Companion?

[Cheenisowner]

I was thinking of getting Cheeni a little sister to play with whom she can have a life long friendship with. The thing is, I plan on having Cheeni spayed in a few weeks as she is a year old now. Maybe I should wait? Have it done let her heal completely and then bring the new bunny in? What do you all suggest...I think I'm leaning more towards getting the little bun after she is fully healed so that she isn't stressed out and plus if I do bring another one in before and bond them then I'd have to separate her and rebond again.

Your thoughts are appreciated

 

[agnesthelion]

Yes definetly have her spayed. I'm from the mindset that you actually can't consider buns bonded unless they are fixed. Hormones play too big a part in how rabbits react towards each other.

I would spay Cheeni and let her heal completly/hormones dissipate so a month aprx. Your best bet is to contact any local rescues and see if they will allow bunny dating. She can also help pick out who she is attracted too . That way you can get an already fixed/adult rabbit and work on bonding right away. Most common and easiest pairs to bond are male/female. Two females are possible just generally more difficult. If you get a baby you risk a break in the bond when that baby reaches sexual maturity and when you seperate them for the surgery.

I just got Agnes a husbun a couple months ago by bunny dating at a local rescue. It took a month to bond them and it worked out fabulously. They are now in love and I have two buns to love back

Here is an article in followed almost to a T in bonding that helped me alot.

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

 

[Imbrium]

:yeahthat: M/F is definitely an easier bond and it's best to let your bunny pick her mate, as not all bunnies will get along.

 

[ldoerr]

Get her spayed and wait a month or so. Then go and do bunny dates to find her a husbun. M/F is easier (or so I have herd) but F/F does work fairly easily as well. I have 2 bonded spayed girls.

 

[Cheenisowner]

Yes I will get her spayed first and have her completely healed but I don't want her to find a lover or hubby lol more like a best friend /adopted sister.

 

[Imbrium]

you can give F/F a try, but be prepared for it to be a lot more work... and make sure wherever you adopt the new girl from will let you return/exchange her if the bond just won't work out. girls are much more territorial than boys, so bringing one home to a girl who's established in your home can be tough. not impossible... but tough.

heck, I had a rough patch right after spayings with two girls who came home at the same time, grew up together from 7-8 weeks old and were always the best of friends - same sex bonds are a bit more prone to randomly breaking. Gaz was suddenly *terrified* of Nala, which I eventually figured out was because Nala had started occasionally nipping her on the bootie. it was so bad that Gaz would freak out without Nala even touching her:

[flash=425,344]http://www.youtube.com/v/3tZQ8yJK4sk&hl=en&fs=1[/flash]

I had to keep them apart for a bit and do some re-bonding to get them to where they could be kept together again. there's still the occasional booty nip, but Gaz seems to have realized it's Nala saying "hey, GTFO for a bit" rather than an actual attack.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

ray: We've had bonded females and bonded males too. Just depends on the bunnies.

 

[Cheenisowner]

AW LOL I couldnt help but laugh at the cuteness even though I'm sure she was scared Hm...I have one breeder that I have spoken to and she did say that I can bring the bunny back if I feel like they are not bonding well.

 

[Cheenisowner]

True! Cheeni is a very hard headed alpha female :X lol

 

[Blue eyes]

I was a little confused at your statement about not wanting a hubby for her, but more of a sister. Whether you get a male or female, they will still bond and the affection will still be just as strong. In other words, a bonded pair of rabbits is bonded regardless of whether they're the same gender or not. It's just that M/F pairings tend to be easier. You cannot tell from behavior or appearance any difference between an established F/F bond or an established M/F bond.

If you do the bunny date method, which is what is most recommended on this thread, then it really shouldn't matter whether you get a male or female. Whichever she chooses will likely result in initial humping as they sort out dominance.

The key is that you will want the new bunny to be fixed also. You may want to check a rescue rather than a breeder in order to get one already fixed. Again, a young bunny can't truly bond because once the hormones kick in, bonds can break. Then you'd have to go through the spay/neuter process with that one, separate her/him from your current girl, and then try (hope) to bond them all over again.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

:yeahthat:

 

[agnesthelion]

:yeahthat:

I didn't get the sister comment either,lol. Bonded rabbits need to be fixed so you aren't finding a "lover" even if you get a male.

Does the breeder you talked to have an already fixed rabbit? Otherwise you need to keep them seperate, wait to fix, wait til hormones dissipate and then bond. That's quite a process.

 

[Cheenisowner]

lol no confusion, I just want her to have a lifelong friend however she bonds with her, I have decided to get her spayed next month and will be making the appointment. Then I will get another bunny as soon as she is completely healed. Excited!