Does Gus need a friend? Which one?
New Bunny (10)
83%
Cuddles the guinea pig (0)
0%
both (0)
0%
neither (2)
17%

Hi I have a 1 year old mini lop bunny named Gus.  My brother recently got a  guinea pig named Cuddles (she's about 2-4 months old).  Gus lives in a large c&c cage and I give him play time for 1-2 hours every night with me in the basement.  He is a pretty spoiled bunny however i still worry that my little baby might be bored during the day while I am at school or can't spend time with him.  I have been considering getting a new bunny friend for him, but i was wondering if it would be a good idea to introduce him to Cuddles instead.  They would not be living in the same cage, only together for play time.  Would it be a better idea for me to get him a bunny friend or not introduce him to either (bunny or gp).  I want to do what will make him happy and sometimes worry that his temperament would not allow for another bunny.  He is sweet with me but not fond of other people and sometimes bites them. 

Any advice appreciated! Thanks

Welcome.

Is Gus neutered?

As far as bonding - rabbits would do better bonded with rabbits. Things to consider when getting another rabbit:

1. Cost (of vet bills);
2. 2 habitats - initially they need to be separated during the bonding;
3. What will you do if they don't bond - are you fine keeping 2 rabbits separate?
4. Stress - on you and the rabbits. Many people find bonding rabbits to be extremely stressful and soon give up bonding because it can be challenging.

I've read quite a few times that people commonly believe gps and rabbits can be 'friends' but they state that they don't really see each other as companions more just.. other things. Because they're a different species they don't really interact with each other and instead of having two separate lonely pets you just have two combined lonely pets. From what I read it doesn't make a difference. You could always try having them out to play while you watch and see if they do interact? I've never had a gp so I have no idea how they interact with things

Thanks to all! Yes Gus is neutered and has been for a few months so hormones are not an issue for him.

As far as the other issues:
I think I would be okay with cost and I have an extra cage in the garage that I could use temporarily (hopefully!) while bonding is going on.
I am worried about bonding working out though. Essentially I would be fine with keeping them separate but it wouldn't fix the problem of them being lonely.
I have heard of shelters that do "bunny dating" to see what bunny Gus seems to like the best. Do you know if this is common in most shelters? And do you know if any shelters start the bonding process for you because I have also heard of this and think this may be a good solution to help gain my confidence with the process and hopefully start it out on the right track??

Hi! I'm currently asking the same questions and have recently decided to let my bun, Bunjamin go dating. Almost all rescues that specialize in rabbits are familiar with the practice of dating- although some call it different things. I would look for your nearest bun rescue and email them. Make sure they do the dating thing. Also, there are quite a few that are willing to help with bonding. They want the bond to work as much as you do. I definitely think this is the best options. I would be concerned with your rabbit accidentally kicking the GP or something like that. Especially if their size is un-even.

Best wishes! Let us know how it goes!

The thing with a GP is they can't really be litter trained. So your pair would have to be caged up more often. I'd go for another bunny for a friend

Thanks so much for the advice! hmmm now to convince my mom By chance, is there anything you know of that I can say to convince her?
Also, one concern I have is that he is just one of those rare buns that don't like rabbit companionship. Is this common and is there any way I can tell (for example by his temperament or something)?

Posted By gusgus321 on 07/25/2012 02:20 PM
Thanks so much for the advice! hmmm now to convince my mom By chance, is there anything you know of that I can say to convince her?
Also, one concern I have is that he is just one of those rare buns that don't like rabbit companionship. Is this common and is there any way I can tell (for example by his temperament or something)?

The best thing to do would be to present your mother with research and show her that you are responsible. Although I have just moved into my apartment with my two rabbits, when I was living at home I had to really let my mother understand that having a companion rabbit would be better for me AND my first rabbit. In addition, the costs are relatively the same, you'll just have to invest on the SUPER big bags of Hay to last a while. Other than vet check ups (mine range about 30-45 per bunny) you're fine. Overload her with information!

 Also, I don't know if you can tell if rabbits do or don't like the companionship of another rabbit without bunny dating. I would seriously consider to bunny date to see how well your rabbit interacts with another one, but you should try more than just one rabbit (Oscar took four tries before he found a rabbit that was suitable for him). I think if your rabbit consistently rejects another rabbit, he'll probably be better off as a lone bunny.

Best of luck!

I would definitely go bunny dating -- just because he's that way towards humans doesn't mean he'll be that way towards other rabbits. When we got our girl bun she hated humans really. She didn't want to be pet or touched and would only let us watch her play. Since we have bonded her towards our boys she has become a totally different bunny. She still doesn't like her head pet like our boys do but she'll allow her back sometimes and she'll crawl into your lap looking for treats. She has really come out of her box having another bun so maybe having another bun will be better for him in the future. (Note: my girl was also mean to her brothers when we first started bonding her with them. Her problem was they would come up to her immediately, they're uber-friendly buns, and she only wanted to do it on her terms. So she'd thump and get angry with them.. so eventually they started ignoring her so then she'd follow them around sniffing at them and thumping every time they'd turn around to acknowledge her.) It was cute to watch. And now they're all bonded and the most adorable things ever! Watching two buns play is one of the cutest things ever!

Show your mom lots of research! Like everyone else said -- the more research you do about buns the more you begin to want your little buddy to have a friend. hahahah, that's what happened to my boyfriend and I. We would research every day about rabbits since we were new to them and eventually we were like huh... maybe... we should get another! And then we got another.. Prepare for bunstruction though. My third bun has taught my other two the worst destructing habits in the world... :X

Well, if you're a minor, you also need to consider the life-span of rabbits and how they will fit into your plans for the next 10-12 years. It's easier to transition through various stages of life with ONE rabbit than with two. For that reason alone, I'd recommend waiting until you are older and settled long-term. You don't have to get a second rabbit. You can provide interaction and companionship for him. Many people choose to have one rabbit and the bun is happy, loved, and well-adjusted.

Posted By Beka27 on 07/28/2012 09:54 AM
Well, if you're a minor, you also need to consider the life-span of rabbits and how they will fit into your plans for the next 10-12 years. It's easier to transition through various stages of life with ONE rabbit than with two. For that reason alone, I'd recommend waiting until you are older and settled long-term. You don't have to get a second rabbit. You can provide interaction and companionship for him. Many people choose to have one rabbit and the bun is happy, loved, and well-adjusted.

I have considered this many times and keep coming back to the same result.  I may be deciding with my heart rather than my head! 

All that I can come up with is greater cost. What else am I missing?

Also what i keep thinking is that I know i will never get rid of Gus.  If he had a friend that he could spend the time he would otherwise be alone with it would be better for him, and these buns being a "package deal" means never getting rid of Gus would equal never getting rid of bun#2 either.  Is this logical?!  

THANKS SO MUCH EVERYONE!! 

Most notably, what are your long-term education plans? You don't have to tell us, but it's something to think about. Universities and colleges do not allow pets in student housing, so if you go away to college, you would need to leave your bunnies behind or arrange alternate housing off-campus (which is expensive, and in some cases not permitted for freshman and sophomore year).

Besides that, money is a concern as you mentioned, as well as housing. It is hard enough to find apartments or rental houses that will accept one pet, let alone two.

As someone who was young not very long ago myself, I know it can be difficult for young people to look at the big picture sometimes. When I was 16, my life was a certain way and it felt like that was going to be my life forever. Little did I know 3 years later I was going to be married, living on my own with my new husband, and having a baby. So things can change very fast. At 19 I had to make the heart-breaking decision to leave my dog behind with my parents. I could not have him in our rental house, and even if I was allowed, with a new baby money was an issue and I could not give him the care he deserved.

I'm off on a tangent now, but just some things to think about. I don't know your situation, and if you are a minor, you are not permitted to share your exact age, but your post sounds like you are younger and still under the jurisdiction of your mother. Sometimes the best decision is to keep things as they are, don't rock the boat. You seem really attached to Gus, so I don't think his life is lacking at all, even without a bunny friend.

If you are minor and have plans for the future like college, I would suggest that you hold off until you are on your own to get another rabbit or guinea pig. I have had a single girl for 2 years, and plan to take her bunny dating after I am finished with school and move onto my own. She isn't lonely, she has me, and her other slaves. Single rabbits are not a bad thing. You get to bond deeply with them, get to know their quirks and habits.