Getting 2nd bun

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Animalover

Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2020
Messages
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Location
NC
New here,

I currently have a spayed 2 year old, HL female that I've had for a year now. She's pretty independent, just does her own thing when she's out. She will approach you for treats but other than that she seems to like being left alone. she has excellent potty habits. She let's me lay by her but if I get too close she'll move, she can be so petty LOL. My girl is free range except for the bedrooms. Caged at bedtime and when we're not home. Although she has free run of the house she mainly likes to hang out in the front room which is also where her cage is. She'll do her rounds around the house but always heads back to the front room.

Next week she's getting a brother and he's around 10 weeks old. I plan on keeping his cage in the same room as hers, just across the room from each other because it's my ONLY option at this time until we move next year. I will NOT be attempting to bond them until after he's been neutered and that won't take place until Dec/Jan sometime.

My thought process is, in these next few months it will give them time to get used to seeing/smelling each other. To be in each other's presence. I plan on getting him a playpen for when he's out.

Any tips and/or suggestions from anyone? Thank you in advance.
 
Welcome to the forum!

My suggestion would be to have your spayed girl meet some already fixed rabbits to pre-screen for potential compatibility. By getting a baby, you run the risk that they'll refuse to bond (after he's neutered and had his 8 weeks to heal).

Unless you are ok with housing them both separately for the next 8-10 years should they decide to not bond, then I'd still suggest waiting until after your move before bringing a new bunny home. Moves are incredibly stressful on rabbits, so any 2nd rabbit you get will be stressed if it has to move homes twice in a span of several months.

The move in dec/jan also gives you the ideal conditions in which to bond your girl. The new place will be totally neutral so the two rabbits can be introduced in totally neutral territory if it is timed right.

Rabbit rescues (different than generic shelters) allow for your rabbit to meet other fixed rabbits. This is the most highly recommended way to find a compatible mate. If one rabbit refuses to bond with yours, the rescue typically allows an exchange. This way you are sure to wind up with a compatible match.

Also bear in mind that rabbit prices at rescues include the spay/neuter fee, so they actually save you money. (eg. a $60 rescue rabbit is cheaper than a $15 baby rabbit that has to be fixed for $100+)

Here are some rescues in NC

https://www.bunspace.com/view_bunny?bunid=3547
https://www.adoptapet.com/adoption_...6tZzM4EopfR4plsV5H7b432nre1rtbTyGxgER2_gcp0Dk
https://www.trianglerabbits.org/adopt/localbuns.html
http://everybunnyrescue.simplesite.com/444687389
 
Welcome to the forum!

My suggestion would be to have your spayed girl meet some already fixed rabbits to pre-screen for potential compatibility. By getting a baby, you run the risk that they'll refuse to bond (after he's neutered and had his 8 weeks to heal).

Unless you are ok with housing them both separately for the next 8-10 years should they decide to not bond, then I'd still suggest waiting until after your move before bringing a new bunny home. Moves are incredibly stressful on rabbits, so any 2nd rabbit you get will be stressed if it has to move homes twice in a span of several months.

The move in dec/jan also gives you the ideal conditions in which to bond your girl. The new place will be totally neutral so the two rabbits can be introduced in totally neutral territory if it is timed right.

Rabbit rescues (different than generic shelters) allow for your rabbit to meet other fixed rabbits. This is the most highly recommended way to find a compatible mate. If one rabbit refuses to bond with yours, the rescue typically allows an exchange. This way you are sure to wind up with a compatible match.

Also bear in mind that rabbit prices at rescues include the spay/neuter fee, so they actually save you money. (eg. a $60 rescue rabbit is cheaper than a $15 baby rabbit that has to be fixed for $100+)

Here are some rescues in NC

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Thank you. I've been reading a lot of the different posts in the forum since joining, lol.
I do understand the possibility of them not bonding when the time comes.
 
Your girl sounds like a dominate type. Hopefully the boy you get will be a submissive bun :/ it's too hard to tell unless he is neutered.

My girl was easy to bond with any bun coz she's so timid, the boy never was aggressive to her, just lots of humping - I didn't even need to do any bonding sessions, just let them live side by side while he was healing from his neutering and swapped their pens several times a day.
I fed them together (first through the pen and then together) but separated them as soon as 1 was done eating. 1 day I forgot to seperate them after their dinner (week 5 of surgery) and they were fine and been living together since.
 
Your girl sounds like a dominate type. Hopefully the boy you get will be a submissive bun :/ it's too hard to tell unless he is neutered.

My girl was easy to bond with any bun coz she's so timid, the boy never was aggressive to her, just lots of humping - I didn't even need to do any bonding sessions, just let them live side by side while he was healing from his neutering and swapped their pens several times a day.
I fed them together (first through the pen and then together) but separated them as soon as 1 was done eating. 1 day I forgot to seperate them after their dinner (week 5 of surgery) and they were fine and been living together since.


I definitely see her as being the dominant one for sure. She is the boss bun lol. I hope so too only time will tell. I’m hoping the same happens for them as it did yours, considering they’ll have a few months before I can put them around each other to adjust before I attempt anything. Thanks for sharing your experience.
 
Here’s our 2nd bun. He’s a Holland Fuzzy Lop and we’re calling him Fuzzy. His nose was a little runny when I got him and after hearing him sneeze😳 I took him straight to the vet. Aside from the upper respiratory infection he has😩 His exam went well, he had no other isssues. He’s currently taking medicine twice a day.

Stormi stared him down the first day from her cage and wouldn’t leave her cage. When I finally was able to get her out she lunged at him (while he was in his cage) and managed to pull some of his hair off, it just happened so fast.
Since then I’ve raised his cage so she can’t reach him and it seems to be working though she still is interested in him.
 

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Wow! He is adorable! 😍 I can't wait to see what he looks like when he gets older.

I agree with Apollo's Slave. Rabbits should not lay on their backs because it will put them in a trace where they can't get up on their own.
 

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