Our bunny rabbit is lonely!

[TheNextMrsDepp]

We inherited a gorgeous 4yo rabbit from friends in the summer - he's lovely and docile, enjoys tolerates being picked up and never bites or scratches. He originally had a sister, but has lived on his own since she was nabbed by a fox a couple of years ago. In the summer he had lots of attention from dd1, but now that it is cold, wet and dark when she gets home from school he has become a little neglected. We bring him into the utility room for a runabout and play sometimes, but I think he would really love a little friend.

My question is, can we introduce a new rabbit or GP? Will they get on? I don't want to shell out for a new animal / larger cage etc. only to find that they hate each other. Any advice appreciated!

Hi Mrs Depp

It would be a great idea to give your bunny a ladybun to love - as long as the girl is neutered, which is as much for preventing uterine cancer as unwanted litters. A guinea pig is not a good idea as they have different needs and being different species do not understand each other's gestures/signals etc.

Your best bet is to get in touch with a rescue centre (find a list here and they will help you find a compatible partner. They will try your rabbit out with a few others and see who he gets on with best. The other bonus is that the new rabbit will be already neutered, vaccinated etc.

It is a really lovely thing to see your previously lonely rabbit snuggle and groom with a partner - good luck!

Thanks for that - really useful.

I guess I'm a bit worried - we've got such a gorgeous-natured chap, and I can't imagine another bunny would be as nice. But there are a couple of rescue centres nearby so I'll have to give them a call.

DH is also a bit concerned about a rabbit empire building up in the back garden - he wasn't even keen on the first one arriving!

Yes my DH feels the same! But two really is lovely. Good luck with your matchmaking!

Ive got a recently beraeaved 4 year old girl here. She's a netherland dwarf, in an eglu hutch and run which in turn is in a large pen.

If anyones got a girl they would like me to look after id be really happy to.

I'm also getting worried about the forthcoming cold weather as he hasn't got a buddy bunny to snuggle.

I need to find something warm to put in his cage. Numpty rabbit uses the small enclosed bit as a toilet so won't sleep in there, even though it's SO much cosier.

Ours does that, i put a kneeling mat in the run and she sits on that quite a bit. We have the snuggle safe hot water bottle but she never bothers with it.

My friend has an old stone hot water bottle which she wraps in a sack for her rabbits.

When we had ours neutered recently the rabbit advice leaflets said rabbits are miserable on their own and there are ways to introduce a friend so that they pair bond. Could you ask your vets for advice?
We were told that a guinea pig with a rabbit is always a bad idea as the rabbit tends to bully the guinea pig.

my rabbits wee/poo in the "bedroom" too and it drives me crazy. I've given up putting bedding in there now as I was just throwing away a hideous amount. I don't know why they won't use the toilet elsewhere

you can buy hutch covers to keep the warm in which might help over winter, esp if he sleeps out in the main area of the hutch

thisisyesterday - maybe our bunnies are "shy" and like a bit of toilet privacy!!

Maybe it isn't a bedroom at all, just an en suite!

goodluck - I have also heard that GPs aren't a good rabbit companion, though many people do pair them up. I can't believe my soppy bunny would ever bully anyone, though. But two rabbits equals massive new big cage (£££).

We have an only bunny!

His mate died & we really didn´t want to get into replacing ad infinitum.

He´s in for the Winter so getting lots of cuddles & attention.

We have a single house rabbit
DD1 did try getting him a companion but there was blood and fur everywhere! So the 2nd bun had to go back to the rescue
He and our cat tolerate each other, they don't snuggle up but will sit near each other without fights

Our bun has a litter tray for a toilet which he will sit in but he normally sleeps under DD's bed or under the table in my room or occasionally just flops down in the middle of the room