Should I have two bunnies?

[Phatoomch]

Hello *waves* Newbie here

My friend rescued bunnies at the weekend and *shocker* an unexpected birth happened today. It appears that only 1 baby was born (she doesn't want to poke around too much) and I will be the baby's new mommy :biggrin:

My question is this: do I need to get a second bunny? I read somewhere that bunnies are very chatty and like company and therefore better in pairs. Is this correct?

The breed is a Netherland Dwarf.

 

[missyscove]

You do not need a second bunny. Your rabbit may nominate you his/her new bondmate. Some buns don't even seem to like other buns. That said, watching buns interact with eachother is really rewarding, and I'm sure many people would agree with me that rabbits are a bit like potato chips.

 

[Phatoomch]

Thank you missyscove

Ok, so its not necessary ... trouble is I do worry s/he will get lonely not having someone else that speaks the same language. Also do they not get lonely being in the hutch on their own for the times I can't always be there?

I worry about animals so I want to get it right

 

[Watermelons]

Phatoomch wrote:

Ok, so its not necessary ... trouble is I do worry s/he will get lonely not having someone else that speaks the same language. Also do they not get lonely being in the hutch on their own for the times I can't always be there?

Thats what lots and lots and lots of toys are for! You can even get them a stuffed bunny toy to keep them company.

They can have just as much fun on their own tearing around the house cuddling with you, destroying their toys, cuddling up to a stuffie, as they could have with another bunny

Plus you can always turn the radio on when you're not at home. They spend most of their time eating anyway :rollseyes

 

[missyscove]

Rabbits are crepuscular which means they're most active at dusk and dawn. That coordinates well with human schedules because it means buns are often asleep at night when we are and in the day when we're at school/work.
You can definitely learn to speak bunny. Trust me, you'll learn to understand what means "groom me" and you'll never forget the first time your bun flicks you off.
Bonding rabbits can be really tough. I bonded my two and then they had a big fight and I had to separate them and was never able to rebond the pair. If you get two rabbits, you have to be prepared that you may always have to keep them separate. I'd recommend you stick with your first bun and once you get to know him/her, then you can think about adding to your herd. I've also noticed that once people hear you have a bunny, you start hearing about others that need homes all the time.

 

[Phatoomch]

Great advice - although I must add that mine won't be in the house because my husband is horribly allergic to them within minutes his eyes close up and his chest constricts so he can't breathe.

We have a place in the backyard by the side of the house which maintains a good temperature and is in the shade and if it gets very cold in winter we can bring the bunny into the garage. Mind you my neighbor had their bunny outside all year round and it lived to a ripe old age.

Now I understand that daily multiple visits are a must and we spend a lot of time outside so that won't be a problem but this is why I was wondering if they would need a friend because they won't be in the house.