Hi

1. First thing, is your current bunny neutered? If not, that needs to be your first step. Then I believe they need 4-6 weeks for their hormones to settle and to heal. As to the age, it doesn’t really matter, but usually people choose to bond with a rabbit of similar age. The crucial thing is that they are both fixed and healthy, regardless of their sex.

2. Yes, most would agree it is possible to bond most rabbits, although some are easier than others. Ideally you could take your bun on some “dates” at a shelter, so see which he gets along with. But, my first bun was bonded with a bun that belonged to my friend (who she could no longer keep), and i used the strategy you describe (separate pens, near each other but not touching). It was a long bonding process (3 months!), but with patience it worked. Is there a specific rabbit you want to adopt? Or is dating just not possible? There is tons of bonding info online, it sounds like you have done a bit of homework on the basics?

A second bunny is a big responsibility. Do you think you will have time to bond and also take care of ($$ and time) a second bunny with your school responsibilities? I think company is good for rabbits, but it doesn’t guarantee that it will solve your problem (bonding is stressful). I know you’ve expressed on a few posts that you are worried your bunny is lonely. I love taking care of my rabbits, but it is twice the work in everything. However, if you are prepared for that, you will hopefully end up with a happy pair of rabbits. It just takes time (that’s what bunny ownership is really about – patience). I just want to prepare you for when you get your second rabbit.

Hi! Could you tell me more about your bonding experience?
I have a spayed female and I am getting a friends neutered male. He is a few years younger then her. But how do I introduce him into the home? I was thinking of keeping him in one room for a few days to get used to me and the apartment. And THEN placing their cages near each other. What did you do? And how long did you bond them? Why did it take 3 months?

Yes, I totally understand what you mean about bonding healthy bunnies. That’s good that you’ve prepared yourself It makes a big difference. I would get the all-clear from the vet about your rabbits eye before starting bonding (even if it isn’t anything major). I’ve heard that bunnies who aren’t in the best of health can get rejected by another bunny and it can cause fighting. I’ve never personally experienced this, but I still hear stories from rabbit rescue volunteers and read stuff online regarding this. I would keep asking about speed dating till you get a response. With the new bunny, check the ears, fur, teeth for any abnormal signs. Just observe the new bunny. Any constant scratching or head shaking, that sorta thing, might signal mites (which you’d wanna have them treat before attempting bonding, or have their vet examine the bunny). If they don’t do speed dating, find out if their policy allows for you to bring the new bunny back within a certain period of time and try with another if it’s not looking good between the rabbits. Some shelters are flexible like that. If the shelter doesn’t have a rabbit vet, sometimes they give you a coupon for a free health check with a rabbit vet, so you can quarrantine your new bunny and have them checked out before bonding. I never did speed dating (long story) and it worked out, but that was still a gamble that could’ve worked against me. However, I had one very supportive lady who helped me a ton, and it made all the difference.