Lonely bun.. What should I do?

[shelby_jonesss]

My bun is a little over a year old and he has been alone since I have had him. I got him neutered about 4-5 months ago and wanted to get another rabbit but it makes it hard when I'm only 16 and live under my parents rules. Over the summer I built him a new cage that is 3.5ft x 6ft that is two levels high. He has only been using the top level (he doesn't seem to like the ramp). I try my best but I am very busy- so I don't always get to give him free time. I dont want to give up on him and give him away because I love him so much even though my time with him has decreased since school has started. I was hoping that if I get a job this summer I can convince my parents to adopt a female that is already spayed from a shelter or rescue (of course I will try to match them first because I want him to have a companion, not an enemy). Would my cage be large enough for two bunnies? And what is the yearly cost for two bunnies? Do you guys like having a pair? Did your bunny become happier after having a friend? Let me know what you think!

 

[whiskylollipop]

Perhaps the ramp is too steep or too slippery? Personally with 2 levels I prefer using a box or horizontal plank to function as a midway step the bunny can go up and down on. Ramps can be tricky.

I'm sure your cage is large enough for two bunnies, but bonding them can be a long and tedious process. If you're busy, that may not work out, and you'll end up with separate bunnies for a very long time. Cost-wise, food will double but it really doesn't make much difference unless you spend a lot on greens. They can share toys and a litterbox.

It does help a bunny to have a friend if he's got nothing to do for most of the day. If your bun is in a secluded area where nothing much goes on around him, go for it. If your family's always bustling around him and he has stuff to look at, he's probably not too bored or lonely. Go with your instinct, but remember bonding bunnies is trickier than most people think, so be sure it's worth committing to.

 

[Aki]

Bonding isn't always easy, but a spayed female put on a neutered male territory is as easy as it gets. If you take a female from a shelter, they might help you with the bonding process too.

I took a second rabbit because the one I had seemed lonely and that I felt bad going to university and letting her on her own. I never regretted it. They did everything together and my bunny seemed a lot happier than before (I often got the feeling that my second rabbit was more my rabbit's rabbit than my rabbit). When rabbit n°2 died, last year, my rabbit seemed terribly depressed. She developped anxiety related disorders and it was rather awful to watch. I adopted another rabbit to keep her company and he really helped her heal. At first, they didn't get along all that great (mostly because rabbit n°3 is a lazy dirty bum, whereas rabbit n°1 is a neat-freak) but they obviously grew on each other. I found them cuddling on their cushion just yesterday. And rabbit n°1 is a lot better now. So yeah, I think it's really better to have 2 rabbits rather than one and actually most of the male/female couples work very well if we take the time to introduce them properly (there are exceptions of course, some rabbits hate other bunnies or just can't stand the rabbit you've chosen for them!).​

About the cost thing, having 2 rabbits doesn't really make a big difference except when it comes to vet related costs. You have to be prepared to pay for shots (I generally get a small discount for having 2 bunnies, but it's still pretty expensive) and to the possibility of having both rabbits be sick in a short span of time... which might eventually happen when they are old.
But well, personnally, I would never own a single rabbit now that I've seen how happy being with a friend make them. No matter how hard I try, I can't be there all the time, I don't speak rabbit and I can't be with my rabbit inside the cage to help with her anxiety when we take the train or go to the vet. That's what her companion/masseur/cage warmer is here for.
I would look at these articles to have more in depth advice : http://rabbit.org/category/behavior/multiple-rabbits/

 

[shelby_jonesss]

Thank you for your great advice what types of boxes should I use as steps to go up to the next level? And I am seriously considering the second rabbit, it seems like a great idea.