Bonding with Old Bunny?

[Kristine]

I have a 5 year old female bunny Kandi who was bonded to our male bunny Kotton, but Kotton recently passed away (about 9 months ago, he was 8). I’m not sure if Kandi is lonely and we should get her a new companion or if she would rather have her space? 

I’m afraid if we get her a new companion it will be complicated, because of her age and because she’s not fixed. When she was given anesthetic to begin her surgery (at 1 year old), her heart rate slowed to almost stopping, and the doctors decided she couldn’t be fixed. 

Is it impossible for her to bond to a new bunny? Kotton was fixed and 4 years old at the time we got Kandi (she was the last one at the pet store and already 2 months old) and it took them quite a while to bond to each other (maybe a year or two?). I’ve read from some places that I can bring her to a shelter and have her do some “speed dating” with neutered bunnies. I just don’t know if we’d be better off not getting another bunny at all. 

Advice? 

[LittlePuffyTail]

Sorry for the loss of your Kotton.

It is pretty rare to have a bonded pair with the female being unspayed. I think you got lucky with your previous pair. If you have a rabbit rescue near you, you could ask them if they allow unspayed rabbits to do speed dating. It’s not impossible but I think it unlikely you’ll successfully get another match, sadly. Unspayed females can be so territorial and aggressive with other buns.

Are you spending lots of extra time with Kandi?

[Kristine]

Hi! We used to keep the bunnies together in their own room, but now that we only have Kandi, we’ve moved her upstairs and she sleeps with my sister so that she won’t be so alone. 

I think I’ll try and ask our local shelter about the speed dating thing and see how that works out. I just hope Kandi isn’t too lonely without another bunny around. She has seemed to mellow out quite a bit since she’s been getting older, though. 

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