I want to get another rabbit but...

[i_wanna_blue]

hey everyone. i'm a first time bunny and pet owner so in many ways i'm still learning the ropes. i'm not really sure if this is the right forum to post this, but here goes...

my rabbit Benny is a female rabbit but i'm not sure of her exact age. i've had her for about 14 months, and about 6 months into her care under me i decided i should get another rabbit as company for her.
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/f33/hi-newbie-here-73600/

i decided to get another female rabbit, which was still quite young and i hoped they would become friends. however within a few minutes of putting the two in the same cage, Benny became very aggressive (started snorting loudly) and decided to attack the little rabbit. fortunately i stepped in and made sure the little one wasn't hurt but Benny seemed to be in a complete fit of rage. so i decided to return the new rabbit back to the pet store.

the thing is i do want to get another rabbit both for me to have another pet and for Benny to have company and a friend.

Benny however seems to enjoy being on her own, and I don't want the same thing to happen again. She is very loving but she can be a bit aggressive. She has bitten me in the past (but not in a serious way) and she does react when she doesn't want to go into her room to sleep at night, and when you corner her in order to catch her.

She's generally very happy and playful but she doesn't like to be held, and she can get frightened a bit easily. the day i got her from the pet store she was excessively anxious and was visibly shaking, and she tends to stay away from people she's not familiar with. going to the vet is usually quite nerve wrecking for her. Once in a while she tends to become quite moody and she actually gives me the "silent treatment" when she's not happy.

her general health is very good, so there's no problem there, and she's quite active. as yet she hasn't been spayed, and i'm not sure if this could be a factor in her behaviour.

my question is basically to ask if it's possible for me to get another rabbit as a friend for her, or is it better not to upset what seems to be working for Benny?

and if i try to get another rabbit is there anything i should do in order to make sure the two can coexist peacefully?

if anyone can give me advice relating to this it would be highly appreciated.

 

[Apebull]

She needs to be spayed for many reasons. First and most important is health and second is aggression and third you really can't bond a rabbit until they are fixed. If you want to get another bun for you and her, get her spayed first let her heal, then go to a rescue where they will have buns you can choose from and will allow bunny dates. That way Benny can pick her friend and you chances of a good bond are much higher.

 

[agnesthelion]

Yep, I agree with April. She needs to be spayed and it most definitely is contributing to her behavior.

I would encourage you to do some thorough research on bonding before attempting again. This is a long article, but it has excellent information about bonding.

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

Bonding is a tedious and detailed process and it's going to be different for every pair. It took 30 days to bond my two. You can't just go to the pet store and get a rabbit, bring her home and put her in the same cage. That is why the fighting occurred. Not to mention the fact that Benny isn't spayed......so she can't form a true bond, IMO, with another rabbit anyway.

Also, both rabbits need to be spayed. The new rabbit ahoul not be a baby. Babies will "like" any rabbit, but then once hormones kick in, things could change. Fighting can occur. You would then need to cage them separately, get new baby bunny spayed, wait til healing and then rebond. That's a lot of work, in my opinion.

That is why April mentioned bunny dating. Benny can then help pick out who she is attracted too.

Lastly, another factor to consider is same sex bonds statistically offer more challenges than m/f bonds. Even if they do bond, spontaneous fighting down the road can come up and often re-bonding may be needed. I know with this new bunny you returned you got another female because they werent spayed but once you spay your girl then I would encourage to look for a neutered male.

When you finally do get to the point of getting another bun, prepare to house them separately and do bunny dates (short play sessions) on neutral territory for some time before they can officially be caged together. As I said, it took 30 days to bond mine, I've heard of bonds taking a few days all the way to several months.

With all that being said, it is a lot of work and a learning process too but I've enjoyed seeing my twos relationship flourish and I think they do enjoy the company of a fellow rabbit You just want to go about it the right way.

Good luck!

 

[i_wanna_blue]

thank you both for the replies and for the link. i'll definitely give it a read. i suppose i made a real novices mistake by just hoping two completely strange rabbits would bond once i put them into the same space. *doh*

it looks like spaying is the only way. i will try over the next few weeks to find out how to get it done, and then hopefully move on from there.

 

[agnesthelion]

We all made mistakes as new bunny owners I chuckle at things I did as a newbie too. Lol.

Best of luck and let us know if you have any more questions!

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Spay first, then try bunny dates at shelters and rescues with a neutered male. Keep in mind that you may just have one like our Commander Bun-Bun. She was an alpha+++++ and would attack anything she could get to, so there was no way we could pair her up, except with a pet rock and it wouldn't have been fair to the rock.

 

[i_wanna_blue]

We all made mistakes as new bunny owners I chuckle at things I did as a newbie too. Lol.

Best of luck and let us know if you have any more questions!

Thanks. I'll be sure to post any questions if need be.

Spay first, then try bunny dates at shelters and rescues with a neutered male. Keep in mind that you may just have one like our Commander Bun-Bun. She was an alpha+++++ and would attack anything she could get to, so there was no way we could pair her up, except with a pet rock and it wouldn't have been fair to the rock.

Haha, i just hope my Benny isn't like that. I would really like for her to have a bit of company, but so far she seems to prefer being on her own.