Lonely Bunny?

Hello everyone!

I have been seeing a lot of articles online about how damaging it can be to keep bunnies alone, and it has been making me very worried about Peter.

Peter isn't neutered (although he might be getting fixed next year), is roughly two years old and has never had any real contact with other rabbits, I got him as a rescue and he was very thin and mistreated. I have always had rabbits but Peter isn't like any bunny I've ever met, he's much more like a cat, very independent and people orientated. He gets plenty of human interaction and toys to keep him occupied, and as far as I know doesn't show any negative behaviours.

I would love to get him a friend but I'm a student a long way from home and I'm not in any position to get another animal.

Does anyone else have just the one bunny?

Your bunny is more than likely perfectly happy housed alone as long as he has plenty of interaction with you. If he is able to spend quality time outside of his cage with room to hop and wander about, he will be content. Bunny bonding can be a tricky thing. So unless you are wanting an extra bun, you need not get another just for company for your existing bunny.

I've been wondering about that too. I have a neutered male mini Rex living with me. He's about 2 years old too, I found him abandoned when he was less than 1 year old and he's been sailing solo with my boyfriend and me ever since. He hangs out around the house all day and seems content to do so. Of course, he will greet me when I get home and demand lots of cuddling and snacks but mostly he seems fine to hang out by himself on the couch or wherever. I'd like to get him a friend one day but I'm thinking he's digging the bachelors life for now. Here he is just chillin on the rug now...View attachment ImageUploadedByRabbit Forum1419141447.806045.jpg

I've had a few single buns that seemed perfectly fine as single buns. I have one female who's mate died and I hoped to just keep her single. She wasn't cut out to be single. She became naughty and mischievous until she got a mate again.

But the others I've had seemed content as singles. If your bun seems fine, I wouldn't force it. (unless of course you want to have a second)

I have a mini rex who was solo for about 2 years (he is just over 2). We decided to get him a friend when my daughter was baby sitting a guinea pig for a friend and our Rex became very playful.
We just got him a friend, a 8 week old female. We also just got him neutered.
We have noticed such a change in him. He has become more friendly, wanting more affection, more cuddly. I am not sure if it was from the friend or the neuter but I am glad we did what we did.
And yes, we are keeping them apart for a month due to him just getting neutered even though she is too young to bred

my bunny (babycino) was very sad when his guineapig girlfriend died.
so i bought him a baby bunny to cheer him up. it was the sweetest thing i ever saw, he went directly to babycino, under him, and babycino just licked him and loved him.
baby cino reared him, and when he got big enough, he attacked poor baby cino.
i got him neutered, separated them, and tried multiple times, but he always just was vicious to poor baby cino. i used to put them (outside in cages during the day mostly) in the bathroom at night, which had a shower screen separating two halves. or i'd put one in a cage, and let the other one run round him in the cage. i supervised when it was my mean benjamin on the loose to ensure he didn't bite him through the cage bars.]
i sadly lost babycino to cancer, when benjamin was 10 moths old, and i'm not sure he ever missed him. he sometimes licks those mink fur cushions, so i put a poodle shaped slipper one in his bathroom, as well as a square one to lay on. and one in his cage in the lounge.
ive heard of people getting a second bunny for company, and having to keep them separate. if you are prepared to devote separate lots of time to two bunnies, if they don't bond. then go for it, if not. think hard.

I've had two single bunnies over the years. No issues but they both had a lot of quality "human time". In my experience having the human bond was important.

Honestly, I always worried about introducing a second rabbit and ending up with a pair that fight or must always be isolated. Lots of people do it successfully but I couldn't risk needing the space it would take to keep two rabbits separated.

As long as you interact with him he should be fine. We have had several that were not bondable--they'd attack a rock! Don't really feel it's necesarry to have more than one and we know several people with only a single, happy bunny.

Thanks everyone, I feel a lot better about just having the one bunny now. Peter will continue to be solo and spoilt!

Rabbits are known to be friendly animals and they tend to get along with more then just one species. Try getting a kitten or a rat or another guinea pig. Even mice. The only pet which I don't think would mix with bunnies are ferrets since they are natural enemies. If you decide to get a carnivore pet such as a cat or dog to bw your bunny's companion, make surw you get them as babies so they growup and form a lasting bond with your bunnu.

My rocket is by himself and I've been thinking about getting him a friend. But first I need more space. The only reason I think he needs a friend, is bc he has behavior problems. Now it could be bc he isn't neutered which will change on Friday so we'll see. If he calms down, I probably won't get a second bunny.

Rabbits are the type that can get along with other animals. Like cats, mice and rats. 4
Raise the cats and rats young and they will form a best friend bond with your bunny. If you can't get anymore pets I suppose it will have to be sufficient to spend as much time with your bunny. As possible and try to keep him occupied. Good luck.

My Joey was bonded for a while with another rabbit, but it ended up not working out in the long term (and subsequent attempts to bond with other rabbits also failed), so I raised him as a single bun and just tried to spend a lot of time with him to make up for it (although I admit sometimes I couldn't give him "quality time" and really play with him like I wanted, so I would just let him out with some toys while doing chores or studying for school, etc). He also had a large cage to run around in, which I think helps alleviate boredom when you're not there. Also some buns are just better off as loners, which might apply to your rabbit.