• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

should my bunny have a companion?

bunny_scabbit

Warren Scout
i am torn between alot of what i have been reading and whether my bunny should be bonded with a companion. preston is 18 months old and neutered. he is a house bunny and spends evenings and weekends with us in the living room watching tv and playing and chilling out and the rest of the time in the kitchen where his bed (cage) is.

is there any signs i would see to indicate he needs a companion?

we are still quite new to keeping bunnies and are learning so much from this forum. any advice would be appreciated.
 
He does seem very content and happy and some rabbits are fine without companions. But if you want to keep them in a way that most suits there natural behaviour then it's a good idea to get them a friend even if they don't 'need' one. I had Molly for about a year before I got him a friend and he was happy on his own but he loves Faline and she can snuggle up with him when he sleeps in the day and clean out his ears and other stuff I'm too big and non-rabbity to do. :)
 
I agree with Deelove. We had Dizzy our dutch buck on his own for about 8 months. He was very contented and very spoilt! When we went away on holiday we took him to The Rabbit Hotel and Jacky the owner suggested getting him a companion. We found Molly in a local rescue centre and it really made SUCH a difference to Dizzy. They were the best of pals and always had somebody to snuggle with or play with, even when we were out. And the way they groom each other is SO lovely. Would definitely recommend getting a companion - look for a rescue about the same age and of the opposite sex (neutered if poss) to your bun.
Good luck!
 
well peanut butter and jelly are happy to live alone, always have been. but domino used to sometimes look sad, and look out the mesh when he saw the other rabbits running about. Yesterday i adopted Pebbles from the RSPCA...and already they are grooming each other! he looks SO happy!
 
IMHO almost all rabbits need a rabbit friend (I should have this as my signature, I'm always saying it).

I agree with Deelove, your rabbit might not seem to 'need' a friend but if you get him one you'll see how much happier he is (I'm not licking rabbit ears out).
 
IMHO almost all rabbits need a rabbit friend


I agree. My single housebun Audrey is happy, but I know she was even happier when Rowan was still with us, and I don't feel a human companion can ever give what a bunny friend can.

This is how much Audrey loved Rowan after only a few days together (she is the brown one on the right). She had never had a friend before:

4.jpg
 
Last edited:
I also believe that most rabbits need a friend of their own kind. I know there are some that just do not get on with other buns, but I think most enjoy having a friend.
 
I agree - he may not be unhappy now as such, but you will almost certainly notice how much happier he becomes with the addition of a friend :D
 
I agree - he may not be unhappy now as such, but you will almost certainly notice how much happier he becomes with the addition of a friend :D


I agree :D I also and many of you may disagree with me but after having both outdoor and indoor buns I think outdoor bunnies are happier than indoor bunnies :oops:
 
Ahhhhhh ok, Im going to throw a spanner in the works here....

I had sophie for 3 years as an only house rabbit... I fell in love with Rudy and decided he should come to live with us and be Sophie's partner.. however, Sophie thought differently!!! She was NOT interested at all... I did decide beforehand though if they didn't get on, he would be staying with us anyway.

It might be easier to get a rescue to do your bonding and let your bun pick out their partner.. and think about whether you have all the facilities to keep the other bunny if they end up not getting on in the future.

It is time consuming having 2 (house) buns that live seperatly, they need seperate play time, seperate housing etc,etc!

Just some things to think over :D
 
thanks for all the replies. i am concerned that i am not doing the right thing for preston by letting him live with us on his own, but some of the stories i have read worries me about the bonding process and how it can be difficult and stressful and how preston could end up being distressed by it all ,which is the last thing i would want.

i had already considered what loopylop said about if we get a companion and they end up not getting on, i would hate to have to give the new bun up, as i could never give preston up.

also, having preston as an indoor bunny, would i need to get a bigger cage for 2? 'cos we would seriously have to rearrange the house to accomodate.

i am sooooo confused. i love preston to bits but want to do what's best for him.
 
I think that bunnies should be paired up but saying that some rabbits do prefer to be alone, I had one called Dylan, I tried her with 4, she hated them all!! But all of those went on to bond with my other girls.. I agree with Loopylop if you do decide to get him a wife, ask a rescue to bond him, so he can choose a wife!! Though in my own experience, girls are more pickier than boys!! (sure people will disagree!!:lol: )
 
I agree with what everyone else has said - although of course there are the exceptional buns that just want the attention all for themselves! :lol:
 
The best thing to do if you want to see if you can bond him, is to get in touch with your local rescue centre. Many will help you with the bonding and may let your bunny stay with them to see how they get on with a new partner.

Yes, bonding can be stressful but not always. My two were bonded within about 1 minute, they just loved each other from the moment the saw each other. It was not stressful at all, it was beautiful to see!
 
I took Rory to a rescue and let him choose his wife. It happened to be the first one he was paired with. If he hadnt have taken to any of them I would have left him on his own but he fell in love with Lola at first sight.
I would say you should take Preston to help you choose!
Tracy
 
thanks again for the replies. can i have some advice on what size cage i would need to house 2 bunnies? and would both of them use the same litter tray?
 
Back
Top