Can Rabbits Live Happily Alone?

[agnesthelion]

I've been wondering a long time about getting a second bun. Now that Agnes is spayed and healed completely, the thought crosses my mind more.

I also wonder if Agnes would want a friend. Rabbits are social, so can they truly be happy living alone? Agnes gets excited to see me every time and literally won't leave me alone (which I love) but when she's by herself in her "apartment" free run, when i go down to check on her she's usually back in her condo just sitting there she used to play and run and climb all over when I wasn't down there!! Now, she only comes out if I'm down there with her.

So RO...I'd like your opinions on the following things:
*can rabbits be happy alone?
*does having two buns change the human relationship (ie will Agnes not "like" me anymore if she has a friend)
*why did you get more than one bun?
*do you notice the addition of a second bun drastically? (ie supplies, smell, time it takes to care for them, etc) or since you already have one they just merge in, so to speak?
*what if they never bond? This is my biggest fear!! I'm not sure I want two separate cages and two seperate buns?!! So I'd have to rehome the second bun. Am I horrible???

Thanks in advance for all thoughts and input

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Ours are only alone if we aren't here. We have six, but they are all housed separate--about 2 inches apart and can see each other. We only let out one at a time. Our original rabbit, Commander Bun-Bun would attack any and all no matter how big so there was never a thought of bonding her. If one of the others was out roaming the family room, she would go from side to side in her hutch keeping them in her sight. I used to think she'd have a stroke. Some of ours are very busy when they are out and others are just lumps on the carpet. All of ours have been rescued from shelters or found wandering, but they are all sweet buns and some are quite pesty. We've had a couple of bonded pairs and didn't really notice any difference in their behavior except that when they were laying down they were usually close together, but, both sets were pretty much lumps on the carpet most of the time. Ours were all in the family room and so were we, so I guess they weren't alone all that much.

 

[agnesthelion]

^^Agnes has always been a lump on the carpet too I mean, she went through her climbing stage and such but she's pretty chill. But what makes me wonder if she's lonely is she doesnt lounge outside of her condo when I'm not down there. She just goes back in her cage

I wish she could be up in our family room with us but our house is not conducive to that at all. It's pretty big and an open floor plan with a loft area that if she fell through the banisters is like a 20 foot drop to ceramic tile. So her apartment downstairs is her area. I'm down there with her as much as I can and she has a huge free run area so she's spoiled in that sense but maybe she wants more.....?

 

[Kipcha]

We have 14 buns so ours aren't alone, but between all our buns, we have never once had luck bonding. Anytime we have tried to ever put them together, winds up attacking someone else. We are actually going to try putting Flynn and Tiana together when Tiana's hair grows back from her spay (Last thing I want is for a nip from Flynn to meet bare skin) but still, they are the only two I think could ever be together, and I am still a little doubtful.

Honestly, I do believe that rabbits can live happily on their own.

 

[Apebull]

Lisa I've been wondering the same thing.

Twigs has free run of pretty much thewhole house. I only work 2 days a week and home school my kids. So there is pretty much always someone around for him to see. But with that being said he is pretty much a lump on the carpet (or under the table) most of the time. Although I can't even think about getting him a bunny wife until he's fixed and I'm still trying to talk my husband into it. Or should I say talk him into letting me spend the $$$ to do it.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

I think it depends on the rabbit. Korr really does prefer to have a mate. He is happier and has grieved when his past mates have died. He does tend to get along with just about any rabbit and is not aggressive (he does like to hump from time to time). Of course there are some rabbits that just don't like other rabbits and will fight. They can be neutered and kept around other rabbits all their lives and never have a fight, but they just don't like others and prefer to live alone.

Bonding is a lot about finding the right rabbit. Even if a rabbit likes other rabbits, they might not like a certain one. It make take a few tries before you can find a rabbit that your rabbit likes. There are also rabbits who might like to be around another rabbit outside the cage, but don't want to live with one.

Having a bonded pair does not really change how they relate to you. A friendly rabbit should still be friendly and a shy rabbit will probably still be shy. Rabbits respond to people differently than they do other rabbits, so while they will have a friend you are still their human.

I got my 2nd rabbit Sophie as a friend for Korr. They bonded easily.

I don't remember noticing a change in the amount of supplies I used, but I do notice it a bit more now with 7. I go through more food and litter and it does take longer to clean them all. The difference from 1 to 2, especially once they are bonded, it mostly more pellets, some more hay and a bit more litter. Since they share a cage, it is only one more cage to clean, but it should be a bigger cage so may take a bit longer.

The decision to rehome a rabbit can be a tough one. I think you should try to make it work if they don't bond. You do need to be prepared to have 2 cages for a couple months anyway while you work on bonding. If you find it to be too much of that you don't have a connection with the new rabbit, then it can be in the best interest to find it another home.

 

[ldoerr]

What about a bunny play date at the local rabbit rescue? That way you could see which rabbit yours gets along with. I have never done this myself but have herd of lots of people that do it.

 

[Blue eyes]

Depends on the rabbit.

I can tell you, though, that bonding can be a pain in the neck. I've gone through this a couple times. The good news is that rescues typically will help you find one that is compatible.

A while back, I had a single girl, just like you, and wanted to get another bun. We took her on a speed date at a rescue. We thought we found a good possible match. But when we got them home, I put them in an x-pen in neutral territory and the boy just wanted to attack her. We ended up exchanging him for another. That new one was real laid back. My girl had been traumatized by the other so just sat there. It only took a couple days and they were fine together.

Fast forward to present. I got a bonded pair (to avoid having to bond) but the boy had a rupture and died. Now I've been trying to find another match. The speed date looked very promising, but boy oh boy! are girls territorial.:X My girl has been a nightmare ever since we got them both back home. She had full reign of the downstairs. I put an x-pen up for the boy in sight of her cage. I had them switch cages to mingle scents. I put them in neutral territory in a bathroom and even tried the bathtub -- nothing worked. She just hates that he's been in her territory. All she want to do is attack him.

Now I'll have to exchange him for another boy and take a totally different approach. I won't bother with all the details, but suffice it to say, that some bonds can be very difficult. :grumpy:

It's been difficult because Sam, the boy bun, is such a sweetheart. I really like him, but housing 2 buns separately is twice the work of one. Keeping a bonded pair is really no more work than keeping one.

Since the bonding process was going so terribly, I've been housing the boy upstairs away from her until the next rescue adoption day. As a single bun who has been used to having a mate, her behavior has changed. She's started chewing some of the carpet, she's been more aloof, and just overall more cranky. This is another reason I'd like to find her a mate.

 

[agnesthelion]

ldoerr wrote:

What about a bunny play date at the local rabbit rescue? That way you could see which rabbit yours gets along with. I have never done this myself but have herd of lots of people that do it.

Definitely would do this! I haven't gotten that far into asking the local rescue if it can be done but I would definitely be a bunny dating process.

I wish there was a way to tell right off the bat if Agnes would be the type of rabbit who would never bond...are there certain things I can look for? Is there anything about their personality that indicate this? Like she is not territorial with me at all as far as her cage or anything...does that mean anything as far as her maybe not being AS territorial as some buns?

 

[Blue eyes]

agnesthelion wrote:

I wish there was a way to tell right off the bat if Agnes would be the type of rabbit who would never bond...are there certain things I can look for? Is there anything about their personality that indicate this? Like she is not territorial with me at all as far as her cage or anything...does that mean anything as far as her maybe not being AS territorial as some buns?

I don't think there is any sure way to tell. I was on one site that explained that one boy attacked any female he was introduced to. He did this to 5 rabbits and then the 6th one he just instantly loved.

You might get lucky and find an easy match right off.

 

[agnesthelion]

Korr_and_Sophie wrote:

.

The decision to rehome a rabbit can be a tough one. I think you should try to make it work if they don't bond. You do need to be prepared to have 2 cages for a couple months anyway while you work on bonding. If you find it to be too much of that you don't have a connection with the new rabbit, then it can be in the best interest to find it another home.

I do have two cages now. One is alot smaller. Agnes's condo now is a 3 level NIC cage that is definitely big enough for two rabbits her size (I want another dwarf) but the other one is not big enough for it to be a permanent enclosure for a rabbit. So, like someone else mentioned it's a completely different experience to have two separate cages and two separate buns. I don't want that maybe it's me being selfish?? So it makes me wonder if I shouldn't even try another bun because of that..?

 

[agnesthelion]

Kipcha wrote:

We have 14 buns so ours aren't alone, but between all our buns, we have never once had luck bonding. Anytime we have tried to ever put them together, winds up attacking someone else. We are actually going to try putting Flynn and Tiana together when Tiana's hair grows back from her spay (Last thing I want is for a nip from Flynn to meet bare skin) but still, they are the only two I think could ever be together, and I am still a little doubtful.

Honestly, I do believe that rabbits can live happily on their own.

14 buns and never any luck bonding??? UHg, that's my fear

 

[Blue eyes]

agnesthelion wrote:

So, like someone else mentioned it's a completely different experience to have two separate cages and two separate buns. I don't want that maybe it's me being selfish?? So it makes me wonder if I shouldn't even try another bun because of that..?

That's not selfish, just realistic for you right now.

I don't think you can go wrong if the rescue will ensure a bond. That way you won't "get stuck" with a bunny that won't get along with your current one.

 

[MiniLopHop]

I have three bonded pairs. Two of which are on their second spouce due to the death of their first partners. I did the speed dating and have never had a problem with the bond "sticking". However, I am very picky about who I bring home and have taken up to 6 hours at the rescue trying various matches until I got the right one per the rabbit's choice, not mine.

My personal rule is if the new rabbit can not go into the same carrier for the ride home with the current bun (growling or boxing, any sign of the current protecting the carrier other than mild humping), then it is not a match!

Becky was hard to find her first bond mate, she rejected many buns until she fell in love with Indiana Bunns. As a widdow she was much more open, I think because she was grieving. Houdini loves everybun in general, but when he lost Cinderella he charged and bit at Pepper, the first girl we tried him with. Sophie came in and he groomed himself then snuggled up next to her. As far as I could tell there was just a color difference, but HE saw something majorly differnt between them. *shrugs* Who knows, perhaps Pepper said something rude?

An experienced person at the shelter should help you to interpret the behavior between the pairs to get a good match. I think going with an open mind is the key- it really is their choice who to bring home.

:twocents

 

[Blue eyes]

Minilophop, yeah... the boy (Samwise) we brought home with Sapphire showed great promise. He was already grooming her at the rescue. And she had gone closer to him to accept it. They then easily shared on hour-long ride home (got stuck in traffic).

I'm convinced it was a territory issue with Sapphire. She assumed ownership of the whole downstairs and simply won't tolerate the male on *her* territory. She was like a different rabbit when we got home to her domain.

I've come to the personal conclusion that I really really really hate bonding rabbits :X:X:X

 

[agnesthelion]

Thanks for saying that blue eyes.

Wow brandy now your bonding stories are totally different! Interesting what youmsaid about the carrier on the way home. So in your opinion, if you spend long enough at the shelter can you most likely predict if it's going to be a successful bond?

The only downfall is where I live we don't have alot of buns up for adoption (unlike Florida, holy smokes!) which I guess is a good thing but on the flip side doesn't give me alot of options. I've visited the shelter a few times amd they know nothing about buns. So I'd have to rely on my own guidance. Unless there is a rabbit "person" there that I haven't met. There is one shelter that I havent been to so I could try there too.....

UHg, so much to consider. Thanks for everyone's input so far. As you can see I don't enter into things without weighing all variables...

Anyone else have anything to add please do! Reading and taking in it all......

 

[MiniLopHop]

I think if you watch carefully it can increase your odds considerably, but there is always the odd situation like Blue eyes had. It can happen that Agnes may not react the same way in an odd place as she does on home turf.

I got off very lucky bonding my pairs. Getting all 6 to be good together has been much more of a challenge. I have been working on it for months. The girls are all good together now, but Panda has declared himself king and Houdini just is not having it. Granted, I did not temperment test them as a large group, I got them as pairs. I guess I am encouraging them into group living (polyamory?) rather than keeping them in monogamous relationships.

 

[Imbrium]

agnesthelion wrote:

So RO...I'd like your opinions on the following things:
*can rabbits be happy alone?
*does having two buns change the human relationship (ie will Agnes not "like" me anymore if she has a friend)
*why did you get more than one bun?
*do you notice the addition of a second bun drastically? (ie supplies, smell, time it takes to care for them, etc) or since you already have one they just merge in, so to speak?
*what if they never bond? This is my biggest fear!! I'm not sure I want two separate cages and two seperate buns?!! So I'd have to rehome the second bun. Am I horrible???

Thanks in advance for all thoughts and input

I'd say *most* are happiest in pairs, but there are definitely some "loner" bunnies out there who just prefer to be alone.

my bunnies came home together, so I never knew either of them alone... however, they've each got their ways of interacting with me and seem to really enjoy my company. I was a bit worried that they'd like each other more than they like me, but it's really two totally different relationships - much like mine with them vs mine with other humans.

I got two bunnies because I knew they're generally happier in pairs and I was told with babies you can just put two together and they're gtg so I selected two females from different litters. they pretty much bonded on the hour-long drive home and have been inseparable ever since.

I feel like having two is basically no more work than having one, since they're together (more food, ofc, but it's really not bad even with two)... however, I expect it to become more work for me when the hormones kick in and I have to keep them in separate side-by-side pens until they're spayed and re-bonded.

I would go the shelter route and do trial-and-error until you find the perfect bunny-mate - you want your bunns happy and let's face it, they'll have more room and get more attention when they're living together instead of having to divide their space and your time between two separate enclosures. from what I've heard, shelters are very understanding about this sort of thing.