If your rabbits bond broke and you couldn't keep them seperately

[Jazzy B Bunny]

Mines bond has broken, but fortunatly I can keep them apart. Although if it came to it, I'd have to rehome Jack because I had Gizmo first.

 

[AnnieElms]

I wouldn't be able to rehome either of them if it was a broken bond. Sorry that doesn't answer the question. Having taken on my two bunnies, they are now my responsibility for the rest of their lives, and if the bond broke down we would house them separately and find new partners if appropriate. We would find a way.

If my circumstances changed so drastically that I could no longer keep them, then they would be rehomed as a pair, and ideally I would sort this out myself rather than through a rescue, but this would be an absolute last straw and only in the direst of situations where the buns' welfare was at risk if they stayed with me (like if I became homeless or something).

 

[GrahamL]

I couldn't rehome either.

I'd find a way.

I wouldn't trust Ginger with anyone else (bar a couple of people) and Biscuit is my best friend and soul mate, i couldn't live withuot him right now.

 

[willowholly]

I couldn't rehome any.They would just have to go in seperate rooms.I love all my bunnys too much to part with anyone.We recently offered a home to a stray,we neither have the room or the money[though to be honest an extra mouth to feed is not noticable]for him but I fell in love with him as soon as I saw him in that cardboard box.We have had to bunny proof the spare bedroom but its not ideal.Eventually I am going to try him downstairs with my other two but if that doesn't work he will stay up here & be spoilt rotten.All our bunnys are very different & ive often wondered who I would grab 1st if there was a fire-B as shes the oldest & the beautifulist,Dill as he is just so cute & his facial expressions make me laugh,Casper as he is so loving.I couldn't decide it obviously would be the nearest & hope I could get them all out.
I'm going off the point here.B & Dill are bonded if it broke down then I would seperate them temperarily & ask for help to rebond them & if that didn't work then they would have to stay as single buns.Touch wood their bond is very strong so hopefully this will never be a decision I need to make

 

[littleboots]

Couldnt and wouldnt part with any. There is always a way to keep them seperate and I would just have to find it!

 

[donnamt]

Holly would go back to hopper haven as per the agreement i signed when i adopted her, i always did joke with Lou that i would keep Pearl over Alvin tho should they have ever fallen out

 

[Santa]

There is always a way to keep them seperate and I would just have to find it!

Yes, there might always be a way to keep them separate, but I think the point being made is that keeping them separate may not be in the best interests for their welfare. Most of us genuinely believe that most rabbits are much happier, and have their welfare interests best served, if they have a partner - so if someone isn't able to offer that, I don't see why it wouldn't be more appropriate in some circumstances to reluctantly rehome to somewhere that can.

In essence, many people here seem to be saying "I love them too much to let them go". How about "if you love them that much, let them go so they can have a partner rather than be destined for a life alone"? The not wanting to let them go seems to be a selfish reaction rather than one in the best interests of the rabbits. Just my feeling

 

[RubyTed]

Last one in, first one out.

I wouldn't rehome though....I'd just keep them seperate :?

 

[Pie]

Well considering I have been living with 2 un-bonded buns for the last 5 months already I am not sure I could rehome either of them.
However if for whatever reason I HAD to rehome one it'll have to be Oberon (He'd go back to Jane's Rabbit Rescue where I got him from). It would break my heart but Pie is my bunny-soul-mate. The bond I have with her tops anything.

 

[Alicia]

If Archie and Molly had a fight and had to be seperated, I would keep them both, and get another 6ft hutch to seperate them, and get them each a friend. It's not ideal but I wouldn't give them up. They are my rabbits, and they are my responsibility for the rest of their lives, and I'd find a way to work around it.
Unless I became so badly ill that I couldn't care for them at all I wouldn't rehome them. I'd only rehome them if it would be best for the rabbit. Getting another hutch wouldn't be very convenient for me, but it would be better for the rabbit so that's what I'd do. If I can help it I'd never take mine back to the rescue, because I like to think that after the bad parts of their life when they were little, they have a new home and I hope they are happy here

 

[thenamesJT]

I'd rehome myself before I rehomed Rodge or Orla.....I'd never sleep or eat with worry!

 

[Loosy]

I would never be in this situation but as it's only hypothetical, I think I would rehome Ruby for 'last in, first out' reasons. Also Pipkin is getting old and would probably be harder to rehome for that reason, although he is probably the 'cuter' of the two.

 

[willowholly]

Yes, there might always be a way to keep them separate, but I think the point being made is that keeping them separate may not be in the best interests for their welfare. Most of us genuinely believe that most rabbits are much happier, and have their welfare interests best served, if they have a partner - so if someone isn't able to offer that, I don't see why it wouldn't be more appropriate in some circumstances to reluctantly rehome to somewhere that can.

In essence, many people here seem to be saying "I love them too much to let them go". How about "if you love them that much, let them go so they can have a partner rather than be destined for a life alone"? The not wanting to let them go seems to be a selfish reaction rather than one in the best interests of the rabbits. Just my feeling

I cant speak for everyone but im guessing that if my twos bond broke down & they wouldn't rebond with each other,then presumibly[though not necessarily]they wouldn't want to be rebonded full stop & so thats why I said I would keep them separetely.As Dill came from a rescue Im guessing Jill would want him back if he wouldn't rebond with B but she thought he would bond with another bun,though im not sure why he would want to be bonded with a stranger but not his lifelong mate!
So,if you are saying its cruel to keep two bunnies separetely when their bond breaks down,then Im guessing Jill would want Dill back to keep on his own for maybe many months until he could be rehomed.I think its just as cruel to remove an animal from a home,it probably has only everknown,away from its daily routine,its owners who,I believe,they love as much as we love them.I would fight hard to keep all my bunnies,& if that makes me cruel,then I am very cruel.I also believe houserabbits,depending on the bun,can live a full & happy life alone.Am NOT condoning alone hutch/shed buns though & I do love to watch my bonded pair together & I think as the title asks what you would do if a bond breaks down shows we are responsible enough to have bonded pairs in first place but the op just wondered what we would do if it didn't work out.

 

[Sky-O]

I cant speak for everyone but im guessing that if my twos bond broke down & they wouldn't rebond with each other,then presumibly[though not necessarily]they wouldn't want to be rebonded full stop & so thats why I said I would keep them separetely.As Dill came from a rescue Im guessing Jill would want him back if he wouldn't rebond with B but she thought he would bond with another bun,though im not sure why he would want to be bonded with a stranger but not his lifelong mate!
So,if you are saying its cruel to keep two bunnies separetely when their bond breaks down,then Im guessing Jill would want Dill back to keep on his own for maybe many months until he could be rehomed.I think its just as cruel to remove an animal from a home,it probably has only everknown,away from its daily routine,its owners who,I believe,they love as much as we love them.I would fight hard to keep all my bunnies,& if that makes me cruel,then I am very cruel.I also believe houserabbits,depending on the bun,can live a full & happy life alone.Am NOT condoning alone hutch/shed buns though & I do love to watch my bonded pair together & I think as the title asks what you would do if a bond breaks down shows we are responsible enough to have bonded pairs in first place but the op just wondered what we would do if it didn't work out.

Just wanted to say that when bonds break down it is very possible to rebond with other rabbits. No different from people marrying and getting divorced and finding another partner that they are happier with.

My Candyfloss is on partner number 4 now and is so much happier with him than every before, having previously divorced three other bunnies, pretty unceremoniously.

I think it comes down to the reasons for a bond breaking in situation like that.

ETA- if all my bonds broke down and I had 16 single bunnies then I would start again and rebond into different groups/pairs :thumb:

 

[Santa]

I cant speak for everyone but im guessing that if my twos bond broke down & they wouldn't rebond with each other,then presumibly[though not necessarily]they wouldn't want to be rebonded full stop & so thats why I said I would keep them separetely.As Dill came from a rescue Im guessing Jill would want him back if he wouldn't rebond with B but she thought he would bond with another bun,though im not sure why he would want to be bonded with a stranger but not his lifelong mate!
So,if you are saying its cruel to keep two bunnies separetely when their bond breaks down,then Im guessing Jill would want Dill back to keep on his own for maybe many months until he could be rehomed.

I disagree I'm afraid! I think it's an enormous - and incorrect - assumption that if a bond breaks down, that rabbit doesn't want to be bonded at all. Using the same logic, every person who divorces after a falling out with their 'lifelong mate' would never have another partner or even friend, they would want to be alone forever - obviously that's just not true! [edit: posted at the same time as Sky-O - spooky!]

I completely see what you're saying about them going back to rescue - but again if you consider your logic here - you're suggesting it would not be good for a bun to go back to rescue where it would be alone for several months...yet it's ok for them to stay where they are and be alone for several years? It's not ideal by any stretch - and it would perhaps may best in the sorts of circumstances we're discussing if the bun could be rehomed directly from its current owner rather than back via a rescue - but my personal view is that a short period alone is preferable to a lifetime alone for most rabbits.

The rescue I got Heather from, has in its adoption contract that in the event of her losing her partner in one way or another, I have to commit to getting another rabbit to bond with her...so strongly does the rescue feel about rabbit need for companionship - and I agree with that. Of course there will be exceptions to the rule, but they are exactly that...exceptions, which are few and far between, IMO.

 

[Sky-O]

I disagree I'm afraid! I think it's an enormous - and incorrect - assumption that if a bond breaks down, that rabbit doesn't want to be bonded at all. Using the same logic, every person who divorces after a falling out with their 'lifelong mate' would never have another partner or even friend, they would want to be alone forever - obviously that's just not true! [edit: posted at the same time as Sky-O - spooky!]

I completely see what you're saying about them going back to rescue - but again if you consider your logic here - you're suggesting it would not be good for a bun to go back to rescue where it would be alone for several months...yet it's ok for them to stay where they are and be alone for several years? It's not ideal by any stretch - and it would perhaps may best in the sorts of circumstances we're discussing if the bun could be rehomed directly from its current owner rather than back via a rescue - but my personal view is that a short period alone is preferable to a lifetime alone for most rabbits.

The rescue I got Heather from, has in its adoption contract that in the event of her losing her partner in one way or another, I have to commit to getting another rabbit to bond with her...so strongly does the rescue feel about rabbit need for companionship - and I agree with that. Of course there will be exceptions to the rule, but they are exactly that...exceptions, which are few and far between, IMO.

:lol: It's a great analogy! :thumb:

 

[poppymoon]

for sure, i live in hope that one day i can afford to take on a pal for eric and a pal for esme they just didn't like each other.

 

[wiggie]

This is why we have 6 rabbits:lol:
(As well as friends not wanting their kids pets any more:roll
I am in th process of bonding Bam bam to an existing pair because Bambams bond with Paula broke down. If the trio doesn't work we will get Bambam a new partner (But it looks good so far). The contract that came with Bambam said he could not be kept as a single bun but to be honest we wouldn't do that anyway. I did think about whether we could send him back as you can just go on and on if the next bond doesn't work etc. with more and more rabbits. But at the end of the day even hubbie said we couldn't let him go and he has nothing to do with the buns at all:lol:.
This is the 2nd bond to break with Paula. I am more reluctant to rebond her as the bond on both occasions was easy and lasted a few months, but she doesn't seem to be able to maintain them. She has many health issues so maybe that is the problem. It wouldn't be in her(or our) best interests to rehome as she would be stuck in rescue due to her health probs and stroppy personality, and I doubt a bond would be any more successful there than here.
No bun that comes in this house seems to ever leave:lol: including the ones we have for the summer:roll::lol:, but I do understand that rehoming is sometimes in the best interests of the bun, and i hope I am never in that position as it must be a heartbreaking thing to do.

 

[hurricanhoney]

I would not rehome. This has happened to me and I moved things around and eventually got the other one a friend.

 

[willowholly]

Ok,I stand corrected.They CAN be rebonded with other buns if bonds break.Thats great news:thumb: