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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Should I Get One or Two?

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    • Hokankai
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        I’m planning on getting a rabbit after I graduate and begin my internship this summer but am wondering if I should get one or two. If I get two, they’ll be siblings preferably and I’ll most likely go for a male and female (yes, spaying/neutering will take place). I’m currently fostering 13 (mama, 3 older kits, and 9 1 week old kits) right now with the help of my two housemates and I honestly don’t know if I could have a rabbit all by itself after seeing how they enjoy eachother’s company. However, I don’t know if I can handle the responsibility of two on my own.

        What do you guys think?


      • mocha200
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          If this is your first rabbit then I would start out with one, But it seems that you have a lot of experience and you have 13 rabbits atm. So it is really your decision. I will warn you if you haven’t bonded bunnies before, it is VERY stressful. Even if bunnies are siblings, after they hit puberty and get fixed they may not have a easy bond, rabbits smell different after being fixed.


        • Monkeybun
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            Well, if you are comfortable with rabbits now after fostering, why not adopt an already bonded pair?


          • Hokankai
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              Really? Hmm, that’s interesting. So a bonded pair can stop being bonded even though they’ve been housed together before? My plan would be to get the male fixed ASAP and the female spayed as soon as I can. So would the female respond negatively to the male when he’s returned even if he still considers himself bonded to her? I don’t know if that makes sense but that behavior interests me.

              I’ve introduced male rats before, which isn’t an easy thing either. But I’d MUCH rather bond rabbits that already are familiar to one another and have been with eachother since birth than try to add a new one to an already established rabbit.

              And yeah, I had never had experience with rabbits before…but this whole fostering thing has been a crash course! The 9 kits were a total surprise, but they’ll be heading back to the shelter along with mama once they start wandering the cage. After that I’ll have the 3 older kits until they’re ready to be fixed


            • Elrohwen
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                I would say that bunnies respond negatively after being separate more often than not. Males can get a female pregnant for 4-6 weeks after neutering, so he would have to be separated from her at least that long. By that point, they probably won’t remember each other at all and will need to be completely rebonded. Honestly, I think you’d have an easier time bonding two rabbits that have met each other and proven to not hate each other than bonding two rabbits that were babies together. They really don’t have the memory to know that a sibling they knew for 8 weeks is the same rabbit they’re meeting a few months later (especially because goign through puberty and then speutering will change their scent so much – there’s really not much for them to identify each other with when the scent has changed)

                So impressive that you’re taking care of so many! What a big family. Of course, if you’re getting attached to the older babies and would like to keep two of those, I’m sure you can make it work. We’re just cautioning against thinking you *must* get siblings for an easier bond – like I said, two already speutered rabbits who get to have a “date” and find out compatibility would probably be easier in the long run.


              • Elrohwen
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                  I have one more thing to add. I think rabbits raised as single rabbits, at least for a time, become better bonded to people. I know people who have taken an already bonded pair that didn’t have much human interaction and they didn’t seem interested in humans at all. My boy lived alone for a year, and my girl was a single bun for three years (at her first home) and even now that they’re bonded they’re pretty in tune with us and look to us for attention.

                  Just something to consider!


                • Hokankai
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                    Getting a bonded pair is an option too, but yeah I would be worried about them not being interested in me…hence wanting adopted siblings that are on the younger side.

                    I WISH I could keep at least one of the three older kits, I’ve fallen madly in love with two of them.  However, t I really can’t get a rabbit of my own until I’m done travelling to and from school which will be once I start or end my internship :'(

                    Edit: ugh, the quote didn’t work, haha

                     


                  • Elrohwen
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                      I think getting two siblings as babies would make them even more likely to ignore humans – I know with dogs, getting two puppies at the same time just makes them form a little group of their own and completely ignore you. I imagine rabbits would be similar. who needs to learn about people when you have another bunny to hang out with? Of course, if you adopted two and had them live separately until after the female was spayed (around 6 months) then I think you’d be just fine as far as bonding with people goes.

                      Personally, I would say to start with one, baby or an adult, and have that bun for a while. After it’s speutered, go and adopt another (it’s easier if the second is already speutered) and work on the bonding. Adopting an already bonded pair is certainly an option, but personally I do worry about them being uninterested in humans since I’ve known pairs like that. However, a shelter might have a pair that lived solo for a while with previous owners and was then just bonded at the shelter – they’d already know about people and would have been recently bonded (I’ve known pairs like this too). It’s all about how they were raised (on top of innate personality, of course) and I think being raised completely with a sibling is most likely to give you rabbits who don’t really notice you.


                    • Hokankai
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                        Well alright then! I am really enjoying learning about rabbit behavior throughout this process. I think I will just go with one then, although the siblings I have now all love to interact with us…but they’re only 7-8 weeks old.

                        Speaking of which, one of the kits is a male and I worry about him possibly impregnating one of his sisters. Will the females be sexually mature by January if they are 7-8 weeks old now? I DON’T want to take any chances with this very fertile family, but I also don’t want to send Fattie off to the shelter all by himself if I don’t have to


                      • BinkyBunny
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                           I have to say that though I have had mostly pairs, I have had a single before and I have a single now.  The enjoyment I get from either is equal.  I do admit that in my case, my experience has been that though yes, I get a little bit more attention from a single, as Vivian and I have a nice bond, the problem I have is I can’t give as much attention to the single as much as another rabbit would be able to.  For Vivian, she’s an independent gal who loves to snuggle, but doesn’t seem to need it as much as Jack did. 

                          But Vivian has a routine that she seems settled and happy with.  We spend a short time in the morning and she waits at the gate or in her lounge box, and then because I work from home, I give her little snuggles throughout the day, then after her dinner, she starts pulling on the gate to let us know, she’s ready to come out and explore the rest of the house.   Then she will come out to the living room and wait for me. If I don’t get there within the hour, she will go back to the bunnyroom. But as soon as she hears me going to the living room to watch TV she comes out and we sit together on the floor and I pet her and watch her play with the tunnels I have set up in the living room each evening.  OR if I don’t want to watch TV, I’ll go to the bunny room and read, and she’ll come and sit by me.  

                          Some days though, I get really busy and don’t have much time to relax during the time she wants to hang out, and so during those times I wish she had a companion. 

                          One thing about getting two that you have to keep in mind are vet bills.  We are really tight right  and though I can afford the daily care of two bunnies, if something happened to both of them at the same time or near each other (within months of each other), we would really have a problem.  So until things get better in the $$ department, I will have to be the bonded mate of Vivian — which is working out well. 

                          Also, just because rabbits grow up together doesn’t mean that they will get along — once their hormones kick in at about 12 or so weeks,  issues can arise and siblings can fight.   It’s not a for sure thing that they will fight, but it’s just not uncommon.   

                          Bonding can be tough so I personally would prefer to adopt a pair to avoid problems, (if it’s financially feasible), but know when I say that, I have never done that…I”ve always had to bond.  But maybe that is why I think I would prefer to have a bonded pair already. HAHA. 

                          However, if this is your first rabbit, maybe it would be nice to just get one and bond with your bunny in that way.  

                          I am not saying either is better than the other, obviously, as I see benefits in both.  I do think though that if you are going to get a baby, then do get only one because you will have to separate them and things can get difficult once they become sexually mature around 12 weeks.  Spraying, territorial marking may only be worsened by having two (as they will may have more behaviorial displays due to the other bunny)

                           EDITED TO ADD: I forgot to answer your question about how young can than get pregnant.  My understanding is at about 12 weeks, but you don’t want to ever let that happen, even by accident as a pregnancy that young would be very bad for the doe. I’d separate them earlier than that.  I know you said you were Fostering, did the group that you are Fostering for tell you when you need to separate them or give you any information on that. That would have been extremely important for them to follow thru with you on. 

                          And final note:  CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR FUTURE ADOPTION OF ONE LUCKY BUNNY!    (or two)


                        • mzsunshine
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                            Everyone gives such great advice, and I have to agree with it all! There are many pros and cons to having a solo bun or a pair!

                            My first bun, Pancakes, she was a sweetheart. She was a single, and was very affectionate. I had no problems holding her, and she just loved to be around people, because that was the only way she could get any social time. She would always run to you when you entered the room… such a lovely bunny.

                            Presently, I have 2 luvbuns and they absolutely adorable, but you can tell that since they have each other’s company, they’re less affectionate towards people, because they already have each other! I just think it takes a little more effort to get some attention from them! My mom and sister are always teasing about how Buster and Lola are snobby LOLL. I got them together at the same time, and they were raised together. I didn’t have a problem bonding them, they already seemed bonded, and I had no issues with them unbonding and needing to be rebonded after they got fixed.

                            Having 2, is a big difference from having one. They are eating/pooping machines! Not to mention you’ll have to potty train them both, they will chew and shred anything possible! And when they reach puberty, there is urine spraying eveyrwhere, digging, more tearing… etc.It’s a lot of work, and $$$ like what everyone said earlier, if something were to happen to them vet bills are noot cheap.

                            However, I feel like if you are willing to put up with the workload, having 2 bunnies is very enjoyable cos you can see them interact with each other, something completely different than what I had with Pancakes. It was also nice not worrying that the bunnies would be lonely if I was super busy one day cos I know they have each other


                          • LoveChaCha
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                              I have a single girl I’ve had her since she was 7-8 weeks of age, and she’ll be 2 this month. She isn’t showing any signs of boredom. She in fact seems to love having the apartment to herself, and bossing the slaves around for food and treats. She is a joy to have around. From my experience, a single rabbit does grow to be more attached to humans. Not just the bossing, but if I walk right past my bunny, she doesn’t even budge.


                            • Hokankai
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                                Thanks for the replies you guys! Yeah, it sounds like starting off with one is what I’m looking for. I’m pretty selfish and like my animals to love me, haha. I’m hoping to add a puppy to the mix in the coming years, so perhaps the dog and the rabbit will keep each other company while I’m gone. I really like to bond with my animals, but I usually try to get a pair so they have same-species company…but I’d rather have a tight bond with a single bun that doesn’t know what it’s missing than have to go through the issues of bonding.

                                BB-I wasn’t given any information, except that I’m holding onto them until January I guess. By then they’ll around 3 months of age, so I’m wondering if I should just take in Fattie with the mama and new kits when I return them ( ). I’ll ask the shelter and find out what they think.


                              • Elrohwen
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                                  I think getting a single bun will be great for you and don’t be surprised if, in a year or two, you start thinking about getting another. I think that’s a great way to do it, even with the stress of bonding. When my two pass on (hopefully not for a long time!) I’d like to start with a single bun again before bonding it with a friend. I do think the reason Hannah is so affectionate and in tune with us it because she was a single bun for 3 years (though not with us) so she really learned to read people. Otto isn’t very affectionate, but he does pay attention to us and is interested in us – I think he’s the type that would completely ignore us if he had been bonded from an early age.

                                  I have heard that baby buns can stay together until 12 weeks with no fear of getting pregnant – some breeders actually prefer 12 weeks I think, since they are stronger and have better social skills at this age. I wouldn’t worry about keeping them together until 12 weeks, but I would definitely separate them at that point.


                                • Hokankai
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                                    Alrighty, so I’ll just make sure to take them in right when they hit 3 months then. That’s good, because I don’t want to get rid of Fattie until I have to, haha.


                                  • Dee
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                                      I’m definitely biased toward having two bunnies, but that’s because it’s worked out so well with my two. First we literally found our male rabbit, BunBun, and had him for a couple months before adopting Nelli. BunBun was and is a real “people bunny”- he loves to be petted and fussed over (but not held- much too undignified for the little king). When I mentioned getting BunBun a lady bun, my husband was afraid of the same thing mentioned here- that he wouldn’t like us as much if he had another bunny to love. Never happened- in fact, I think he’s taught his shy, nervous wife to be less frightened of us. She will sit for pets for ages as long as BunBun is beside her, getting petted too.
                                      I look at Bun and Nelli and I’m so glad they’re together- even on days when everyone is busy, they have each other to hang out with. The way they sit nose to nose and groom each other and the way Nelli bounds after BunBun wherever he goes- it’s just priceless. But I think there are definitely bunnies who like to be the only rabbit in the house. I guess the hard part is telling if your bunny is one of them, when you get your bunny of course, KK . I would spend a while with just one bunny, then try “bunny dating”- that’s what we did. You might be able to tell a lot about whether he/she wants a partner when you watch them interact. One thing I have heard is that it’s easier to bring a female rabbit into a male’s home than vice versa since females are more territorial. That might have been one reason my bunnies bonding went so easily. I agree that both rabbits should be fixed for a while first. BunBun was newly neutered (2 weeks prior) when we get Nell (she was spayed) and his humping was the only real problem we had with them.
                                      Whatever you decide to do, good luck! No matter what you decide, I’m sure your bunny/bunnies will be very happy with you


                                    • piperknitsRN
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                                        I have always had to bond my bunnies. With this current pair, I had Olive first. She was a baby when I got her, and I honestly didn’t plan on getting another rabbit when I got her. But, I had her spayed early (around four months) and a couple months after that I decided Olive was such a good bunny that it might be even better to have two bunnies–twice the fun, right? So down to the shelter we went. The bonding process I went through can be found under Bonding, with an embarrassingly titled “bonding bunnie” (I meant to write “bunnies” in the plural and somehow missed the typo before I clicked send). Any way, although I thought it was going to take a long time (they fought when I brought them home) it took a week for them to really turn a corner and start to bond. Now I consider them bonded.

                                        Olive is friendly but independent, and Simon is also friendly. They aren’t cuddle bunnies, but how many rabbits really are? I appreciate them for who they are and don’t try to make them into something they aren’t. But I haven’t noticed any changes in my bunny’s personality, other than that she now gets free roam of most of the house with her husbun and she’s a lot less frustrated now that she’s not being locked in her Xpen during the day–and I could have achieved that without a second bunny, I suppose. But she just seems… I don’t know, more palpably content. Simon provides her bunny companionship I can only very poorly approximate. So, while they’re both inquisitive and friendly bunnies towards humans, they do spend a lot of time hanging with each other–but I appreciate that a great deal after the bonding process ;-).

                                        I’m crazy about both of my rabbits and feel it was a good decision to adopt Simon, even though when I first brought him home–I thought I’d made a mistake. That’s why next time, in the far distant future, I’m going for two already bonded bunnies! (through adoption). I just don’t think my stress levels could take another bunny bonding experience–because you never know if the two will ultimately bond, and some bunnies are more prone to being single bunnies any way. A more assertive bunny would have been a disaster, as Olive is pretty bossy. But Simon just takes it in his calm, mellow stride and gets groomed for it in turn–so my pair bonded much quicker than I thought they would.

                                        I would advocate adopting either an already bonded, neutered pair or a single bunny (older and neutered would be a good choice–bunny’s teenage years can be, uh… not so much fun, and with an adopted rabbit, you may, depending on the avenue through which you adopt–rescue vs. shelter–get some real insight into the bunny’s personality, litterbox habits, and so forth. The thing I wouldn’t do is adopt two unneutered siblings–you just don’t know if they’ll get along once they’re neutered and older.

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                                    Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Should I Get One or Two?