Should I get a friend for my Angora rabbit?

[ExcitedForChristmas18]

I'm wondering if anybody has any advice..
We have an Angora rabbit called Dandelion. She is one now..
She is a very happy, spoilt rabbit..but I just worry about her because she is by herself. Should I get a friend for her?
She is extremely friendly, but I don't know what she would be like if we got her a friend?
We bought her a huge Wendy house, so there would be enough room. I just don't know whether she is happy by herself, or would prefer company..
If you do think she does..I wouldn't want another Angora because of the time and care it takes looking after her..daily brushing etc. Would another rabbit be better or a guinea pig?

[PurpleDaisies]

Another rabbit! Rabbits and Guinea pigs shouldn’t be kept together.

Lots of rescues will have lonely bunnies looking for friends. Roughly in thd country are you? I might be able to recommend a few.

[NotYoonique]

Definitely another rabbit, I kept a rabbit and guinea pig together in the 90s when it was really popular and the rabbit killed the guinea pig :(

Majority of rabbits are happier with a friend so I would get in touch with rescues and they will help you find the right friend for her. Neutered male/female pairs tend to be very happy :)

[ExcitedForChristmas18]

Argh right ok..I never knew that about rabbits and guinea pigs! So glad I posted..i have been told to get a guinea pig 😡
Would I be ok to get a different breed rabbit? Do you think she would be better with a friend? Or are rabbits happy enough by themselves?
I worry so so much about her..i wish she could talk to me, and tell me what she wants 😂

[PurpleDaisies]

Rabbits are happier with friends.

[ExcitedForChristmas18]

And sorry to answer your question, I'm in the north west in Cheshire area. But we can travel, I would love to get one from a rescue centre, I just wouldn't want to stress the rabbit out, if the drive was too long

[NotYoonique]

A different breed would be fine :) In all likelihood she would be made up with a friend. If you can find a rabbit rescue near you then they are likely to try her with different rabbits to see who she gels with and do the bonding for you :)

[PurpleDaisies]

I’m pretty much as far away as I can be! Sorry. I’m sure a local rescue would let your bunny “date” a few of their bunnies.

[ExcitedForChristmas18]

Oh god! Feel terrible now! She will be one at the end of December..I hope she hasn't been sad, this whole time!!
She comes in the house everyday, and lies in front of the log burner relaxing all day. I thought she was really happy. Worried now!

[ExcitedForChristmas18]

Oh wow! Bunny dates 😍 that is so cute..yes I would prefer a different breed, just because Dandelion and her hair take up 90% of my life 😂
Thank you so much or your helpful advice!

[PurpleDaisies]

I think we need a picture...

[IwantedtobeEmmaPeel]

Get another bunny, it is recommended that rabbits are kept in pairs these days, neutered male or another female, loads of rabbits in rescue centres just waiting for a new home. Your rabbit won't mind what breed, although probably a good idea to get a rabbit the same size as her and check with rescue how friendly and docile the rabbit is and follow their advice on how you introduce your rabbit to the new one. It would be so much easier if our pets could tell us what they want wouldn't it?

[IwantedtobeEmmaPeel]

You sound like a lovely owner Op, I'm sure your bunny is happy, but a friend could make her life complete .

[Kazzyhoward]

Another rabbit! Rabbits and Guinea pigs shouldn’t be kept together.

From experience, I'd say the opposite. Ages ago, we had a single rabbit and a single guinea pig happily living together, never a bit of trouble.

After a period of a few years without pets, we bought a rabbit who was 100% soft and docile, but over time, we we felt sorry for her, so got her another rabbit. Despite introducing them over a few days (i.e. completely separate, then in separate cages but put together so only the grill was separating them and no obvious issue, it was hate at first sight when they were first put together and I've never seen such a fight - hair flying etc. Eventually, after many, many days of gently introducing them (sitting them together and stroking each together), they learned to tolerate eachother, until the day of the grudge match, when they had the fight of the century and both ended up badly bleeding!

We kept them separate after that so we ended up with two lonely bunnies. Until, that is, we bought two more guinea pigs, one for each, and there'll all living happily now - all 4 of them, but in two separate pairs/cages.

[PurpleDaisies]

From experience, I'd say the opposite. Ages ago, we had a single rabbit and a single guinea pig happily living together, never a bit of trouble

That’s totally against what vets advise.

[ExcitedForChristmas18]

Right I have just phoned the bunny rescue centre near me..and she agreed with everybody on here that it should defiantly be another rabbit. She recommended a boy, as two girls together can be a nightmare arguing..just like women on here 😂
They don't do bunny dates..the lady said at first Dandelion may be annoyed having a new rabbit that could potentially take the lime light off her, but as long as we give her the same amount of attention and still let her put her feet up in the lounge, then she will soon realise her life hasn't been affected for the worse and will see it as a positive😊

[ExcitedForChristmas18]

As soon as I work out how to attach a photo on here, will put one up of the princess 😊

[FernieB]

I'm in Cheshire. Have you tried Tameside rabbit rescue (other side of Manchester but not too far a trek)? Or the Humane Education Society in Wilmslow. Or local RSPCA. They quite often have rabbits in foster homes. Fosterers can often be happy to allow you to bring your bun to meet a prospective friend.

[Honeyroar]

If your rabbit rescue doesn't have a single male available Pennine Pen Pet Rescue in Oldham has a male looking for a lady companion..

We took on a male rabbit this year who seemed perfectly happy alone, but we got him a mate and they play together, groom each other and snuggle up. I'd never have one alone.

[katseyes7]

Oh, please get her a friend! They're social animals and they love company. When l got Bertie, l was determined l was only having one. Then he started grooming his toy bunny. We rescued Poppy and it was so lovely to see them snuggled up together!
Unfortunately we lost her after just four months, so we adopted Missy. Then, in September, when l was bunnysitting at my friend's rabbit rescue, l fell in love with another one. l wasn't planning on a third, but l totally fell for him! So now we have three. Two boys and a girl. And the girl is more bother than the two boys put together!
lt's so lovely to see them cuddled up and grooming each other. Missy bullied Bertie a bit (she's very dominant) but having Red has 'diluted' that a bit. The two boys are fine, they're both very laid back and they have a bit of a bromance going on!
lf you adopt a rescue, most rescues will bond them for you. l've always been too scared to to it myself! Good luck! x

[RockingAroundTheChristmasTree1]

@honeyroar he is so cute!! I'm going to phone there tomorrow! Saying he wants a family for Christmas, got me! I'm a sucker for things like that! I will keep you all updated!
@kateyes yes we are definitely getting her a friend 😊 The new Wendy house for our new addition is arriving on Wednesday, my thinking is that if they really don't get on after a few weeks, then they will have their own houses anyway.. but if they do love each other, we are going to make a tunnel in between the two houses for them..and then at least we have managed to rescue another bunny, and it isn't stuck in a rescue centre 😞
I'm just suffering horrific guilt at the moment that she is nearly one and her only friend had been my miniature Jack Russell! I thought she followed him around everywhere because she was trying to scare him off, but the RSPCA lady said that she thinks because he is so small, she most probably fancies him (thinking he's a rabbit) and wants to mate with him and be friends with him! I feel such a crap mum to her now!!

[RockingAroundTheChristmasTree1]

Sorry it is still me!! Changed my name because of a thread on favourite christmas songs

[Honeyroar]

The rabbit we adopted came with a dog and they were good friends, they used to say hello through the wire every day. Once bunny got his new rabbit friend he stopped bothering with his dog friend (who wasn't bothered because he had new doggy friends!)

Two houses next to each other sounds a good idea, especially if you can have a wire section between them so they can see and sniff each other. That's what we did, we put them in separate cages and runs right next to each other for a fortnight and then joined the two together. They did do the humping and hair pulling for a few days, but there was plenty of space for them to get away from each other and they stayed at seperate ends for a while, but gradually got nearer and nearer and became friends.

[Crazybunnylady123]

If anybody has any doubt the reasons why rabbits and guinea pigs should not be housed together are:-

Rabbit can fatally kick a guinea pig.

Different dietary requirements (guinea pigs require more vitamin c).

They can’t talk to each other and won’t mutally groom like two of the same species.

Rabbits can carry the bacteria Bordetella Bronchiseptica, which is a common cause of respiratory disease in guinea pigs.

Thanks x