What do you think???

[Apebull]

Sorry it' long

So Twigs is a only child. I thought about getting him a bunwife when we first go him, but I didn't/don't want to risk anybun teaching him bad habits since he's such a good boy and doesn't really chew or destroy much and has perfect litter box habit. Although our leather couches are now full of holes. PLUS I don't want to house 2 buns if the bond doesn't work. After I made up my mind the thought hasn't even crossed it until yesterday.

Now for the a little back story. When we got Twigs he was intact and well he "loved" my daughter. Poor girl was getting sprayed all the time and he loved well loving her legs :whistling. Thank God all that stopped after a trip to the vet. Now he still loves her and grooms her all the time. He'll lick and lick and lick whenever she's in the living room and sits at her feet in the dining room.

OK back to now :spintongue I let the kids sleep in the living room and she brought out a stuffed horse she sleeps with and has for years. So it smells 100% like her I'm sure. Anyway she put the thing on the ground by him and he immediately starting grooming this poor stuffed horse like crazy!!! So do you think he's lonely and needs a bunwife or was he just grooming the horse because he loves her so much and will groom anything that smells like her???

 

[JBun]

He may just have been grooming it cause it was your daughters. I would say to only get a second rabbit if it is something that you want too. I know that bonded rabbits can be really happy together, but I also keep reading all these accounts of trouble with bonding rabbits and already bonded pairs, and wonder sometimes if it is really worth it. I do have a bonded pair, but it's far from perfect. They like each other well enough, but my girl bun is a big grump and always nipping and lunging at my male bun. Luckily he's really easy going and much bigger than her, so he usually just puts up with it and hops away from her when she's like that, or if he gets sick of it he'll box her, then she'll freak and leave him alone. But then there are times that they groom each other and lay next to each other. So... If you decide to try it, I think being extremely picky about which one you choose, is a really good idea. They say buns ignoring each other is a good possibility, but I wouldn't settle for that. If it were me, I would only consider the ones that showed immediate liking for each other. And not just one rabbit, but both rabbits showing they like each other from the start. I think that way you have the greatest chance of it being a really good bond. Also opposite sex seems to work out the best too.

And yeah, a new rabbit could also teach your bun bad habits, but it could also be the opposite. You just never know til it happens. I think you just have to decide if it's something you are willing to deal with. If your bun gets lots of time and attention from your family, he may be perfectly happy with the way things are. He seems pretty bonded with your daughter. I don't know if a new bun would change that relationship, and would that upset her? It might work out really well, but I think it's good to go into it being prepared for it also not working out, because it is certainly a possibility.

 

[Apebull]

Thanks Jenny. I don't want to do anything to change the bond my daughter and Twigs have already. She was already upset when he do fixed and didn't chase her as much lol. Was more just wondering if hes lonely for a furry friend since he starting grooming the stuffed animal so quickly. Being a stay at home mom who home schools we are home tons, so he gets plenty of attention. I think we'll stay a one bun family.

 

[Apebull]

Ok I'm again rethinking about getting a lop. Do you think another bun would really interfere with his relationship with my daughter or would the new bun also bond to my daughter like Twigs is?

 

[mjpeter]

It's really hard to predict, and you won't know until you try. That's why we've decided to be a one bunny family for awhile. Bella gets attention all day (I'm a stay-at-home mom, as well) and Bella literally has no bad habits. She never misses the box, loves to be handled and is sweet as pie. I figure as long as we continue to shower her with attention, she'll be fine.

On the other hand, sometimes I get excited about the thought of another bun (we actually had her meet with a few bunnies) but we've decided to stay with just her.

I think if YOU want another one, go for it, but don't do it if it's just to please your bun if he's as loved as you say. Do try for a female if you go for another one. The lady who bonds at our rescue only let us look at boys since opposite sex bonds are USUALLY so much easier.

Good luck with your decision!!

 

[beatrixpoppy]

I suppose it is possible, however all buns are individuals so there's no guarentees

 

[Apebull]

UGH I don't want to mess up what my daughter has with Twigs. But I REALLY REALLY REALLY want a lop for me, they are just to stinking cute with there grumpy lil faces. And no house another bun in a separate part of the house is NOT an option. Sigh

 

[PaGal]

If you cannot house another bun separately than you should just stick with one. There are no guarantees that a bond will work. Fighting can get bad and dangerous for the buns. And not all buns will be as well behaved or sweet as your current bun.

I would happily have ten buns if they were all like Thumper but they are not.

 

[mjpeter]

UGH I don't want to mess up what my daughter has with Twigs. But I REALLY REALLY REALLY want a lop for me, they are just to stinking cute with there grumpy lil faces. And no house another bun in a separate part of the house is NOT an option. Sigh

If another single is really not an option, I would go through local rescues and "date" any lops that you have an eye on. Lots of rescues will actually help you bond, and then you can be sure that the other bun (who will be spayed and over 6 months or so) will be compatible with your little guy. That way, you won't have to worry about a personality change during puberty.

The odds of picking out a baby and hoping it works won't be nearly as good.

 

[Apebull]

If another single is really not an option, I would go through local rescues and "date" any lops that you have an eye on. Lots of rescues will actually help you bond, and then you can be sure that the other bun (who will be spayed and over 6 months or so) will be compatible with your little guy. That way, you won't have to worry about a personality change during puberty.

The odds of picking out a baby and hoping it works won't be nearly as good.

I would only ever go through a rescue. That's my problem LOL I have a "liked" a local rescue on facebook and they keep posting the cutest lil lops (and non-lops) they have. If I stopped looking I would be fine. I probably should hide their post LOL.:foreheadsmack::imstupid

 

[mjpeter]

I would only ever go through a rescue. That's my problem LOL I have a "liked" a local rescue on facebook and they keep posting the cutest lil lops (and non-lops) they have. If I stopped looking I would be fine. I probably should hide their post LOL.:foreheadsmack::imstupid

I do love the lops, too. There were a few when we got Bella, a dutch, but they just didn't feel as "right" to us as she did.

I don't see any reason why you couldn't proceed carefully through a rescue and see how your bun responds. I don't think it would "change" him, but it is likely he could become less dependent on your daughter for attention.

We're going back and forth on the same issues, so make sure to keep us in the loop!!