Pet shop Vs Shelter?

[Koffee559]

The time has come for Poppet (3yr old, spayed female) to have a friend. I’ve signed up at my local shelter but they have no rabbits at the moment and there’s a long waiting list. I’m thinking of buying a rabbit from a pet shop. What are the pros and cons of this? I’m worried that because the new rabbit will only be 8weeks old, it won’t be neutered. Will I have to keep him separate from Poppet until he has been neutered and the hormones have worn off? Poppet has free-run of the whole flat 24/7. Is it going to be harmful for the bonding process for Poppet to see the new bun locked in a cage for up to 12 weeks? I want to find Poppet a partner asap because she doesn’t seem happy since I went back to work after the summer holidays but at the same time I don’t want to adopt the wrong bunny.
All advice gratefully received!!!!
Kirstie

[sarahthegemini]

Yes you’ll need to keep them completely separate until the new bun is neutered and healed and hormones have disipated.

You’re not going to actually keep the new bun locked in a cage are you?

[Deleted User]

You’d need to find a way to section off your flat so that each has an area. Keeping one in a cage 24/7 and one free roam wouldn’t be fair. Speaking from experience, I got a younger bun (8 weeks) and so it really was a pain to maneuver around baby gates and keep two buns separate for several months. If you are fine with living in less than ideal setup for a few months then I don’t see the harm in it. But you have to be sure that neither rabbit can get to the other. The only pro I see is that you have plenty of time to bond with the new bun so you guys have a good relationship prior to bonding, and that you have lots of time to get them used to each others scent with prebonding.

The advantage of a shelter bun though is that you can know their demeanor. Usually the shelter or a foster can tell you about the personality of the bun, as well as bad habits, quirks, health issues, etc. So a pet store bun is a little more of a gamble. And there is always the possibility that they hate each other and won’t bond. That’s not very likely, but a possibility you should consider since if that’s the case you would be stuck with two single buns.

[Koffee559]

My main concern is that Poppet considers the whole flat to be hers. I only have 4 rooms so separating them is going to be difficult. I was thinking of keeping the new bun in a cage during the day and letting Poppet have free run of all rooms (including walking past the cage) and then in the evenings, keep Poppet in one room and let the new bun have a run around in the other rooms. Is this going to drive them both crazy in terms of territory?

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By Koffee559 on 9/19/2017 1:43 PM

My main concern is that Poppet considers the whole flat to be hers. I only have 4 rooms so separating them is going to be difficult. I was thinking of keeping the new bun in a cage during the day and letting Poppet have free run of all rooms (including walking past the cage) and then in the evenings, keep Poppet in one room and let the new bun have a run around in the other rooms. Is this going to drive them both crazy in terms of territory?

If Poppet will be able to literally walk past the cage, you need to make sure they can’t touch each other through the bars because if they can make contact, they can fight. 

It’s not really fair to keep one bun cooped up all day and only let out in the evening in my opinion. 

[Koffee559]

There is no ideal way to do this, that’s why I’m asking for ideas. Is it fair to stop Poppet having access to territory she has considered hers for months? Is this going to set back the bonding process? Believe me, I don’t want to keep a bunny in a cage but I’m thinking it may be necessary for a short time before they can be bonded.

[Deleted User]

Yes, they shouldn’t be able to touch through the cage bars. Also, keep in mind that if you are planning on using the same territory you will have lots of marking going on… would it be possible to just section off one room for the new bun, and allow them to roam that room and keep Poppet in the remaining area? At least that way the new bun is not confined to a cage all day.

[Deleted User]

If you get an 8 week old bunny though you are looking at 3 months. That’s not a short time to be confined to a cage. 2 months to wait for neuter and about a month for healing/ hormones to level out. Trust me, I’ve done this. I’m doing it now. I got Quincy on 7/1 and we just started bonding last week. And I only waited 2 weeks post neuter. And they will still have to be housed separately until they are fully bonded, so you’re looking at another couple weeks there, and it could take longer than that to bond depending on the rabbits.
  
I’m not trying to be mean. But, I think that sectioning off a room for the new bun is the best alternative here. Sure, Poppet will be out one room. It’s really not that big of a deal is she still has plenty of room to move about. I put my new bun in my bedroom and blocked my other buns access. You will need to make sure you block off the room so that Poppet can’t charge in and fight the other bun (happened to me).

I’m just trying to help you figure out a scenario that keeps both bunnies happy.

[Deleted User]

To chime in: if you go the pet store option, take to a vet asap and make sure it’s actually 8 weeks old and in good condition. A lot of pet stores don’t treat their buns with care. Most are taken away from their mom before 8 weeks old and sold as adorable babies.This could really stress the bun out and potentially give them a life threatening illness. Just in general with pet stores, some of the breeding or living conditions are really bad, so you’d want to make sure nothing is seriously wrong with the new bun. What about a breeder? Have you considered that option?

[Koffee559]

Is your bun free to roam around your bedroom when you’re sleeping? I’m not sure I’d get any sleep with a bunny in the room! Poppet isn’t allowed in whilst I’m sleeping.

[Koffee559]

OK, so Poppet in the lounge (her main room anyway) with a stairgate stopping her going into the rest of the flat, new bun in the corridor and bathroom, me in the bedroom? Does this work? Is Poppet not going to want to rip the little guys head off for taking over her territory?

[sarahthegemini]

Posted By Koffee559 on 9/19/2017 4:08 PM

OK, so Poppet in the lounge (her main room anyway) with a stairgate stopping her going into the rest of the flat, new bun in the corridor and bathroom, me in the bedroom? Does this work? Is Poppet not going to want to rip the little guys head off for taking over her territory?

Chances are she won’t be happy. It might be best to put a blanket or a piece of cardboard to block the view through the stair gate. 

[tobyluv]

If you are in the U.S., you can search on petfinder.com for rabbits. There may be shelters or rescues a little outside of your area that have rabbits.

[Deleted User]

I do let my bun roam while I’m sleeping. He does wake me up often but I have a lot of trouble staying sleeping anyway so I guess it just doesn’t bother me. And if I wake up to 3am zoomies it more likely that he will get a laugh out of me rather than a scolding. Silly bun but sometimes they both scratch at the gate or try to chew it, and that irritates me. *sigh* what can you do when ya love em lol.

I think you should cover it with a blanket or something at first (though she may scratch the blanket off). She won’t be happy about sharing her territory but she will be happy to be bonded with a friend eventually

[DanaNM]

I always think shelters are the way to go, if there are shelters available with bunnies, because they are animals that are already spayed/neutered, and animals that really need homes.

I also usually don’t want to give my business to pet stores that sell rabbits…

There’s also craigslist, which can be a valid option (my boy Bunston was a craigslist rescue)…

In terms of set up for during pre-bonding and bonding (and this applies no matter where you get your rabbit), I recommend using x-pens and/or temporary fencing made from storage grid cubes and zip ties to divide the area where they will roam in half, with a 6-8 inch buffer between the fences so they cannot touch each other through the fence. You might need to add blankets or cardboard to block view if Poppet is too distressed.

You want to make sure that both bunnies still get plenty of attention and exercise, and that you can properly bond with the new one.

“Only 4 rooms” seems like plenty of space to work with. I live in a studio, and divided the one main room in half during bonding. You’ll need to consider what area will be used for your neutral space for bonding them. You might want to block access to a room from both bunnies (starting now!), and then when ready to use it for bonding, clean it, rearrange it, set up a temporary pen with a new blanket for a floor and no view of the room they are in (use something to make the pen walls opaque).

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Koffee559]

Thank you to everyone for your advice. I’ve got a clearer idea now. I will try to get a bun from a shelter if I can in the next few weeks. My problem is I live on an island 9 miles long and 5 miles wide! There is only one shelter! And the usual websites don’t usually apply. I am however going to chat to someone on a neighboring island today about bunnies at their shelter. Then I’ll be back here asking advice about bunnies and boats!

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