Yep, they can be very content and happy being single buns. Being a breeder all of my rabbits are kept separated because they are unaltered. My bucks are perfectly happy being alone but I do have some doe's that prefer to be on litter because they enjoy having other rabbits around. If they are raised alone they will take to their care taker and will bond with them and they will be perfectly happy. Rabbits can be happy alone or together. In the wild a lot of times they travel alone and when they go back to the burrow they are with other rabbits. However they do have their own "sleeping quarters" that they sleep in. So it depends on your rabbit and how they respond to being alone. Some just don't like it, others love being alone. Get to know your rabbit a little more to see if he is content
I have a few questions regarding multiple buns, if that's okay...
- If one is introduced later, can the first bun feel like it wasn't good enough and has been 'replaced', even if they bond? Or am I overestimating the emotions of buns?
- If the buns aren't able to be successfully bonded, how do they go about sharing space? Just requiring separate xpens, or completely separate rooms?
- Can bonding change the personality of the buns prior to their bond? My Felix is excitable, not super cuddly or affectionate; if I happened to get a second bunny who was more of a snugglebutt, might she bring that out in him at all?
- Will bonded bunnies pay less attention to their humans?
Sorry to hijack the thread, I've been tossing around the idea of getting a second bunny, but I've gotta weigh up the pros and cons. I'm completely okay with the costs of raising two, just need to figure out if it's a good idea for Felix. He's not yet neutered, so I'll be having that done and waiting a month for his hormones to subside to see how his personality is after that, before I decide for certain.
Thank you very much! All the answers I was hoping to hear, too.1. You are overestimating the feelings of buns. Like, way overestimating LOL.
Rabbits CAN get jealous, but they aren't having inner conversations with themselves about their feelings and what a new rabbit means.
2. Separate enclosures, letting them out for exercise separately. If they fight through the bars of their cages, then you will need to move the other out of the room while they are out exercising
3. Yes, rabbits can change the personality of the old rabbit, and teach him new habits. I have heard of rabbits learning to be more affectionate toward humans from another rabbit. I had Tank on his own for several years--when I brought home Mulder and Scully, he became more adventurous, hoping around all the time like they do, instead of sitting in the corner of his cage, like he always used to lol. They've also taught him to play tossing games with toys. He's even better about using the litter box since they came along. But I've also heard of rabbits learning bad behaviors from other rabbits--sometimes buns that weren't diggers learn to be from new rabbits, start rattling their cages, etc.
4. No, I've never heard of this happening.
Actually, I think that having rabbits housed in close proximity to each other can help curb loneliness, even if they can't get along in the same cage, which is good news for bonds that never work out.
Having a bonded buddy will add something to your rabbit's life, but single buns are often happy buns too. Never get another rabbit for the first rabbit--only get another rabbit if YOU WANT another rabbit.
Hahaha.... now I'm just envisioning a little gang of bunnies running around and causing trouble.Also in my experience the bigger the pack the easier it is to introduce a new bun. They seem not to notice as much when a new member is added. :bunny19
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