how do you know if your rabbit is lonely?

[jamestown478]

We have a 7mo female and while she gets tons of attention from me and the fiance she kinda seems to moap around at times and looks like she wants another bun to play with. How do I know if she just wants another friend or if shes fine being alone?

 

[Imbrium]

assuming she's spayed, you could call an animal shelter and arrange to bring her in for some bunny play-dates - that way you could "test drive" adoptable bunns to see if she hits it off with a potential friend. they'd be able to guide you through the match-making process to determine whether or not there's a bunny that would be a good fit.

the majority of bunnies do prefer to have a friend, and a pair is tons of fun. mine eat together, sleep together, groom each other, etc. and it's SO adorable

 

[jamestown478]

so we went to the local humane society for a few bunny dates. Had a few bad ones where all they wanted to do was mount cantelope. We finally had one that tried to mount her only once and then he seemed to get the hint not to again. They then kinda butted there heads up to each other and hers ended up on bottom kinda showing dominance or something of the sort and then they went on there way of wandering around. We ended up picking up that male and taking him home but now when we put them together for mini dates he keeps trying to mount her. what should I do about it? What is the best way to bond them?

 

[BunBuns Human]

jamestown478 wrote:

he keeps trying to mount her. what should I do about it?

Nothing, if it doesn't seem to bother the doe. Unless he is causing problems by biting her.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

:yeahthat: We've had a bonded pair of males that never did the "dominance dance" and a pair of females that would do it occasionally. Just a fact of rabbit life.

 

[jamestown478]

so letting him hump her is gonna help the bonding?

 

[MiniLopHop]

I have three pairs and two of the pairs still hump on occasion. At first a bit of chasing and hair pulling is also normal. The only time you should interfere is if they are going to really attack each other in a fight- hard biting with blood or head to tail going in circles kicking the crap out of each other. When they do this they are literally trying to kill each other.

Otherwise they need to work out who is the boss. The more you break them up for minor bickering the longer it will take them to bond. Even well bonded rabbits will nip (as opposed to bite) each other as a means of communication at times.

 

[BunBuns Human]

jamestown478 wrote:

so letting him hump her is gonna help the bonding?

Works that way with humans, doesn't it?



BunBun Rwa's motto:

Sure I'm a rabbit, but I'm just like you.

Only CUTER.

 

[Imbrium]

LOL

 

[jamestown478]

well todays session went very well. Dale, the new rabbit tried to mount cantelope once, she ran away and he seemed to get the hint. Then they had a few head to head pressing sessions and he decided to go lay down. Thats when cantelope decided to go up to him and lick his ears and face and then layed next to him. It was kinda cute.

 

[ldoerr]

Sounds like they are getting along really well. Love at first sight. Pictures please Is your female spayed?

 

[jamestown478]

yes she is spayed and he was recently fixed as well. I will try to get some pics tomorrow

 

[agnesthelion]

Sounds like a success so far!

Yes, would love to see pics and by the way, Dale is a super fantastic name for a bunny

 

[jamestown478]

so I have some sad news, for some reason dale sheds a lot and my fiances roomate is evidently alergic to all that hair. As much as I don't want to do it we made the decision that dale is going to go back to the humane society this weekend. I am def. heartbroken that I have to do something like this as I was really getting attached to him. I just hope that with what little time him and cantelope had together that they won't get heartbroken and end up missing each other

 

[agnesthelion]

Oh no. What breed was Dale that he shaded so bad? Was he molting or just needed a good grooming??

That's too bad....

 

[jamestown478]

Well so far i have her convinced to give it some more time and see if it was just the dander and stiff from all the other area animals at the shelter. All i know is that he is a rex mix and i have no idea how to tell if he is molting or anything

 

[jamestown478]

Well so far i have her convinced to give it some more time and see if it was just the dander and stiff from all the other area animals at the shelter. All i know is that he is a rex mix and i have no idea how to tell if he is molting or anything

 

[agnesthelion]

Hopefully it works out.

By the way, how is the bonding going?

 

[jamestown478]

the brown bun is cantelope, the white and gray is dale.

 

[MiniLopHop]

I would suggest the furminator for small animals, it really helps with shedding and getting rid of the extra loose fur. I hope the new bun gets to stay, it sounds like love.