When to get a second rabbit?

[ZoeStevens]

I have one rabbit, an adult male angora, neutered. I know that rabbits are group animals and I want him to be as happy as possible. The expense and responsibility of a second rabbit is not an issue, but if it were all the same to Abe (my rabbit) I would not get a second one.

I read somewhere that some rabbits are just as good by themselves, and Abe does seem independent. He loves the basement (because it's carpeted, I think) and will often go down there on his own and run around like a fool, or have a nap beside the cat. He will spend time upstairs as well and is affectionate and happy to be with us. He is out of his cage for several hours a day but will return willingly (with the door open) to nap or eat (he has food in the basement as well).

My new hutch will soon be ready at which time I will have two cages and thus be capable of housing two rabbits until they are bonded.

So my question is how does one know if a rabbit would be happier with a buddy?

 

[missyscove]

There are some rabbits that don't seem to like other bunnies, but personally I prefer bonded pairs. I love watching my two interact with eachother and snuggle with and groom one another. I know that when I'm gone all day they still have a friend to keep them company.
Bonding does take time and effort and you have to be prepared for the possibility that the two will never bond and will have to be caged separately indefinitely. The best way to find a bond mate for an existing rabbit, in my opinion, is to visit a rescue or shelter that allows for bunny dating. After Sherlock passed, I took Watson with me to a shelter and he had dates with three different bunnies. His interactions with all three were either fairly neutral or positive but in the end we brought Cricket home as they did the most grooming with eachother.

 

[ZoeStevens]

How long did it take to bond them once you start working on it? I don't mind the process, just trying to get an idea of what's ahead of me if I opt to get a Mary Todd for my Abraham Lincoln. Ideal is male/female pairs, yes?

 

[ZoeStevens]

Oh, and my rabbit almost certainly has pasteurella. Is that an issue?

 

[missyscove]

It only took me 2 weeks to bond my current pair, my previous pair was more like a month. It depends on how well they get along and how well the existing bunny has established its territory. Male/female neutered/spayed pairs seem to get along best, but I adopted a male/male pair that were bonded as well, so it depends. The majority of rabbits carry pasteurella as a commensal bacteria without showing symptoms, so it's not really a concern. If your rabbit is showing symptoms (sneezing, discharge, etc.), then I would be sure to consult with your vet.

 

[Troller]

I think very few bunnies will obviously display they need a companion. For the most part its assumed they do, being such gregarious creatures. The only way to know for sure is by introducing them to other rabbits (there are some group meets Ive read about) or in the process of dating, but otherwise its purely based on the keepers observation of their pet if they need a buddy.

Personally I think the better question is are you ready or want another rabbit? As long as you give a single bunny enough of your time and attention then they will remain (for the most part) happy. Afterall, your the one adding the extra little mouth to feed and the additional effort to clean. From all my research, there is no real 'better' time to bring in an another rabbit.

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

Oh, and my rabbit almost certainly has pasteurella. Is that an issue?

I wouldn't recommend bonding a rabbit with pasteurella. It is true that many rabbits do come into contact with the bacteria within their lifetimes, but that doesn't mean we need to intentionally expose otherwise healthy rabbits.

For rabbits that have active symptoms, some are fortunate to have mild cold-like symptoms that can be controlled with antibiotics each time they flare up. For others, symptoms become a debilitating respiratory illness with severe sneezing, watery eyes and respiratory distress. Sometimes the bacteria also causes head tilt or abscesses.

It isn't worth it, to me, to risk the chance of more serious and sometimes fatal complications.

 

[ZoeStevens]

If your rabbit is showing symptoms (sneezing, discharge, etc.), then I would be sure to consult with your vet.

My rabbit does have some mild symptoms - discharge and the odd booger. He has been through a couple courses of antibiotics which reduced the symptoms but didn't eliminate them. From what the vets are saying, he may always display some symptoms but as long as he's otherwise in good health he may not need any extra medical care. And he has improved since coming here - his eyes no longer leak and he's gained weight. There is a local rabbit rescue so I will how they feel about it.

Personally I think the better question is are you ready or want another rabbit? As long as you give a single bunny enough of your time and attention then they will remain (for the most part) happy. Afterall, your the one adding the extra little mouth to feed and the additional effort to clean. From all my research, there is no real 'better' time to bring in an another rabbit.

That's kind of a tough question for me to answer. In a perfect world, I would have one rabbit who is perfectly happy being a lone rabbit. I am concerned about things that a new rabbit would do that might be annoying, like cable chewing. Abe doesn't chew cables and although I supervise him when's he out, I don't worry about it happening (like the paranoia I had at first has gone away). He's litter trained, fairly easy to groom, eats well, friendly, etc etc, and I do have concerns about what effect bringing in a new rabbit would have.

The extra food, cleaning, and loving are not an issue. Of all my pets, Abe is pretty easy except for the hay that needs to be swept, but even that is not a big deal and once I get my hutch it will be a lot better.

I did the same thing with my birds, really. I had one little conure and when my work moved and I knew I would not be home as much, I got her a buddy. I am happy to have them both, but the first one will always have a special place in my heart.

I had another question as well: my hutch is going to be 42" x 24" (and 30" high). My current rabbit is an angora and pretty big (small cat sized. 6-7 lbs.). Is that big enough for two? I'd like to get a dwarf if I did get a second rabbit, but ultimately I am not that fussy.

 

[ZoeStevens]

I wouldn't recommend bonding a rabbit with pasteurella. It is true that many rabbits do come into contact with the bacteria within their lifetimes, but that doesn't mean we need to intentionally expose otherwise healthy rabbits.

For rabbits that have active symptoms, some are fortunate to have mild cold-like symptoms that can be controlled with antibiotics each time they flare up. For others, symptoms become a debilitating respiratory illness with severe sneezing, watery eyes and respiratory distress. Sometimes the bacteria also causes head tilt or abscesses.

It isn't worth it, to me, to risk the chance of more serious and sometimes fatal complications.

Yes I have these concerns as well (I am not entirely convinced that 80% of rabbits are infected with it). Abe is like that - ongoing cold-like symptoms that, if they get bad, can be reduced or temporarily eliminated with antibiotics.

What if I bonded him to a rabbit that had similar symptoms or was known to have pasteurella as well?

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

Yes I have these concerns as well (I am not entirely convinced that 80% of rabbits are infected with it). Abe is like that - ongoing cold-like symptoms that, if they get bad, can be reduced or temporarily eliminated with antibiotics.

What if I bonded him to a rabbit that had similar symptoms or was known to have pasteurella as well?

That would be a possibility, to look into adopting a rabbit in need that has tested positive for pasteurella too.

Rabbits can be asymptomatic carriers of the bacteria, so that contributes to the number of affected animals. But it seems to me that transmission is more likely when animals are showing symptoms. In a rabbitry situation, transmission typically starts with one rabbit that's brought in from another area and starts with the sneezing, nasal discharge, watery eyes, etc. If action isn't taken immediately to quarantine and treat the rabbit, symptoms usually start appearing in others in the same area.