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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Question on a lone rabbit

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    • BellaRabbit
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        Hi everyone

        So as a new rabbit owner I have been getting to grips with everything bunny for the last 2 months.

        However, I was watching a video on youtube (Spoilt rabbit thumbs and growls when petting stops, I seem to be watching a lot of these recently ), when I saw a big argument in the comment section. The rabbit in the video was alone, with no rabbit companion. A lot of comments suggested this was cruel and that rabbits need to live in at least pairs.

        I just wanted to know everyone’s general opinion – I don’t really have the budget to get another rabbit right now, and I’m still a complete novice owner so I think 2 would be too much!

        My Bella seems very happy – she greets me and plays with me when I am home, never destroys my house (apart from the occasional chew on a door) and binkies all over the place. I spend time with her in the morning, after work, and a lot during weekends.

        Thanks!


      • meow1
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          My bunny Sunny has been a lone rabbit ever since we got him when he was a little baby (he’s 4 now). He seems to be happy and loves attention from us. I sometimes wonder if he’d like a companion, but I’m not sure there is any real way to tell. Maybe it just depends on each bunny’s own personality?


        • kirstyol
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            Bramble is a lone bunny, as were all my previous bunnies. I think it depends on the individual rabbit, and on how much time you have to spend with it. If you are spending lots of time with your bun and he/she is getting lots of interaction from you then a lone bunny is usually fine. We are considering a friend for Bramble because we are out of the house for a good few hours most days recently, although I don’t always expect it to be that way its a temporary thing I hope. But he is a happy bunny and gets lots of interaction from us when we are here which is most of the time, its hard to decide what to do for the best to be honest. If we are going to get a companion for him I would rather do it while he is still young, he is six months old now and things have settled since his neuter so now would be a good time if we do decide to do it.


          • Sindri
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              I use to have 2 bunnies that lived separately but I recently got them bonded. They both seem to be fine living alone. I agree that if you are spending a lot of time with them I think a rabbit is fine on their own. I do think mine are even happier together though. I wouldn’t recommend getting a second bunny because you feel it needs a companion. I would only get a second rabbit if you want another rabbit. There could be a chance the rabbits cant bond or have to live separately for a good while until they can be. Mine lived separately for over a year. I finally got them bonded after about 8 months.

              One last thing rabbits are expensive to care for so also take that into consideration when deciding you want another rabbit. Best of luck!


            • Eepster
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                Bunnies are social creatures, with social needs. Those needs can be met with a bonded bunny friend, but that is not the only way to meet those needs. Humans and other pets can act as the bunnies warren. Stuffed animals provide opportunities to groom and hump. As long as your bunny isn’t sitting alone and forgotten, in a small cage, he is fine.


              • Daytrippera
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                  I also have only one bunny. I work, so I spend as much time as I can with him. Which Is about 3 solid hours per day. He is, however out of his cage for about 6 hours per day.
                  He’s only 4 months old, but he seems pretty happy. Most days, when i call him to go back to his cage before I leave to work, he hides under the table for a sec, but then jumps into his cage and relaxes. (Before I had to pick him up to put him in his cage, now he seems to have learned my schedule or something). XD
                  On the weekends, i spend more time with him. But because He is more active during the night and early morning, It helps for him not to feel lonely maybe?
                  I know he probably be better with a bunny friend, but since I dont plan to neuter him, I know it’s impossible to adopt another bunny without taking the risk of having an oops litter.


                • kirstyol
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                    Posted By Sindriona on 10/24/2014 3:53 PM

                    I use to have 2 bunnies that lived separately but I recently got them bonded. They both seem to be fine living alone. I agree that if you are spending a lot of time with them I think a rabbit is fine on their own. I do think mine are even happier together though. I wouldn’t recommend getting a second bunny because you feel it needs a companion. I would only get a second rabbit if you want another rabbit. There could be a chance the rabbits cant bond or have to live separately for a good while until they can be. Mine lived separately for over a year. I finally got them bonded after about 8 months.

                    One last thing rabbits are expensive to care for so also take that into consideration when deciding you want another rabbit. Best of luck!

                    This is exactly what is putting me off getting another bunny, I would genuinely love another and I could manage the expense but I don’t think we have the space for two bunnies to live separately. We have a huge pen for Bramble which I am currently trying to make room for to turn into his permanent home (he has to go in a cage at night just now due to space) which is more than big enough for two buns, but if I had to house them separately I don’t know there would be space for two of everything.


                  • BellaRabbit
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                      Thanks for all the advice . I think I will just stick with the one, she seems very happy and healthy and she gets a lot of interaction everyday which seems to be the key thing


                    • BunnyHugger
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                        I’ve had Borys for 7 weeks, and was utterly unprepared for him. He was a critical rescue, off a busy road. It’s been such a wild ride getting things set up for him, finding a good source of hay, a proper large cage, trying various greens, experimenting with litters, etc. Expensive, too. I was going back to night school this fall, and put that on hold because the unexpected expenses ate up my school fees.

                        I’m physically disabled, and just wrestling the cage and pen sides into my place really hurt me. As did hauling in a garbage bag of hay. Some days it’s hard to clean litter or wipe vinegar on a pee accident.

                        I have still to get him examined and neutered, which will be another $160, including the painkillers and “cone of shame.” I can’t imagine adding to the expense and work right now. And doubling the litter cleaning is….just no.

                        I work from home, and Borys lives in my office. We’re together at least 12 hours a day. I stop and play with him, never ignore his head butts, and he has tons of toys. It does bother me to leave him alone in his cage at night. He freaks out. He chews cardboard like mad and rattles the bars. Once he’s neutered and I get around to better rabbit proofing, he may be able to spend nights in my bedroom.

                        For now, I just can’t imagine adding to the expense and work, or going through the stress of trying rabbits he may not bond with. I’m the type of person who feels guilty because my bunny doesn’t have the run of the whole house yet. So every day I say to myself, “Borys has a better life than 99% of domestic rabbits on the planet.”

                        Given the way animals in need have always found ME, I’m sure that if he’s meant to have a bunny pal, she’ll just turn up on my doorstep with a rose in her teeth.


                      • BellaRabbit
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                          Im glad he found you bunny hugger. I too sometimes feel guilty that Bella feels lonely, but that is a good point that they do have a better life than most rabbits!

                          She is not in the garden, had a load of free roam space and toys, and is never alone for very long at all. A lovely quote at the end, thank you for bringing happiness to your bunny

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                      Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Question on a lone rabbit