I'm seeking some expert bonding advice

[Natalie]

We've got our 8 or 10 year old (can't get the age confirmed), rescued rabbit, Caramel, settled indoors now. She's in our large loft conversion room. If I could, I'd have her downstairs with us but we have rescue dogs so, unfortunately, that's just not possible. However, I do spend a lot of time upstairs with her, and she does seem relatively contented, she particularly LOVES being stroked and fussed but not picked up. She has plenty of tunnels, hideaways, toys and places to sleep, including a small two storey hutch which is left open all the time. She has constant access to the entire loft conversion space. So all things considered, at the moment, everything does seem to be going okay. We have also got her up to date with the necessary vaccinations.

Soooooooooooo now I can start to really consider whether we should attempt to bond her with another bunny or not. I'd so love her to have a little bunny companion, but am worried about how the bonding process will go. I certainly don't want her to get hurt or end up in a fight.

As far as I can make out - it's really difficult getting information from her previous owners - she has been on her own for a good few years, ever since the bunny she grew up with (which I believe was a neutered boy), passed away. So she did use to have a companion, but has been used to being on her own for some time.

Reading up on various rabbit bonding experiences, I don't think that I would like to attempt to bond her with another bunny myself. So I'm wondering if there are any totally reliable rabbit rescues in our area where they do the rabbit bonding themselves. We are in Shropshire in the Shrewsbury / Telford area.

If we go ahead, we would be looking for an elderly, neutered male, bunny who doesn't need a super experienced bunny mum - because I'm definitely not one of them :? We would be happy to travel a bit to find the best place to help us with this.

Can anyone offer any suggestions?

Thanks

Natalie and Caramel

 

[Scrappy's Little Helper]

It's lovely you're thinking of getting a friend for Caramel. The first place that springs to mind is Windwhistle Warren, who are based in Gloucestershire. They rehome nationally ( I adopted a pair from them and they came all the way down here to London [emoji3]). I'm pretty sure they do bonding for you as well. Alice who runs it is lovely and cares deeply for all the bunnies in her care. If you get in contact I'm sure she'll be able to help you find a suitable friend for Caramel.


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[Omi]

It's lovely you're thinking of getting a friend for Caramel. The first place that springs to mind is Windwhistle Warren, who are based in Gloucestershire. They rehome nationally ( I adopted a pair from them and they came all the way down here to London [emoji3]). I'm pretty sure they do bonding for you as well. Alice who runs it is lovely and cares deeply for all the bunnies in her care. If you get in contact I'm sure she'll be able to help you find a suitable friend for Caramel.


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Alice was my first thought too. I found her to be everything you say she is and more. My rabbits came all the way from there to Kent I'm also pretty sure she does bonding too. I looked up the mileage for you and it's about 90 miles.

 

[Natalie]

It's lovely you're thinking of getting a friend for Caramel. The first place that springs to mind is Windwhistle Warren, who are based in Gloucestershire. They rehome nationally ( I adopted a pair from them and they came all the way down here to London [emoji3]). I'm pretty sure they do bonding for you as well. Alice who runs it is lovely and cares deeply for all the bunnies in her care. If you get in contact I'm sure she'll be able to help you find a suitable friend for Caramel.


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Ooo thank you, I’ll look up that rescue and get in touch with Alice. Caramel says thank you too

 

[Natalie]

Alice was my first thought too. I found her to be everything you say she is and more. My rabbits came all the way from there to Kent I'm also pretty sure she does bonding too. I looked up the mileage for you and it's about 90 miles.

Awesome, yes we can do 90 miles, we went a lot further for a couple of our rescue dog adoptions - Alice sounds lovely.

 

[CometLucy195]

Did you find Caramel a friend?

 

[Natalie]

Did you find Caramel a friend?

Due to the advice given to us by our vets, Caramel's age (10) and the fact that we have some serious health issues with one of our rescue doggies at the moment, the idea of trying to bond Caramel has once again been put on hold. I know that I'm no substitute for a bunny companion, but I do spend as much time as I can with her, especially just lying down with her and stroking her, which she seems to love. After about half an hour or so though, she gets up, has a big stretch and a yawn, and hops off. It's like she's saying, thanks very much, but that's enough for the moment :lol:

Mind you, I'm not getting nearly as much done in the house as I should, but hey ho ... Caramel has to take priority, who's going to choose house work over being with Caramel :lol:

 

[Mackers]

I'm sorry to hear you have a poorly doggie . Hope he or she is soon on the mend. Don't let age put you off bonding though. I bonded a 9.5 year old doe with a 4.5 year old buck and they went on to have another 1.5 happy years together. Good luck with whatever you choose - Caramel sounds very lucky to have such a lovely hooman!

 

[Natalie]

I'm sorry to hear you have a poorly doggie . Hope he or she is soon on the mend. Don't let age put you off bonding though. I bonded a 9.5 year old doe with a 4.5 year old buck and they went on to have another 1.5 happy years together. Good luck with whatever you choose - Caramel sounds very lucky to have such a lovely hooman!

Thank you. I haven't given up on the idea of bonding, as I would absolutely LOVE her to have a bunny companion, but our little doggie, (recently diagnosed with cancer and just had a mast cell tumour removed) will need such a lot of tlc, attention and supervision if he has to have another operation or further treatment, which is, sadly, quite likely.

I do so wish bonding were easier, I would just so love to see Caramel with a friend, alhtough I suspect she'd be quite bossy! She's quite a madam

 

[MightyMax]

Due to the advice given to us by our vets, Caramel's age (10) and the fact that we have some serious health issues with one of our rescue doggies at the moment, the idea of trying to bond Caramel has once again been put on hold. I know that I'm no substitute for a bunny companion, but I do spend as much time as I can with her, especially just lying down with her and stroking her, which she seems to love. After about half an hour or so though, she gets up, has a big stretch and a yawn, and hops off. It's like she's saying, thanks very much, but that's enough for the moment :lol:

Mind you, I'm not getting nearly as much done in the house as I should, but hey ho ... Caramel has to take priority, who's going to choose house work over being with Caramel :lol:

Aaaww you've a lot going on at the moment. If only there was an old boy in a rescue and you could get them to bond the rabbits for you!

My rabbit was bonded at age 12 and lived a couple of years with her new toy boy She was totally blind and arthritic but that never stopped her getting around and putting him in his place

 

[Natalie]

Aaaww you've a lot going on at the moment. If only there was an old boy in a rescue and you could get them to bond the rabbits for you!

My rabbit was bonded at age 12 and lived a couple of years with her new toy boy She was totally blind and arthritic but that never stopped her getting around and putting him in his place

I can't tell you how happy it would make me to see Caramel hopping about with another bunny. How do elderly bunnies take to baby bunnies, is the bonding process easier or more difficult in those circumstances?

 

[MightyMax]

I can't tell you how happy it would make me to see Caramel hopping about with another bunny. How do elderly bunnies take to baby bunnies, is the bonding process easier or more difficult in those circumstances?

I wouldn't bond an elderly with a baby by choice, because of the energy difference!

However, my lady's toy boy was much less than half her age, so gives you a fair choice in the Rescues

 

[Natalie]

I wouldn't bond an elderly with a baby by choice, because of the energy difference!

However, my lady's toy boy was much less than half her age, so gives you a fair choice in the Rescues

Ah, okay, just another thought milling around in my head, just wondered if the maternal instinct might come out in her, but yeah, movement wise, she is quite ploddy (although she can really move fast when she wants to) and she's also quite set in her ways lol, not at all sure how she'd feel with little ones grabbing food from HER food bowl! :lol:

 

[MightyMax]

Ah, okay, just another thought milling around in my head, just wondered if the maternal instinct might come out in her, but yeah, movement wise, she is quite ploddy (although she can really move fast when she wants to) and she's also quite set in her ways lol, not at all sure how she'd feel with little ones grabbing food from HER food bowl! :lol:

Also, she may slow down a lot in a year or two, by which time a baby rabbit would be an adolescent and possibly not want to spend time cuddling up to an older and possibly infirm rabbit.