbit in the rescue though =[ x =]
 
I can't express anything other than my personal opinion. So:

My housebun Hazel lived by himself for the 1st 18 months or so we had him. We're very close and spent alot of time together, though there was plenty of time that he was by himself as I work. But he loved us loads we loved him.. .

As other buns arrived with us - that were kept outside - Hazel could smell the doe on us I think and got quite frisky so we had him neutered. And after reading about the many bonded pairs and groups on here we decided to get the doe speyed and try them together.

Having bonded them I have to say that I would never ever want to keep a bunny singly (though occasionally I understand it is necessary) again.

Hazel and Tamlin adore each other. They play together round the house when we're home, chase and leapfrogging (i don't mean humping!) each other, and curl up together when they're sleepy, and Tamlin adores Hazel, seeing them cuddled up together, or them nose to nose as she grooms him just makes me melt.

I know that he is happier now he has her. No matter how much time I spent with him I can't relate with him the way Tam can.

All our other buns are in pairs other than one. Who is currently by himself (it really bothers me that he is, I'm "aware" of it every day) but we are currently sorting out another shd set up where I hopefully want to bond him back to his sister, mum, and other two brothers, who are all speyed and neutered.

So, sorry for the long post but I'm guessing that other people and rescues, like me, have seen bonded buns together, and after seeing that I think its difficult to sit easily with a bun living alone, unless like I say its absolutely necessary. :D

Sorry I'll stop now!
 
I am not having a go btw. Was just wondering I know rescue centres only want the best for there bunnies. It was just upsetting that some bunnies are going without good homes because of policy. But I understand many people don't have time to give their bunnies like we do. I also am glad now I didn't take two on because this week Buster has been so hard to look after. I would have had to give them up if I had taken on a pair.
 
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Just wanted to add too that I'm not in anyway suggesting yours or any other single house bun is unhappy. My friend has a buck who is a single housebun who she dotes on too and he is happy i would say.
Its just when you se them together. . . I dunno, its just a bit magic!
 
Mopsy is on her own now =[ used to be with her sister Flopsy who died of cancer =[ then got archie the lionhead to bond with her but because he didn't come from theright conditions ( picked him up from a breeder and all the rest were picking on him ) he was very frail =[ sadly he passed away in my arms after being up all night with him =[ we then got harry who was absolutely gorgous he passed away aswell =[ that is when i took mopsy to the vets ages ago to make sure that evrything was ok with her which it was however we bought new hutches and everything to make sure =] this was about 2 years ago now and since then Mopsy has been on her own =[ she getsalot of cuddles though =] thinking about getting a little friend for her x think she would be a happier bun fore it =] x
 
Mopsy is on her own now =[ used to be with her sister Flopsy who died of cancer =[ then got archie the lionhead to bond with her but because he didn't come from theright conditions ( picked him up from a breeder and all the rest were picking on him ) he was very frail =[ sadly he passed away in my arms after being up all night with him =[ we then got harry who was absolutely gorgous he passed away aswell =[ that is when i took mopsy to the vets ages ago to make sure that evrything was ok with her which it was however we bought new hutches and everything to make sure =] this was about 2 years ago now and since then Mopsy has been on her own =[ she getsalot of cuddles though =] thinking about getting a little friend for her x think she would be a happier bun fore it =] x

Oh I'm sorry. I'm sorry about your loss of Flopsy and Archie. Sorry if I sounded opinionated! I dont wanna make anyone feel bad. I was just trying to explain my conversion from single bun owner to big believer in bonded bunnies!
 
its fine i was just saying why Mopsy was on her own =] i am trying to convince mum and da to maybe getting a friend for her so watch this space .... actually could you give me some advice on my thread on rabbit chat under Please help .....
 
I will rehome single if they come in single but alot of the time people take one to bond with another, I can say I do get regualr pics and even the single ones are extremely well cared for , it is down to each rescue and policys to be honest

Elaine
 
As the carer for 1 housebun, this is an interesting post. We are considering a friend for him, ehich will come from a rescue, but surely if someone with the best intentions, that can give a home to single bun, is refused by a rescue, that would drive them in the direction of a pet shop, which from reading previous posts on here is generally considered to not be a good thing. :?
 
True, but if someone came to a rescue and said they wanted a bun so that they could have a tasty pie, or keep it in a 2ft hutch, you wouldn't expect the rescue to give it to them. The same argument could apply though - that they would go and get one from somewhere else anyway. Rescues are responsible for the wellbeing of the buns in their care so I think it's perfectly right that they set guidelines that they are comfortable with. You can't help what people might do if you refuse them, but you can try and educate them and if you don't have your own 'standards' to begin with, then how will we ever change things?

Most rescues will rehome single housebuns where appropriate - but it might be that there is a particular rabbit who cannot be bonded for a reason, rather than giving people the choice of all the rabbits in their care. The rescues I know of take the view that if a rabbit can be bonded, it should be bonded, but on occasion where it isn't possible then buns can be rehomed singly as housebuns.
 
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