One bunny or two?

[BiterBunny]

So, we are thinking of adding another bunny or two to our home. We haven't had baby bunnies in a long long long time. Maybe since I was a child. Our current bunny came to us as an adult. (He's doing well, by the way. Still lunges, but we can handle him more. His teeth need to be trimmed monthly, but other than that, he's good.)

We have the possibility of maybe adopting a couple mini rex bunnies if the person selling them approves us. We are thinking females.

We're wondering if it's better to get two same sex littermates? Or is it better to just get one? Are there pros and cons to either?

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

When you are dealing with young rabbits, I would not recommend getting 2. There is a good chance they will not get along as they mature and even getting them altered might not make a difference. Young rabbits can be tough to sex, so you can end up with one of each sex which leads to problems.
Unless you can commit to separating them if needed and on a long term basis, I would not recommend getting 2. So much can change as they grow up that nothing is guaranteed.

 

[BiterBunny]

When you are dealing with young rabbits, I would not recommend getting 2. There is a good chance they will not get along as they mature and even getting them altered might not make a difference. Young rabbits can be tough to sex, so you can end up with one of each sex which leads to problems.
Unless you can commit to separating them if needed and on a long term basis, I would not recommend getting 2. So much can change as they grow up that nothing is guaranteed.

Thank you for your advice! The person with the bunnies said that they have pedigreed parents who've been shown, so I'm hoping that means she will be able to sex them pretty well and I won't get any surprises, lol. They aren't ready until the beginning of July, so they're still small.

I think we will go with one if that's the best option, and then maybe consider trying to find a friend for him/her when they're older and more settled in their personality.

Is there much of a difference in males and females when they're this young?

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

With bonding, it is best if both rabbits are altered and that usually can't be done until the rabbit is around 4-6 months old. Usually a spayed female and neutered male get along best. You could get 2 now (or when the litter is ready) and get the altered as soon as the vet is comfortable, then work on bonding. This would mean they are still young and hormones don't become as much of an issue. You also don't have to wait as long to start bonding since they would be done around the same time. Of course there is the money factor as it can be expensive to get them done. If you did want to just get one now and think about bonding later, that is good too. I would then suggest getting it spayed or neutered before you look at other rabbits so you can introduce them before getting one to see how they get along, this works better if both are altered.

There isn't too much difference between the sexes before they mature. Once they do, there are more differences in behaviour. Females can be territorial and grumpy while males tend to spray and hump a lot.

 

[BiterBunny]

If females can be territorial and grumpy, does that mean that males aren't? The male we have now is very territorial, so I'd love to minimize the possibility of that in whichever sex we get.

We will likely be getting whichever sex we get spayed or neutered before they're a year old. I don't think my vet will alter them if they are too young.

 

[Apebull]

Were you thinking of bonding the new baby bun (once it fixed) with the bun you currently have or are they going to be separated?

 

[BiterBunny]

Were you thinking of bonding the new baby bun (once it fixed) with the bun you currently have or are they going to be separated?

I am thinking we will likely get another bunny to bond it to once it's older and fixed.

Our current bunny was an abused rescue and he's managed to draw blood on us a few times. I am sort of worried that he wouldn't be very nice to another bunny.

 

[whiskylollipop]

I've had two babies from the same litter for nearly a month now, and they like each other very much. No problems at all, and I can see that they appreciate having bunny company in this strange new home. They just seem all uncertain and sad when separated! They always go exploring or running laps together, it's the cutest.

I really hope they don't grow up to hate each other! :s

This is just my personal opinion, but I could never imagine getting only one bunny. The thought of a little baby huddled up on his own in a big lonely cage every night just breaks my heart! Of course your other bunny will be there, but there's no guarantees they'll get along.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

We have six that we house separately, all neutered of course, but we don't see the necessity of bonding them. They are all next to at least one or two others with an inch of separation between the hutches so they can interact but can't fight and they get time out of their hutch every day.

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

If females can be territorial and grumpy, does that mean that males aren't? The male we have now is very territorial, so I'd love to minimize the possibility of that in whichever sex we get.

Talk to the breeder about this and see what they have to say. The statements made in a previous post about temperament are generally true when you're talking about domestic rabbits as a whole. But one advantage to purchasing rabbits from a reputable breeder is that you know exactly where they come from and are working with someone who is very experienced and familiar with their rabbits in particular.

I know some breeders who choose to house same sex pairs together. That doesn't work for everyone, but some breeds are more laid back and if you house them that way for generations and generations, the line gets accustomed to that kind of husbandry. So you may be able to purchase a duo, in that case, with a fair chance of success.

Likewise, some breeders cull hard on things like spraying and may have cleaner bucks. They may do the same as far as temperamental does. I'm one of those people who is very particular about the does I breed. Not all of them are "follow you around and kiss you" friendly, but I don't tolerate territorial or aggressive behavior at all. Because of that, I am generally comfortable with offering does as pets since I work hard on producing good personalities.

The breeder will be able to give you specific information on their rabbits.

 

[warminwisco]

The 2 we got are from the same cage till 8 weeks brothers, we went back to get the other one a week later and are just s cute as the poster above portrays. We had one for many years so far twice is nice. They chase each other like rabbits or squirrels in the yard, hard to catch, man!