I adopted a pair of bonded sister rabbits over a year and a half ago, and one of them, Misty, passed away 2 weeks ago.  My other bunny, Daphny, was not there when Misty passed at the vet, so she had to figure out on her own that Misty wasn’t coming back.  I can tell that she is lonely and stressed, but I’m not quite ready to adopt another rabbit. 

I’ve read some accounts of rabbits finding comfort with stuffed animal bunnies, so I thought I’d give it a try.  I bought a 12-inch plush rabbit rated for ages 0+, and put it in Daphny’s play area.  I rubbed it on a towel that Daphny sits on and also rubbed some of Daphny’s shed fur on it.  She wasn’t sure about it at first, and ignored it or ran away when I made it “hop” toward her, but eventually she accepted it.  Now she grooms it and cuddles up next to it as though it were a real rabbit.  She’s treating it like a real bunny, and not like a toy that she’d chew or drag around.  Of course she knows it’s not a real bunny, but it seems like she is getting some comfort from it.  
 

Daphny grooms her new friend