What kind of rabbit is this & can we get another to be her friend ?

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Jennie

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Hello, Just new to the whole rabbit world & got into them because of rescuing one.....this one & not sure what kind if any she is ? Also, if we wanted to get another *Holland Lop*, would they be friends & happy ? Hutch is about 5' long & about 2 or so feet wide with a nice solid hide box to one end. Just thought since the one is an outside bunny, if a friend for it would be good ???? Also, if the two of themsince different species would get along ? Any opinions or suggestions ?



Thanks much,

Jennie
 
They wouldn't be different species, only different breeds. And breeds have no effect on if they get along or not, it is dependant on the individual rabbits personality. We can't guarentee that 2 rabbits will get along. I suggest letting your bunnypick one out herself. Some rescues you let you take them as a trial to see if they get along and some will bond them for you.

I recommend an adult because even if they get along and one is a baby, that could change. Most rabbits hit the 'teen years' which is when their hormones are going nuts. Fighting is common at this stage but getting a rabbit that is 11 months old elimintes this risk. Chances are that if you can get them to get along, there will be no issues where nothing is certain if you get a baby.
 
i am thinking your bun is a Hotot Mix.

I really believe in letting your bun pick out her own friend. I brought home a baby bun and my Tulla ripped her to pieces.
 
Ok, this new bunny was born in Mar. & not sure how old our bunny now is. This lop is at a petstore & not sure about them letting us try the two , but , maybe. Son liked this lop & this was the only big size bunny they have. Does it matter if it's 2 females & they aren't spayed ? I thought 2 females would be better than 2 males. How to test if they will like one another & how to put the new bunny in the hutch.......will this make our bunny mad ? Can they fight so bad it can kill each other ? Don't want this & hoped they would be friends. Can I bring home & put them right together for health reasons ? How will we know they just won't get along ?

Thanks,

Jennie

PS. What is a Hotot Mix ????
 
Yes, rabbits can fight bad enough that they could kill eachother.

There are lots of bonding pages and what nots posted on the forum, I have to run though so I can't post the links but I'm sure others will.
 
Bonding can take some time. There are some really great resources including videos through the House Rabbit Society. I would think if you do not get daily interaction with your bun they definitely need a friend. When we found a friend for Mr. Pumpkin Bunny he went on bunny dates until he found a girlfriend.

Definitely read through the bunny 101 thread and this one in particular. Bunny fights can be very dangerous. http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12072&forum_id=17

This is just a bit to get started and thinking about the bonding.

Forgot to add the shelter that I got Peanut from set up the "dates" and really facilitated everything, including providing resources and training.


 
My oh my........didn't think it would be all that hard to get another bunny & now don't want to !! Just thought we would get to give the other one a friend , but , if you have to go though all of that, don't think so !! Don't have a 2nd hutch to put beside this hutch for 2 weeks & all of that. Thought if we bought the new bunny & brought her home, introduced them & all was fine, then they could be hutch mates !!! What to watch for health wise ? I know the petstore has had her for sometime now. Nobody has ever bought one & brought home to put right with the other bunny ? Boy, didn't think this would be an issue. Petstores house them all together. She just said, sometimes 2 males together becomes an issue.

Jennie
 
Oh.....I did consider another rescue , but , none in our area has any (closest is 1 1/2 away) & also most rescues require to house them inside & ours is out.



Jennie
 
A female and a male can even be an issue. We all suggest that male and female pairs be spayed and neutered to prevent babies. But rabbits are very territorial and 99.9% of the time you can't bring home a rabbit and just plop it into the cage with the existing rabbit without fighting.

I recently bonded a male/female pair and it could not have been easier but it still took 2.5 weeks to do.

Basically this is how it goes -- easiest to bond to hardest. Keep in mind that this is not always how it works.

1)Fixed male/female pair

2)Doe/doe pair

3) Male/male pair

I have one male that will not get along with either my male or my doe, so that goes to show that it's not always 100% accurate.

But lets put it this way. If you are not prepared to house them separately for life and have double the work, double the time to spend with each ofthem individually, and double the money then don't get another rabbit.
 
Jennie wrote:
Petstores house them all together. She just said, sometimes 2 males together becomes an issue.
Click to expand...
Put it this way, never trust a pet store. They rarely know what they're talking about and frequently lie for more business or just for lack of knowledge on their animals.

They can house them all together because they are babies most likely. And keeping babies together is easy but pet stores rarely keep rabbits long enough to know what happens when they hit the 'teen stage'.

Most of us hate pet stores and I would never buy one from them. There was a point where I almost considered a pet store bunny but I changed my mind. The only reason I go in them now is to buy the feed I need and leave.
 
If you decide not toget a bunny to bond with yours I really encourage daily interaction with your bun.Lether out to run and play every day. Acageis a lonely place24/7.


Ialso hate pet stores and even steer clear of them for food etc.They do not typically feed their rabbits well, provide them with proper homes or learn about handeling or who would be best suited for pet ownership. So I get to keyed up if I go in there.I shop on-line or at a store that will not sell rabbits. Just as OP said Pet stores lie. My first rabbit was a "Boy" "Netherland Dwarf" she ended up to be an 11 LBSl! Thats no dwarf. If you go with a pet store, you will not be guaranteedthe sex,the breedor really anything including good health.

On the flip side: If you rescue a bun you will get a rabbit who has been checked out by a vet,that has been spayed or neutered (so they won't get crazy with hormones)andmy experience is that you willalso get support for bonding.

When I rescued Peanut this year, I only had one cage, it was not big enough for two buns. However, the shelterlet me borrow a pen forPeanutuntilshe and Mr. Pumpkin Bunny bonded. My vet even offered me a cage to borrow if they were not bonded by the time the rescue needed the pen back. (my bonding took longer than most). They also provided me with my freak out support as I called it.My buns randomly had a really bad fur flying fight one night after a few good bonding sessions and I called them up crying, I was about to die. They love bunnies so much they pretty much held my hand to ensure the successful bond. Now that they are bondedthey have a bigdog run pen and we arenow looking to customizea NIC cage to fit their personalities and using the run as a vacation home for them:).

Don't let the thread on bonding scare you away from getting your bunny a friend. As OP said many times there is no problem at all, but you definately want to be informed so that you bunny doe not become a bunny at a shelter. I would also addif you letyour bunny do the choosing, you will have a much better chance of success! You have everyone here for support too!

Good Luck!

 
Ok, how do we let our bun do the choosing ? Also, I know the owner at the petstore (we are reg. there) & did take out the bun tonight to sex........female 4-sure ! She also showed me a baby & what a male looks like. I could tell the different. I would like to know how I can tell if the 2 will get along (if possible with 1 meeting?), how to do this when dealing with a hutch outside (can't put another cage next to it.......it sits about 4' off the ground & don't have another hutch), & really how you all did your bonding ? Still makes me what to say......NO to all of this. Didn't think bunnies would be so mean with one another.



Thanks,

Jennie
 
pamnock wrote:
How much does your rabbit weigh? She does look like she might be a mismarked Dwarf Hotot. Here's a site with photos and info. http://www.geocities.com/madhc1/



Pam
Click to expand...
Not sure on her weight , but , I would say....NOT a dwarf bun. She's probably 3 or so lbs. maybe. She's not small & her ears aren't stubby.



Jennie
 
Your friend may just be the answer! Willshe let you use the store as a neutral territory for them to meet? If so you may be able to have that be their date! Also will she let you borrow a cage until they are bonded?

I drove2 hours (I am crazy I know) to take Mr. P. B on his date, so he had some major speed dating that day with a bunch of different bunnies. So they technically met 2 times in one day before Peanut camehome with us. We were able to weed out the ones that would not work right away within 10-15 minutes.

Also if youare willing to set up a small areain your shed/basement/garage (temporarily) to bring them to bond that would work. The key is a neutral area before introducing them into the others' territory. I knew a couple of people who bonded their bunnies in their tubs. The lack of traction was goodb/c they couldn't chase each other.

For usa combination of driving around with them in an unusedlitter box full of hay and bonding sessions on our kitchen table it what made things work. Mr.P.B. pretty much had our whole house as his territory so we were limited.I believe that wasthe big reason our bonding took longer) Mr. P.B said this is "My house"but clearly Peanut was not the backing down type. Mr. P B was willing to give in on neutral territory, but wedid not have much neutral territory in our house, so when we finally we able to get them on neutral territory we had success.

It is not that the bunniesare mean to each other, it is just a matter of working out their living arrangements and theirpersonalities. Kind of like humans and their first college roommate experiences.;) Some work and some are miserable.

 
Ok, so should I take our bun to the store to meet then ? How to tell if they will like one another ? Can you tell this with 1 meeting & if all is fine, we buy this bun, bring her home, can problems happen ? I know I will have to keep apart & let them see/play with one another a few times a day. What about not keeping the cages near each ? Can't due to the hutch & how it's off the ground. How to go about putting new bun in others cage ? Do I need to fear anything about health (giving old bun something)when getting a new bun ? How to let bond if you have to keep them apart for 2 weeks ? Still up in the air here.........:(



Jennie
 
There is little chance of a rabbit being submissive enough to completely bond to another in one night. And I still don't think a pet store baby is a good idea. There is still a high chance that there will be fighting when they get older and you don't sound prepared for that. That's my opinion but it's one I want to emphasize.
 
good luck bonding.

i have been doing it every single day for over five months now! and they are just now to the grooming stage. but it is very rare that it takes anyone as long as its taking me. but always expect the worst and hope for the best
 
Can you offer any tips on how you all went about bonding your buns, from meeting for the first time, putting together each day for bonding, & then both to the same cage ?

I feel if it's this darn hard..........then no 2nd bun. Too bad for miss bun, I was hoping to get her company. :(



Jennie
 
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