Please help, questions on adopting another bunny!

[SixxAM]

Okay, so I have one bunny, her name is Echo, and I have had her about 7 months, she just got spayed, but that's not what I'm asking.

My friend, Kattie, she has a bunny, he is 11 years old, and lives in her dark basement. Her mother is allergic to the fur, and Kattie, has offered to give me her bunny, for free. I have a huge cage, and lots of food, water, hay, ect.
I think I could look after both Echo, and Whiskers, (Katties bunny)

My problem is, how would Echo and Whiskers get along? And is they get along well, what happens when Whiskers dies in a few years? Will Echo miss him and die too?

Please help, I feel bad for Whiskers, he is cooped up in a small cage all day, and I'd really love to bring him here.

 

[miverson]

Buns are not something you can throw into a cage together without testing the waters first. It will end in a fight that could cost you alot of money or a life.

Although it may be difficult, bonding these two is totally possible with enough work. When Whiskers or Echo die the other bun will more then likely be depressed as it's like loosing your best friend.

some quick steps.
Bring Whiskers into your home. Whiskers will need her own cage, play area, water bottle .... everything must be seperate and no letting them be in the same area.

after a few weeks or longer you will want to introduce them through a cage or something similar. So they can sniff and see but not anything else. You will want to do this in a "neutral" zone where its nobody's home turf.

after a few more weeks or longer, you will want to introduce them in the same area that is still neutral. I recommend that you do it only for short bursts. keep this up every day. soon enough you can leave them out for an extended period of time.

you then move them to the area you want them to stay and continue doing as stated above. Continue extending the time period but only if they are getting along.

you can try leaving them out for a few hours then at a time.


I think you probably get the point. Bonding is not an easy process by any means but worth it in the end. Many people here post about their bonding experiences and you should read up and see what people say.

there may be battles between the two but in the end you can create some peace and loving relationship.

I wish the best of luck and let us know if you decide to adopt whiskers. No not if, when.

Matt

 

[agnesthelion]

Hmmm, well this is tough.

Is Whiskers neutered? Im assuming not. So that's the first variable working against you as far as a bond.

Second, his age. A rabbit that old that has lived solo (I'm assuming?) his whole life could have issues bonding with a rabbit at this advanced stage of his life.

Lastly, IF they would bond, which there is alot working against that happening unfortunately, you are setting up your Echo to have a huge heartbreak when she loses her mate. Which, we have to be honest poor Whiskers just doesnt have alot of time left here

So, not that that discounts the fact that poor Whiskers doesn't seem to have the best life. Are they just developing allergies after 11 years?

If you do decide to take him my opinion, which is simply my opinion, would be to not bond them and keep them seperate.

 

[SixxAM]

I'll only take whiskers if they will bond...
Whiskers has no hay in his cage (she didn't know what hay was) and he's on a different food, and everything from me... Echo will only drink from a bowl, but Whiskers doesn't... Echo get veggies ever night, Whiskers doesn't...
Whiskers doesn't like people... He's locked in a cage in the basement all day long... Echo is situated right where everyone is... Not that she is ever in her cage really, it's the first thing I do when I get home from school, and the last thing I do before I go to bed..
I just really feel bad for Whiskers, Kattie wanted a bunny when she was 4, so her mom bought her one, without knowing how to do anything. I really would just like to get Whiskers out of the basement.
Maybe I'll take her cage, and put him in the opposite side of the room, he doesn't like to come out of the cage, so he'll probable end up staying in...
Ill have to ask my mother first, but I don't think he will bond with Echo really well, which is a problem, as I'd like to both have them out, at the same time, in the same room.

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

I don't think I would put Whiskers through the stress of bonding at his age. If he has always been a solitary bunny, especially unaltered, the process will only be frustrating and frightening for him.

As long as Whiskers is taken care of, I don't think there is any trouble in leaving him with your friend. They have obviously loved him and looked after him if he has lived so long! There are many different ways to care for and house rabbits. Some people do choose a pellet-only diet. Some don't offer extended time out of the cage. That doesn't make the situation wrong, just a little different.

If you decide to take Whiskers in, I'm sure he would be happy with you too. But if the situation doesn't quite work with your resources, it sounds like he would be okay at his house too.

 

[mdith4him]

I have to respectfully disagree with Julie. It doesn't sound to me like he's been loved. It sounds like they got him, but didn't know what they were getting themselves into and just shoved him in the basement. Feeding an animal doesn't mean someone loves him. The OP makes it sound like they're just feeding him out of obligation and now they've finally had enough and want to get rid of him.

Bunnies need extended time out of their cage. I've never read anything to the contrary. Bunnies who have spent their whole lives in a small cage can't hop around like they're supposed to and their muscles can atrophy.

I would take Whiskers if at all possible. He probably doesn't have many years left, but you could let him end his life in comfort and in a loving place. It will probably take awhile for him to trust you and want to come out of his cage, but it would be so worth the effort. Please keep us updated on what you decide!

 

[MiniLopHop]

I have to agree, to me it doesn't sound like Whiskers is being loved. It might be more comfortable to take his cage and let him live in your room. It probably will take him some time to be comfortable coming out of his cage anyway. It is not hard to rotate time out. It sounds like any time out would be lovely for Whiskers. Heck, just being in a room where people talk with him and pay attention would be lovely. Be sure to change his diet slowly since there is such a huge difference.
ray:

 

[agnesthelion]

Yes I agree Whiskers is NOT being loved. Locked in a cage all day in a dark basement with no hay? Hmm, I've never seen anything that indicates that's an "okay" way to care for a bunny.......

But anyway, still stick with my original post, bonding probably isn't possible. He isn't neutered, right? And plus his age. Too many variables working against you

 

[SixxAM]

I'm going to talk to Kattie about getting her cage, and I think I'll put him in my room, since he has such a small cage. He'll be in his cage, when Echo is out, I'll put Echo in her cage, or in a separate room, when Whiskers it out.

I'm going to talk to Kattie about taking her cage (I don't see why she would need it) and maybe a bag (or more?) of food.

But, Echo doesn't seem too be eating her old food, so I might have to switch it to food that looked a lot like Whiskers.

 

[Blue eyes]

^^ sounds like that would be a good idea -- keeping them separate but giving Whiskers a chance of occasional freedom outside his cage.

Remember to do any food switching gradually by mixing the old with the new over a week or two.

Do you know what to look for in a healthy pellet? Do you know why Echo is no longer interested in the current pellets?