A member of a bonded pair, passed away

Hello All!

I hate that I even have to ask these questions right now. I had two rabbits that were bonded together really well. They absolutely adored each other. Well sadly, the female passed away unexpectedly yesterday after being ill. I’m so worried about my male, Rocket. I don’t know how he is going to deal with this. What are some signs of a grieving rabbit? Should I get him another bun to bond with? If so, how long should I give it? Is it better to get one sooner rather than later? Do rabbits tend to be standoffish with another bun after losing a companion? Help!! [emoji174][emoji22]

-Sabrina

All bunnies are different,so there's no quick answer. If you are gonna get another, try "dating" at a rescue organization. Most of ours were okay as we had several other bunnies, so they were always close to each other and that may have decreased the impact as they were never truly alone even though in different hutches.

I would give it at least a couple of months before trying again. Did he have time with her body, so that he knows she is truly gone? Sorry for your loss too.

I'm so sorry to hear about your rabbit's passing. Like the others said, there is no easy answer. You are the one who know your bunny best so you'll have to observe him and to compose with your own wishes to take a decision. Rabbits do feel something when their friends pass away but some take it harder than others and some grieve in more obvious ways than others. Like people. Some rabbits will do well on their own even after their companion died, some others won't be able to live with another rabbit ever again, while others have real difficulties living alone. You'll know. When Aki's first husbunny died, it was clear she wouldn't be able to last long on her own. She developped OCD, wasn't laying down or binkying anymore and was constantly moving around looking like she was afraid to drop dead too if she relaxed. She hated Tybalt when I began the presentations and it broke my heart because it was love at first sight with her previous companion. But in a way, it distracted her and being mad at the newbie helped her heal. They are the best of friends now and I'm glad I decided to give her a new shot at life with another rabbit. Nevertheless, like stevesmum said, it is generally advised to leave the rabbit alone for at least a month before introducing a new companion inside the house so he has the time to grieve. I don't know if that's true, I personnally waited 6 weeks before doing it, but some people believe introducing a new bunny too soon after the death can make the bonding fail, probably because your bunny will be too stressed out and close to his bad experience which will make him associate the newcomer with bad things.

stevesmum said:

I would give it at least a couple of months before trying again. Did he have time with her body, so that he knows she is truly gone? Sorry for your loss too.

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He didn’t have time with her body bc she died while at the vet. Thanks.

He didn’t have time with her body bc she passed away at the vets office.

I will likely wait a little while as I am in no rush to get another bunny anyway. I’m just worried about him and I don’t want him to grieve himself into an illness.