Can single buns REALLY be content with no other buns?

[bunnnnnnie!]

I think about this now and then, and it really bums me out.  Zeus is my baby, I do everything I possibly can to keep him happy.  But I still wonder if he gets lonely or would be happier with another bun.  I’m gone a good 11 hours+ a day, and while he has a big cage and plenty of stuff to do, it still is in the back of my mind.

Getting him a friend is just not possible though, as much as I hate to admit it.  I live in a tiny studio apartment (only 335 sq ft, including the closet) that is basically one big room and a bathroom.  There’s nowhere to seperate two buns if they don’t get along.  I also don’t have room for a big enough cage for two buns.  Zeus is too large of a bun (10lbs) to go the “tall cage with lots of levels” route.  Making ramps from level to level would take up too much space for a bun his size, and the reinforcing I’d have to do for his weight would make it expensive.

I also can’t afford greens for two buns, or vet appointments for two buns.  I could afford emergency vet care for Zeus, but it would basically wipe out my savings (yeah I’m poor  ).  If I were to have two buns, I couldn’t afford a vet visit if they both got sick.

Zeus is also an adult bun, he’ll be 4 this February.  He’s never been with other rabbits since he was a baby with siblings.  He’s also intact, so he’d have to be neutered before I coudl get him a friend.  And the risk of losing him during a neuter gone wrong terrifies me.

It just makes me sad sometimes.  In a parallel universe I’d so love to get him a friend.  I really worry all the time he spends alone in my aparment makes him lonely. .  Input?  Am I right in thinking a friend for Zeus would ultimately not be the responsible thing to do?  I always keep Zeus’s wellbeing my #1 priority, am I doing right by him, by not getting him a friend?

Sorry for the whine.  It’s always in the back of my mind, and non-bunny people just don’t get it. 

 

[jerseygirl]

Can single buns REALLY be content with no other bun?

Absolutely! In my opinion. Your Zeus has got it good. Actually, his being a long term single bun, having another rabbit about might be more upsetting to him.

[bunnnnnnie!]

Posted By jerseygirl on 12/19/2011 05:44 PM

Can single buns REALLY be content with no other bun?

Absolutely! In my opinion. Your Zeus has got it good. Actually, his being a long term single bun, having another rabbit about might be more upsetting to him.

You could be right.  He saw a cat a few months ago, and just about lost it, poor bun!
 

I guess I’m just a bun mom who worries. 

[kinggoblin]

My boy is a single bunny, I don’t think he gets too lonely, he is really attached to me ( he is my little boy! ) and even gets jealous of the dog being near me on the couch and will shove her off and take her spot. He seems pretty happy, he has a big cage w/ attached pen and all the willow chews/toys he could want. Along with his dirt devil condo ( box, remodeled by him ) lol

If you are gone during the day that is usually when they are asleep anyways, so he probably doesn’t even notice.

[Stickerbunny]

Yes, they can as long as you have some time to give them. I wouldn’t worry about him being lonely, it would be worse for him to have another bun around if you can’t really fit another into your life atm.

[bunnnnnnie!]

Posted By Stickerbunny on 12/19/2011 05:58 PM
Yes, they can as long as you have some time to give them. I wouldn’t worry about him being lonely, it would be worse for him to have another bun around if you can’t really fit another into your life atm.

He gets plenty of one on one time with me.  At least 4-5 hours a day out of cage, and as much of that time as he wants socializing with me.  On my days off he’s usually out at least 8 hours, usually more.
 

[jerseygirl]

He really does strike me as a people-bunny. One thing bonded buns do is grooming each other and we even provide that to single rabbits by petting them.

I had a single rabbit for a little over a year. I really feel she was content. I did get another rabbit but that was more me being suckered in by rabbits generally. Luckily she & he bonded and are pretty tight. Earlier this year I took in 2 more rabbits, Timbu then Jelly. Timbu was very young and he is bonded to me. Even though Jelly lives in the same room (they’re not bonded), Tim seeks me out more then the company of Jelly. They may bond when I spend time on it but my point is, it seems it’s just company they often want and doesn’t matter if it’s non-rabbit company. A human or another animal can be adequete.

It need not be 24/7 company either. My bonded pair will often spend time apart by choice.

[bunnyfriend]

In my opinion I think you’re doing the right thing for you and Zeus He probably is really attached to you like he would to another bun. It wouldn’t be worth it to add all that stress money and space wise, he sounds like he has a great life. Some bunnies are people bunnies I really would like to add another bun to my family but I just know I couldn’t handle it.

[MimzMum]

I have three unbonded, as you all know. They all live in the same room but separate habitats. They don’t get much time to socialize with one another, (my fault), though I’m pretty sure I could bond them but the few times I’ve seen one go for the other in an aggressive way puts me back a bit.
That being said, if one of then is having cuddle time with me, you can see how it irks another. Also, Fiver waits for me to come sit down near him before he will eat, so I think he tends to see me as a ‘bunny buddy’ and Mimzy, ditto. Pip is the only one who seems to get along well alone, but she is pretty personable either with buns or people.
Ideally I’d like all three in one spot because having to clean three different habs is murder on my back and now with the puppy (and Jenna as well) I’m getting less time with them and room for them to exercise. I think each knows the other is there, but I am sad they can’t snorgle. Even if they did live in the same habitat, I’d go nuts anytime I was away in case there was a sudden squabble.

Personally I believe Zeus thinks YOU are his mate. Who else could get away with playing with his ears to a Willow Smith tune in the bathroom? But he might appreciate it if you’d leave the soaps on for him during the day so he can catch up on Bun Life To Live. ^_^

[LoveChaCha]

Of course!

Chacha has been an only baby/child since I’ve had her at 7 weeks old. She shows no signs of destruction/boredom. She keeps me on my feet, ALL DAY.

When the household financial situation gets better, I plan to take Chacha on a rabbit date at the shelter. But if she wants to be an only baby, that is fine with mommy.

[Michelle&Lolli]

Zeus has bonded to you. So unless he’s showing signs of being depressed, he is fine.

I had Eddie for a year before I got Lolli. And really, I only got Lolli because he was driving ME freaking nuts. He was bonded to me like super glue. I think he was happier having a bunny friend with him all the time. Although I think he would’ve been ok on his own too.

Lolli has been on her own for a little over a year now. I have watched her come out of her shell and now she rules her room. lol Now I can’t decide if she’d tolerate another bunny or not. lol

[Tipsy Bunny]

My Tipsy is a single bun. She doesnt mind it one bit. Binkies as much as a bonded bun would! And she gets double to toys and attention because she is a single bun But just for kicks, I went to a goodwill store and saw a stuffed animal bunny and grabbed it (it was only 2 dollars) and Tipsy loves it! I am pretty sure she doesnt think its a real bun, but she does like the cuddliness of it. Sometimes, I will catch her nestled under its arm like she is making the stufty embrace her and she just falls asleep. Way too cute for words. But when I am studying, she jumps up on my bed or on my lap and sinks her head down and I give her lots of scritches and pets.

[aerosmithgrl]

found out last night that my bun enjoys being a single bun. there was the smell of another bun in the craft room upstairs where i was hanging out but i didnt think anything of it until i took him up there and there was 9 pounds of raging flemmy searching everything to find the other bun! never heard thumps so loud in my life. then he flopped next to me like he was my guard bunny (at 9 pounds my shiny black bun probably could guard me well) he even charged at a chunk of fabric that fell off of a stacked pile. wow that was one angry bun. but then he was binkying at the same time… my bun has gone insane O.o

[Elrohwen]

I think it’s a natural thing to worry about for just about any pet, but I really think single bunnies are just fine. I do believe there are some who need a friend (I think Hannah was one) but at the other end of the spectrum there are those who really don’t care (Otto was one of those). It sounds like Zeus is perfectly well adjusted and happy as he is – he’s not being destructive or hard to handle. Plus, bunnies sleep allllll the time – I doubt he really notices that you’re gone. Mine are fine sleeping from 9am to 9pm even if we’re home. lol

It’s a normal worry, but I don’t think it’s something you need to concern yourself with. Getting a second bun is for you as much as it is for your bunny and since it really wouldn’t work for you right now then it’s not worth it.

[Huckleberry]

I have the same worry all the time. You feel guilty for leaving them at home alone or spending any time at home not trying to compensate for them being alone all day. Really, I agree with the others though. When it comes down to it, they sleep for around 11 hrs per day. On my days off, Huckles usually doesn’t even come out of her room during the day (and when she does, she is a huge grump, like a toddler who didnt get her nap). I think they are ok on their own, too. However, I did have one bun visiting for a couple of days and I noticed that he was very clingy… I think it depends on the bun.

[Stickerbunny]

All your buns sound so funny.

It sounds like Zeus is fine single. Powder enjoys his girlfriend, but he enjoyed being single too – now instead of flopping out on the vents, he has to move when she says cause she wants the vent herself. When he gets dinner, she pulls the greens out of his mouth if she likes the look of them better than her own. Instead of being able to laze around all day flopped with his feet out, she comes and nags him if he lays down for more than a few minutes. If he goes to try to groom himself, she comes over and nearly pushes him over demanding he do her first, then she refuses to groom him back and he has to do himself too afterwards. Why he puts up with her, I will never know, I guess because she’s 3 years younger and very pretty. If Zeus ever gets lonely, you can tell him he better be glad he has a slave instead of a diva wife!

[SirThumpsey]

Sticker bunny….lmao….Poor powder

[bunnnnnnie!]

Posted By MimzMum on 12/19/2011 07:52 PM
I have three unbonded, as you all know. They all live in the same room but separate habitats. They don’t get much time to socialize with one another, (my fault), though I’m pretty sure I could bond them but the few times I’ve seen one go for the other in an aggressive way puts me back a bit.
That being said, if one of then is having cuddle time with me, you can see how it irks another. Also, Fiver waits for me to come sit down near him before he will eat, so I think he tends to see me as a ‘bunny buddy’ and Mimzy, ditto. Pip is the only one who seems to get along well alone, but she is pretty personable either with buns or people.
Ideally I’d like all three in one spot because having to clean three different habs is murder on my back and now with the puppy (and Jenna as well) I’m getting less time with them and room for them to exercise. I think each knows the other is there, but I am sad they can’t snorgle. Even if they did live in the same habitat, I’d go nuts anytime I was away in case there was a sudden squabble.

Personally I believe Zeus thinks YOU are his mate. Who else could get away with playing with his ears to a Willow Smith tune in the bathroom? But he might appreciate it if you’d leave the soaps on for him during the day so he can catch up on Bun Life To Live. ^_^

It must be so hard to have 3 unbonded buns, it’s basically 3x the work with 3 seperate habitats and everything.  Kudos to you, I don’t know how you do it!

And haha, very true about Zeus letting me “dance” with his ears.  He’s very tolerant of my antics. .  Also on the rare occasion he has to spend a night alone (ie, I’m sleeping over at someone else’s house or whatever) I leave the TV on for him overnight with the volume turned low just so he has voices to listen to. 

(I’m also planning on a new vid of him doing “I’m Sexy and I Know It” by LMFAO. )

 

[bunnnnnnie!]

And Zeus is definitely a “people bunny”.  He follows me around the apartment wherever I go, comes when called, and his favorite places to flop/relax are in the threshold of the bathroom and the threshold of the kitchen – the two spots he can keep on eye on me at all times no matter what room I’m in.  When I’m in the shower he waits for me right on the other side of the tub as long as I’m in there then gets all excited when I come out.   He also grooms me a lot and falls asleep next to me sometimes.  So maybe you guys are right, he’s bonded to me. 

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