Hi there, welcome

I think most buns are happier with a friend, but there are also lots of very happy solo buns (Wick and Chewie on this forum are prime examples ).

So it’s not necessary exactly, but if you have room in your life for a second (especially financial stability for vet bills), then you would both probably find it rewarding (having a bonded pair will constantly amaze you with their cuteness). Especially if you are gone long periods it is nice for them to have a friend to cuddle with.

Sounds like you’ve read up a bit on bonding already, which is great. If there’s one in your area, it often makes things easier to go through a rescue or shelter that has already spayed/neutered buns that you can take your girl to “speed date”. You can pick out a few that you like, then have your girl meet them, and see if there are any she likes (or definitely DOESN’T like). (Side note, if you do have to take a gamble and go through the breeder, get a male. Female female pairs are possible, but tend to be the most difficult to bond.)

It’s hard to know how buns will get a long before they are castrated, and sometimes people pick out a bun they love, get them neutered, and then months later find that their bunny just really doesn’t like the new bun.

That said, if that’s not possible, most pairs are bondable with enough patience. And, you’ll want to wait several weeks for your bun’s hormones to settle before dating or bonding, as females can have hormonal surges. So you have some time to think about it.