Benefits of getting second rabbit.

[pinksalamander]

I know i havn't had William very long, but wheni got him i'd pretty much already decided i was getting another rabbitfor him. I sent the rescue a little email today with some pictures andthey mentioned that they had Will's mum back in with them becausesomeone is wanting to have her bonded with another bun. I thought thiswas a great idea because i was petrified that if i did get anotherbunny and they didn't get on i'd end up with two rabbits in two hutchesthat would really not be of much benefit (other than having anotherwabbit ).

She said if i bring Will in then they will pair him up with anothergirly and i only take her home if they get on, so this takes alot ofworry out of me.

I'm planning on getting Will a new larger hutch for Christmas/afterchristmas (my birthday is in January) and buy it with a mixture ofCrimbo and Birthday money. I saw a perfect one for two rabbits in a petstore for £90/$170 that i really want to get.

I'm also getting Will neutered in about October (once i have the£40/$75 i need for the op saved). Because of all this it seems perfectfor me to get Will a friend. I was just wondering if people could putin their views of the pros and cons of having 2 bonded bunnies to helpme fully make a decision.

Thanks! xx

 

[naturestee]

I think having two bonded rabbits is great! And it's awesome that the rescue can help you with bonding like that.

I've noticed that when my rabbits have friends, they're less anxious,eat more hay (because if one starts eating hay, the other does too),and encourage each other to exercise more and try new things.I always feel that I can't provide an individual rabbit enoughattention to keep her happy, but when they have friends they're not solonely.

You do have to keep a closer eye on bonded rabbits because it's notalways as obvious if one isn't eating or pooping. But that'sstill not very hard.

 

[Bunnys_rule63]

Sounds like a good idea! I bet William will pick out a great partner at the rescue.

The pros of bonded bunnies that they will never get lonely because theywill always be with their friend, they have a friend to playwith, they can groom and snuggle up to each other and they form verystrong friendships with each other.

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

It is great to have a pair especially when youonly end up with one that he will get on with. And yes they do as theother does often times but at the same time I have one major concern Iwant to mention -- money. If you are currently in the process of savingup for a neuter for Will I assume you have no emergency vet fund. Whatwould happen if one or both got sick? Would you have the money on handto take them to the vet?

I don't mean anything against you and I think multiple bunnies aregreat but if the rabbit may end up suffering because of lack of funds,I definitely say no to another rabbit. I keep a minimum of $300 perrabbit put away but I'd prefer at least $500 per rabbit in case. I knowmoney can be tight but as an 18 year old who has hardly had a payingjob, I still managed to keep that money set aside for bunny use only.

 

[Haley]

Thats a good point. Bringing in a second rabbit is so rewarding for both you and your bun..but it can be a lot more expensive.

Not only do you need to be prepared for emergency vet treatment, youalso have to pay for double the food, hay, litter, and greens. Justmake sure that you or your parents will be able to afford a secondrabbit.

Other than that, I highly recommend getting William a buddy. Have youconsidered building an NIC condo? These are very cheap and bigger thanmost cages on the market.

Hope this helps!

-Haley

 

[tamsin]

If you're going to get a second rabbit thentaking your bun along to a rescue to meet the potential girls is thebest way to do it. It takes all the stress out of matching up bunnies

I agree with expenses, you do have to keep in mind that double the bunnies can mean double the cost.

There are soooo many benefits though! Bunnies are more relaxed, playful(so get more exercise) and you get all the fun of watching theminteract

Tam

 

[Tatum]

Hello,

getting a companion for your rabbit a given for all myanimals. Realistically the rabbit will be alone for most ofthe time by itself and it is a peace of mind that they have a friend togroom, cuddle and keep each other company.

Second, hay, pellets and greens are not exspensive and when you onlyhave 1 rabbit, their is not much difference in feeding a second rabbit.

i would agree that your greatest concern would be the medical end ofthings and you must have a plan when that timehappens. My rabbits have been to vet plenty of times and Idon't even want to know how much I have spent. I have 8rabbits and I am lucky to be able to provide for them when needed.

Good luck, and I hope that you will be able to bring another lovely bunny into yours and your rabbits life...Tatum

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

I wouldn't say that. If you have to buy hay froma store instead of from a farmer, and hay costs $1-$2 per pound thenyou just doubled that. Not to mention that feed is the same. Say you gothrough 10 lbs in 2 months and a bag costs you $30 (like it costs me).Well that is $60 every 2 months(from $180 a year for onerabbit to $360 a year for 2!)on pellets. Litter is not anymore for a bonded pair, expecially if they have a litter box.

That being said, I still have 3. One of my males is unbondable. Hetries to attack any female or male that gets any where near him so Igave up. So a pair doesn't always work out but the fact thatthey will bond him to a female is a great plus so if you can afford it,including emergency vet care, then go for it.

 

[pinksalamander]

I'm lucky that being a teenager with a Mumwho loves animals, she is my emergency vet fund. She'd never assumethat i paid for any vets bills unless it was planned (like aneutering). When i'm older and can get a proper job (not lon gnow) theni will take a much bigger part in this, but at the moment i'm luckythat these expenses are paid. She will pay for food aswel if i put itin with the normal food shopping and sometimes for the bedding. Itsonly things that aren't really essentials (like a new hutch) that shewon't pay for.



MyBabyBunnies wrote:

It is great to have a pair especially when you only end up withone that he will get on with. And yes they do as the other does oftentimes but at the same time I have one major concern I want to mention-- money. If you are currently in the process of saving up for a neuterfor Will I assume you have no emergency vet fund. What would happen ifone or both got sick? Would you have the money on hand to take them tothe vet?

I don't mean anything against you and I think multiple bunnies aregreat but if the rabbit may end up suffering because of lack of funds,I definitely say no to another rabbit. I keep a minimum of $300 perrabbit put away but I'd prefer at least $500 per rabbit in case. I knowmoney can be tight but as an 18 year old who has hardly had a payingjob, I still managed to keep that money set aside for bunny use only.

 

[Tatum]

You have a point Mybabybunnies, but I pay about$10.00 for 50 lbs of pellets (Manna-Pro) and I bought some excellentgrass hay for just $2.50 a bale. But normally hay will costme up to $4.00 per bale. I usually buy about 3 or 4 bales ofhay a year and I am not skimpy with it. I used to have horsesso a few bales a year of hay is nothing..

I remember when I did run out of hay and I couldn't believe how much Ihad to pay for the size of less than a flake.(between $8.00 and $10.00!). I wouldn't want to paythat!

Keep us posted pinksalamander! Tatum

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

Well then I think it's safe to say get anotherrabbit pinksalamanderif you are ensured that the money for avet fund is always there. I have 3 myself and want more but not untilafter University.

Tatum, I buy hay in bulk as well. I got through 2-3 bales of hay in ayear with 3 rabbits! I mean $7-$12 a year on hay is something I'mwilling to dish out! But I buy Oxbow and/or Kaytee Timothy Complete for2 of my rabbits since they are bonded and one needs a low protein dietand it can cost anywhere from $20-$30 for 10 lbs which I go through ina month. My other male is cheap and only eats the basic run of the millalfalfa pellets (he will not eat any other brand) so at least thatsaves me a little.

 

[pinksalamander]

I suppose i could say i'm lucky in the sensethat i have a mum who is caring enough to pay for things if they getreally bad. Seeing as i get a £75 allowance a month (it sounds alot buti work part time for my Mum's self-employed company and paying me lotsinfact saves her £800 on tax so really she gains from it!). As i said iwill soon be getting a job, i've always wanted a job, the first thingim doing on my 16th birthday .

Plus after this year of school i wil get paid £120 a month for stayingin full-time education meaning i will end up with over £250ish a month.This is probably when my Mum will stop paying for pets, but i'll berolling in it for a few years so there will be plenty of cash foremergency vets.

Plus, i probably won't have to buy the hutch now either as i've justrealised i can kill two birds with one stone by making a rabbit hutchfor my GCSE woodwork project! This means it will only be finished inMaynext year but i get a free hutch and knowing i've built itmyself to exactly how i like it!

It will be in a while that all this will be happening. But when it does it's gonna be great !

 

[Tatum]

My husband built my first hutch, and it is 7 ftlong by 3 1/2 feet wide. Then I built the second two, theyboth cost me so much more than I would have ever imagined.They are both 6 ft long and one is 2 1/2 feet wide and the other one is3 ft wide each with an enclosed hutch and an upper deck. Iwould imagine mine cost maybe close to $200.00 for the larger one, Ididn't keep track on cost, but I know it was well over$100.00. They are quality though, deluxe cages that will lasta good long time.

I had in my mind that I could build them for under $100.00 but thats ajoke! No regrets though. Just wanted you to knowthat all the costs with the cage can sure add up.

Tatum

 

[pinksalamander]

I get some free cutsof wood at school,we have a ton of wire stuff and i would have ti pay fro whatever i makeanyway. So really if it costs a little more but its something i can userather than just ending up giving to the school because i can't usethen im saving something Plus saving wasting alot of time makingsome boring jeweller box or photo frame of tabel i would have no usefor

 

[MyBabyBunnies]

My 8' hutch and my 5' hutch cost me the sameprice -- about $30 for wire. We built them out of scrap wood. The 8'hutch is actually our wooden old garage door! My parents replaced itwith a metal one so I used the wood from the old door to build a newhutch.

The 5' hutch is also scrap wood this time left over from building ourhouse. It's great, I got 2 hutches for $60 at the most and they arebuilt to my design and weather specifications. I wouldn't have it anyother way.

 

[pinksalamander]

We have loads of bits of wood left over, myNan's garden is full of bits of wood etc, bricks, anything i needreally. My friend has just finished building dekcing so there are bitsleft from that. Plus my mum would have to pay for wood for schoolanyway! It's all gravy!

 

[tinaturbo]

When my son & I got our bunnies welooked online and had Tina & Turbo in mind to bring home whenwe went to the rescue. We didnt have 2 in mind at first but afterseeing these 2 we knew who we wanted to bring home. And Im very glad wedid! Brother/sister absolutely love each other and keep each othercompany when we're at school/work.