How to add a 2nd bunny?

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cgott42

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Hi (new here):
I recently (~ 3 months ago) got a dwarf bunny for my special needs child (11 yo). He absolutely loves him, and the bunny has helped him a lot. He's a really good friend for my son.

I was thinking of getting one for my other son (6yo) who would love to have one
However when we brought in another bunny, my current bunny (male) went to attack him
When we brought a female in, he "attacked" her - and she recently had a litter of 6 bunnies from mine.

What can I do?

thx!
 
Both rabbits need to be FIXED first and foremost. Rarely a true bond with unaltered buns will happen. And obviously different sex rabbits will only reproduce. Bonding rabbits is a tedious and sometimes long process. You can't just put two rabbits together and expect them to get along. They need bunny dates on neutral territory daily and it can take days, weeks or months for them to bond. They need to be caged separately in the mean time. It took 30 days to bond mine and they were considered "easy".

It's a big commitment to take on. I would encourage you to read this article to get a better feel for what is involved in bonding.

http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/bond.shtml


Good luck! :)
 
If you would want the rabbits to live together or even be able to interact much, both would need to be neutered. You male can be done now. It usually takes about 1-2 weeks for them to heal, but can be a month or longer for hormones to dissipate and males to be fully sterile.
From the stand point of bonding, the best pairing is a neutered male and spayed female. Since you already have a male, your best option would be a female and getting her spayed if that is not done before. Females can usually be spayed around 5-6 months old.
Bonding can be tough and does take a lot of work before the rabbits can live in the same cage peacefully. Not all rabbits will get along no matter how hard you try. Bonded pairs should be kept together, so would need to travel together and should not be separated unless absolutely necessary (like a medical need or they are not getting along).

If you are not looking to bond, then the sex of the other rabbit does not matter. If you are not willing to get your male neutered, then you will not be able to allow the rabbits together at all. Some males can be quite aggressive with other rabbits or will want to mate with them and that can lead to trouble. Rabbits can breed in a matter of seconds, so if you got a female, it would be best if at least one of them was altered to prevent accidents. Having 2 separate rabbits does mean you need to alternate time out of the cage or give each rabbit their own area. Having separate rabbits is definitely doable, but does take effort. You would need to make sure your children understand that the rabbits would not be able to 'play' together.
 
thanks good info.
approx. how much $ does it cost to spay/neuter?
 
Neuters are generally cheaper than spays as neuters are a less invasive surgery. It literally varies greatly depending where you live.

Where I live neuters....$50-$250

Spays...$75-$400

If you are in the states this website can help to find a rabbit savvy vet:

http://www.rabbit.org/vets/vets.html

You can also try shelters/low spay clinics in your area.

Good luck!
 
I just want to clarify.. The rabbits will each be "owned" by a boy, so if you want to bond them they NEED to be kept in the same room together. I know some kids like having their pet in their bedroom and if your sons have separate bedrooms then the rabbits will need to kept somewhere else.

ALSO, a very important consideration is that if you bond your male to another rabbit he may be less inclined to spend his time snuggling and adding therapy in your son's life. I remember someone complaining a while back )on another forum) that her rabbit stopped "loving" her when she introduced another bunny for it to bond to. This might not necessarily occur but since you have a special needs son, his trust/bond may splinter with his rabbit.
 
ALSO, a very important consideration is that if you bond your male to another rabbit he may be less inclined to spend his time snuggling and adding therapy in your son's life.

thanks - that cancels the idea - definately wouldn't want to jeopardize the connection my special needs son has with his rabbit - he REALLY needs it.

What other house pets generally live peacefully with a rabbit in the house?

thx!
 
What other house pets generally live peacefully with a rabbit in the house?

thx!

Almost any pet will need it's own space. Dogs and cats and generally get along with rabbits, but it does depend on the individual and they do take a lot of work. Small animals like guinea pigs, ferrets, hamsters etc, don't get along with rabbits and should not be allowed to interact. Another rabbit runs the risk of fighting or breeding and if not bonded would need to be kept apart. Birds do have health needs to consider and they can be pretty sensitive to some things, they can also be loud and require a lot of work. A reptile or amphibian could work, but some people don't like their diets.

If you can keep another pet separate from the rabbit, then there are many options. You may need to make sure the pets are out of the cage at separate times. Many animals can live in the same house without problems, you just need to find a way to make it work.

I would suggest looking at pets that your younger son likes and that you are willing to care for. Guinea pigs tend to be good for younger children and have similar care needs as rabbits.
 
If your interested in a reptile, but can't handle the bugs, check out Crested Geckos! They don't need any special heating or lighting, and they don't have to eat bugs :)
 
I'm thinking since you want another soft animal your other son can cuddle you might want to look into guinea pigs or a paor of rats. Domestic rats are actually REALLY intelligent (blows hamsters and even some rabbits out of the water), rats are less inclined to bite than are small rodents like hamsters and best yet, rats adjust their sleep-wake cycle to match their owner so they're always ready to play. They also recognize their owners which makes them a better pet than hamsters, gerbils and mice combined.
A lot of people are afraid of rat tails or some other foolish thing but honestly, I put my reputation on the line for them. Go interact at a pet store with some rats. A pair of females would be best, and smell the least. In fact, healthy female rats have a smell that is uncannily like grape kool-aid. Not even kidding. It's the weirdest thing. And just think, your 6 year old will be the coolest among little boys! lol
 

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