Ever OK to Separate Bonded Bunnies?

[Dobby]

In my continuing attempt to learn as much as I can about bonding bunnies before I take the plunge, I came across a video from a rescue in England.  In the video they state that you shouldn’t ever separate bonded bunnies, even if one is sick and has to go to the vet.  This is something I hadn’t thought about before.  I had figured I would coordinate their annual checkups but not what to do if one was sick.  The video even recommends having the healthy bunny stay with the sick bunny if the sick bunny has to stay at the vet overnight.  The video said that if this didn’t happen there was a good chance of the bond being broken.

What do you guys think about this?  For those who have bonded bunnies, what have you done when one is sick and the other is fine?

(Unfortunately, I watched the video a few days ago and can’t find the link now.)

[Sarita]

Well, it really depends – I think in the best of all worlds you do want to take a bonded pair into the vet together and that is what I have done in the most part in the past when I’ve had bonded pairs however there have been cases when I did not and I had not problem but these particular rabbits had been bonded for a very long time. Sometimes vets do want to keep the separate at the vets depending on the treatment but my vet has always been fine with keeping my rabbits together.

Obviously if you have a very sick rabbit getting some intensive therapy or treatment you may not want to take the other to the vet…so I guess what I’m saying as far as the vet – it truly depends on many different factors.

Also when I have gotten my rabbit back from the vet (if they went alone) they always went back in with their partner if circumstances allowed it which was 90% of the time.

[Stickerbunny]

My two go to the vet separately and it hasn’t caused any issues. I’ve even had to separate them for fighting for a few weeks (Stickers went crazy apparently over the bird cage being her territory…) and they went right back together once she calmed down. So, I think it depends on the pair.

[mia]

I was advised to always keep them together if at all possible. The only time I’ve separated them is if one needs a time out; they have a love hate relationship. Even if they are experiencing one of their “hate” stages, I still keep them together. They go to the vet together; when one needed extra care, they both went. All the vets I’ve been to have been ok and do not charge me for leaving an extra bun in their care.

[tanlover14]

Hmmm, interesting question.

I have a bonded five-some and have usually taken everyone separately for illnesses. We only took all of them to their annuals because our vet did them all at the same time. I’ve never had a problem with any bonds breaking.

[Author]

Messages