Advice for Single Male Rabbit

[new_horizon]

Hi Everyone,

I have a single male rabbit called Vlad. He's a sticky up eared rabbit (looks a bit like a bad carpet) but he's a lovely lad. He lost his partner last year and was pining, so we got him another, called Lola. Sadly on Saturday, I went outside to feed them at night and found Lola had passed away in the hutch (despite being just 2 years old). No warning, no ill health - just sudden.

My question is this. Vlad is between 7-9 years of age (unsure as we rescued him originally - was found in a filing cabinet). I already have another pair, who are male and female and around 5 years old. I'm loathe to get another rabbit to partner Vlad as he is getting old and this situation will continue indefinitely, but I also cannot condemn him to spending the rest of his time alone.

So my options are...

1) Try to bond the three (have tried in the past and it didn't go well)
2) Offer Vlad to any lonely female partners out there

Any advice appreciated. I have an indoor rabbit called Monty (boy), so can't even bring him inside.

Thanks

 

[Omi]

I'm so sorry you lost Lola It must be a difficult decision for you and really only you can decide what to do. If it were me, I would not be able to part with Vlad. You also think he would not bond with your other pair and so what I would do would be to rescue an elderly female to partner Vlad in his remaining years.

I wish you luck in whatever you decide for Vlad.

 

[MightyMax]

Hi Everyone,

I have a single male rabbit called Vlad. He's a sticky up eared rabbit (looks a bit like a bad carpet) but he's a lovely lad. He lost his partner last year and was pining, so we got him another, called Lola. Sadly on Saturday, I went outside to feed them at night and found Lola had passed away in the hutch (despite being just 2 years old). No warning, no ill health - just sudden.

My question is this. Vlad is between 7-9 years of age (unsure as we rescued him originally - was found in a filing cabinet). I already have another pair, who are male and female and around 5 years old. I'm loathe to get another rabbit to partner Vlad as he is getting old and this situation will continue indefinitely, but I also cannot condemn him to spending the rest of his time alone.

So my options are...

1) Try to bond the three (have tried in the past and it didn't go well)
2) Offer Vlad to any lonely female partners out there

Any advice appreciated. I have an indoor rabbit called Monty (boy), so can't even bring him inside.

Thanks

I'm sorry to hear about your loss, and now Vlad being on his own.

Is there any way he can have part of the house and be indoors with you, with Monty having the other part of the house? Being outside and alone, especially when the weather isn't too good for being out in a garden or anything, is not very nice for a bereaved old gent!

You could either ask a rescue to help you bond the three rabbits, or maybe ask if they will take him. Of course they could help you try and bond him with Monty?

 

[clutterydrawer]

I was wondering if he would bond with Monty - two bucks can sometimes work together and it would be a good result for both of them. good luck with whatever you choose, it's a tricky one.

 

[new_horizon]

Thanks for the response. I'd rather not give him up obviously, but have had pretty good experience bonding rabbits over the years so will give it another go. Vlad has never lived with another male and whenever he has encountered another (even though they tend to be bigger than him) he tends to fight them and generally...well...be the more dominant. I'm loathe to get another older female if I'm honest - three graves in my garden now and it's only small. I live in a maisonette so splitting isn't too easy as Monty wouldn't get the space he needs (I work from home so he has lots of company too).

 

[Nyx]

Before I got Coco I gave Bigwig a cuddly fish he snuggled up to it, groomed it and pretty much made friends with it. To this day he snuggles with Coco and Fish in his basket. Perhaps getting him a cuddly toy will work