You will temporarily need a second cage for the new rabbit and a place for that cage, preferably near your current bunny. You should figure out housing and bonding areas before bringing a second rabbit home. If they have been recently altered, you need to wait at least three weeks for them to properly heal from the surgery as any skirmishes could result in internal injuries. I do find it an advantage to bond about a month after a rabbit has been altered as they often have just enough hormones left to be interested in the other rabbit without going overboard.
Once they are altered their hormones won't be as strong and the male won't be as interested in mating. Unless it is impossible for health reasons, it is essential for both rabbits to be spayed or neutered before introducing them. I can tell you that your rabbit will be happier, may be friendlier and get into less trouble, but I cannot guarantee any of it. They may get into less trouble because they are happier, but they may also learn new bad habits.Įvery case is different. Clearly he was learning from her and quickly become a more intense digger than she ever was. Once day I saw them both in a corner- she would dig, he would dig, and this repeated itself. Hazy, my digger, fell in love with Hershey, a non digger. While this is true in some cases, rabbits do learn from each other and I have seen rabbits teach each other bad habits. They aren't as bored and are more content. Many people state that rabbits are less likely to get into trouble once they have a mate. Once a bunny likes you, they always will. I do want to stress, that I have never seen a friendly rabbit lose interest in human companionship. With time your rabbit will become friendlier, but it may take a little longer. A shy bun that receives a mate may decide that it wants to concentrate on building that relationship. While a mate does sometimes help bring a rabbit out if their shell, I have also seen the reverse. If they see it isn't scary for the other bunny then maybe it isn't so bad. They may find themselves with their new mate begging for attention without realizing it. If your rabbit is shy, and the new rabbit craves human attention, you may easily find that your bun will mimic the new rabbit and find some strength from his example. If you have a rabbit who is friendly with you, they will remain friendly. Every situation is different so I cannot tell you what will happen with your rabbit, but I do know that your rabbit will be happier. Many people wonder if their rabbit will change once they have a playmate. I've had more people call me insisting that the rabbits aren't interested in each other and several days later call again with news that they are totally in love.
This isn't something that is steady, but a series of "breakthroughs". Three days later everything can be going great. It can be very easy to get discouraged, to be convinced that it will never work. When you try to bond a pair of bunnies, please be patient and committed to it. You will need to figure out what works for you.
This article will try to explain different approaches to use and how to read your rabbits' behavior. What works in one situation, can easily fail in another. Rather, I will explain things that I look for and different options to try. For this reason I can not step you through a procedure of how to do this. Just like with people, every bunny and every pairing are different. Not only will you need to make a time commitment, but you will also need a second cage, space to work in, and plenty of patience. On rare occasions, bonding takes 6 months to a year. A quick bonding can take two weeks while the more difficult ones can take 3-4 months. It means that they are scoping each other out and trying to figure out if they can trust each other.
Rabbits rarely fall in love at first sight and indifference is a good first sign. I truly believe that you can bond any two rabbits, but I don't always think it is worth the stress. Some bondings are fairly easy while others are difficult. Here we will discuss different techniques and styles for bonding rabbits.
Every pairing is different, as there is not a set path to take. During their courtship, the rabbits learn to trust each other and eventually fall in love. Despite the need to live with another rabbit, you cannot just put two rabbits in a cage and expect them to immediately get along.
Rabbits are social animals that benefit from living in pairs or groups. They are clearly very happy and enjoy each other's company. Nothing is cuter than watching two rabbits lie side by side kissing each other. By Suzanne Smith, reproduced with permission.