I got a call from the shelter today about thenewest additions to the small animal room. we got a 2 yr oldmini-lop male un-neuteredsurrendered with a 5 yroldfemale small guinea pig. Everyone is concerned about whether they haveto remain together
They came in together in a guinea pig cage barely big enough for therabbit to stand up..also although they were surrendered by afamily neither one of them had been named by their owners. The rabbitand guinea were separated for one night and one of the staff thoughtthe rabbit was "depressed'" so they wre reunited. Then I was called soright now I have the mini-lop and the guinea pig in my bathroom inseparate areas to evaluate whether they can live apart. These are theshelter concerns
1) Hard to adopt older guinea pig and rabbit together
2) Since the guinea pig is 5 yrs old if they were adopted togethershelter is concerned that rabbit would be left alone and go into adepression when guinea pig dies.
3) I noticed that the rabbit had a huge bare spot on his right hipwhich could be mange but I suspect has to do with the guinea piggrooming him
4) The rabbit willmost likely be neutered in several weeks and the guinea would need to be taken out anyway
These are my major questions
!) Do rabbits and guinea pigs bond in the same emotional way as 2 rabbits??
2) The guinea pig seems OK alome (eating etc) but is it cruel to separate them.?
3) I am watching the rabbit carefully to see if he is OK but is thiscruel or is it possible that the rabbit doesn't form as strong a bondas with another rabbit??
I would not be trying to separate them if the shelter was not pushing at me? Am I right?
They came in together in a guinea pig cage barely big enough for therabbit to stand up..also although they were surrendered by afamily neither one of them had been named by their owners. The rabbitand guinea were separated for one night and one of the staff thoughtthe rabbit was "depressed'" so they wre reunited. Then I was called soright now I have the mini-lop and the guinea pig in my bathroom inseparate areas to evaluate whether they can live apart. These are theshelter concerns
1) Hard to adopt older guinea pig and rabbit together
2) Since the guinea pig is 5 yrs old if they were adopted togethershelter is concerned that rabbit would be left alone and go into adepression when guinea pig dies.
3) I noticed that the rabbit had a huge bare spot on his right hipwhich could be mange but I suspect has to do with the guinea piggrooming him
4) The rabbit willmost likely be neutered in several weeks and the guinea would need to be taken out anyway
These are my major questions
!) Do rabbits and guinea pigs bond in the same emotional way as 2 rabbits??
2) The guinea pig seems OK alome (eating etc) but is it cruel to separate them.?
3) I am watching the rabbit carefully to see if he is OK but is thiscruel or is it possible that the rabbit doesn't form as strong a bondas with another rabbit??
I would not be trying to separate them if the shelter was not pushing at me? Am I right?