Advice

[Amy]

Okay, so I acquired my rabbit, Beans, about three months ago. He is a dwarf rabbit, and is either three to four years old (the woman I bought him from isn’t sure). He’s a total sweetheart, and I think I’ve managed to bond with him pretty well, which is cool. He’s in a cage about 6 times his size, maybe more, and he gets about 2-3 hours of playtime a day. 

I know rabbits don’t do well on their own, so I’ve been trying to find him a buddy – he is uneutered, so ideally I’d like a spayed female rabbit- it sounds like one around the same age/size would be best. I also want to get him into a bigger cage – but unfortunately unless the cage is cheap I don’t exactly have the resources to get him a super nice one – like a nice hutch and whatnot. Should I worry about getting him a new cage first or a buddy? I feel like he would be a lot happier with a buddy. 

Also I know rabbits are supposed to shed their whole coat when they start that in like three weeks or something like that – but he’s been shedding since pretty much when I got him. His new coat is growing in nicely, but still, is that something I should be worried about? Please let me know.

Here’s a picture of him hanging out with my cat.

[Wick & Fable]

If he’s got a cat buddy, I wonder if an additional rabbit buddy is necessary? Also, while all means well, definitely keep a close eye on their relationship with each other. Rabbits are prey animals, so if your cat snaps and gets a bit mad and freaks out at Beans, it may not end well.

In terms of him being single, that’s not necessarily something you need to amend. Wick is on his own and is pretty content with his life, as well as many people who have only single rabbits. If your vet deems it safe, I would have him neutered though? Unsure what hormonal behaviors he may/may not be showing, but any sexual frustration he may end up experiencing from not being able to mate with anything may cause him to get a bit destructive; however, that doesn’t happen for every un-neutered male.

For a cage, fancy is not necessarily needed. The NIC cages (using grids) are pretty affordable. Especially since Bean’s is a dwarf, so probably ~2lbs max?, you can just purchase a pack of cable ties (very cheap online) to help put together 2-3 sets of grids (1 set is about $20 on Amazon). Some people use small pieces of carpets/rugs to fit as flooring. Other people use coroplast!

Is giving him more than 2-3 hours a possibility? That’s a very small amount of time. If possible, is there a section of your dwelling that you can rabbit proof so he can get stimulated with a larger environment? Corrugated loom (covers wires) is an easy way to rabbit proof some things.

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Luna]

What a cute name! If you plan on getting Beans a bunny-buddy, he will have to be neutered. Bonding cannot occur safely if either bun is not neutered/spayed because there will be fighting.

With shedding, some buns take longer than others. Brushing him during molt should help him shed faster, and it will also keep him from ingesting too much fur which can lead to blockage.

[Amy]

Update: He actually is neutered, I’m an idiot lol. I hadn’t asked the woman I got him from and I was just never sure, so I checked and yeah he’s neutered. He’s docile and I’ve never seen him have any sexual behaviors, so that makes sense.

Yes – that was more of a one time shot with the cat. Beans has since decided the cat isn’t trustworthy, and the cat is kind of scared of him.

Unfortunately I cannot give him a whole area that’s rabbit proofed :/ I want to, but I’m living with my parents at the moment and there isn’t a room available that would be cat safe and safe from my 4 year old niece as well. I’m moving out in about a year though so I’m hoping to give him a bigger space then.

Thank you so much for your advice – I’m looking into maybe getting him a big dog crate. He does seem pretty content, but I definitely want to look into it just to see if he would be excited about a bunny friend.

I’m glad the shedding is normal – I was worried. I do brush him regularly because I’m super paranoid about blockage. Thanks!

[tobyluv]

You definitely will have to get Beans neutered before introducing him to another rabbit. It doesn’t matter if the other rabbit is spayed or not. Both rabbits have to be spayed and/or neutered. One of the rabbits I have now was neutered at 4 years of age when I adopted him. If you have a good, rabbit savvy vet, he or she will very likely think it is okay to neuter Beans at his age. Some vets perform blood tests first on older rabbits, but Beans isn’t that old, especially if he is only 3.

After his surgery, you will have to wait about a month before starting bonding procedures.

[ThorBunny]

Aw what a cute bun!

I agree with those above that if you want to get him a friend he should be neutered first. However, not all buns need a friend! I got Thor as a single bun about 6 months ago and she has been a pretty happy single bun. I’m currently in the process of getting her a friend, and although I think that when they are bonded she will be a bit happier, she is honestly fine on her own! The new bun is mostly for me, if I’m being honest about being selfish Can’t get enough bunnehs That’s all to say that you can get him a friend at any point, so if it’s not financially possible right now then you can wait until it is, or just keep him single if he seems happy!

For his enclosure, the cheapest option for a larger area could be an exercise pen setup! There are some good examples of these in the “Habitats” section of this website under bunny info. You can buy these pretty cheap on Amazon, I got 2 for $35 each. Make sure it’s at least 3ft high, even small buns can jump quite high! This can give them much more space in their home area at minimum cost.

As for shedding, some buns just do that. Thor sheds all the time, she seems to go through one molt then just start right away again on the next one, augh!

[Mikey]

He is bonded to the cat and to you, so another rabbit right now is not exactly necessary. If you dont have the space for a bigger cage and bigger place for him to run around, theres no need to add another rabbit who would otherwise cramp his already fairly small space. Hes better off with the kitty friend until you can have a bigger space

For shedding, some rabbits shed pretty constantly. My three buns shed lightly all year round, but go through moults a few time a year.

[Author]

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