Considering getting bun a friend

[Bu20055]

Hi guys!

 

Recently I’ve been really considering getting a friend for Esther but there are a few things I need to take into consideration.

First off, there’s the possibility that my girl might have cancer. It’s low, because when the vet spayed her and saw the uterine cancer, they said that while it was quite advanced, there were no signs of it having spread. Now this is my biggest problem with bonding. I’m not sure how to tell 100% that her cancer didn’t spread, but I don’t want to deprive her of the opportunity to have a relationship with someone of her own species. However if her cancer has spread, would that be unfair to the other bun to have to go back and forth to the vet with her and possibly lose her?

Another thing I’m considering is space. I’d be able to give them each about a 20 foot pen right next to each other, which would then be combined once they were bonded, and they’d end up with about a 40 square foot pen to share. Is this enough space for each of them?

The next consideration is neutral territory, which there isn’t much that I’d be able to set up a whole pen in. I could use the bathtub for earlier bonding sessions, but when it came to the marathon, I don’t know where I could do it. I guess I could potentially use one of my siblings rooms, but most other spaces the dog roams, and my bun doesn’t like her, and I don’t know how willing they would be to give up their rooms for 48+ hours.

In general though, I think she would love the companionship, as she loves attention. What do you guys think about everything?

[DanaNM]

While I am an advocate for bonded bunnies in general, I’m thinking since Esther is so new and potentially has some health concerns, it would be good to just settle into having her for a bit.

There have been some super easy bondings on the forum recently (I would be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous!), but it is often a lot more work that some of these bondings have let on!

It’s a good idea to plan for the worst (in rare cases a pair may never bond, or it can take months and months of diligent work), and see if you are still up for the challenge. So it could potentially take a lot more than a couple days of working in neutral territory. I would say most easy bonds take a couple weeks, more average ones take 3-4 weeks, and then it goes up from there. My longest bondings took 3-4 months. Some other folks on the forum with super tough bonds have taken 6 months or even a year! If you search “bonding journal” in the forums you will get a sample of the full range of experiences, including the unsuccessful ones.

Neutral space and living space during the process are important considerations. Is the 20 and 40 sq ft pens living space, or also exercise space? 40 sq ft would be plenty for living space for a pair, but even a single bun should ideally get to exercise in 50 sq ft for at least 4 hours a day.

So I guess I’m saying it could be good, but don’t rush into it, and plan for the worst. Esther seems very happy with you currently, and it would be good to get a great idea of her health before rushing into anything.

. . . 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.  

[Bu20055]

Okay thanks Dana! This would be a future thing, at least 3/4 months likely. The 20 and 40 square feet are only the living space, and after the bonding they would free roam the rest of my room anywhere from 8-14 hours a day (before bonding they’d split that time) and maybe eventually fully free roam in my room. In terms of if the bonding didn’t work, I think if I can I’ll foster first and if it doesn’t work out I would foster until the bun found a new foster or a forever home. Either that or I’d fall in love and have 2 singles 😛 .
If I do get her a friend, I’m planning on at least a week for new bun to settle in (more if they need it), then 2+ weeks of cage swaps/pre-bonding then 2-4+ weeks of actual bonding.

Yeah, you guys gotta stop having easy bonds (I’m talking Moonlightbunny and Louiethebunny) or you’re gonna give me unrealistic expectations! Not to mention how jealous poor HipHop will be if anyone else’s buns bond so quick!

[HipHopBunny]

Firstly, I would like to say, OMG I TOTALLY SUPPORT BUNNY BONDING!

Although, as you said, you do have some problems to work with. As Dana said above, I would let Esther settle in for a while more before introducing another bun. 🙂 After another month or so, if Covid lifts enough to do so, I think it would be great for you to take her on a few speed dates to find a companion. 🙂

Secondly, yes, I would be MAJORLY jealous if yet ANOTHER easy bun bonding finished before my trio is bonded, which has been going on for THE PAST FEW MONTHS. *takes a breath from all of the yelling* 😆

Wishing you luck, and a bun bond that bonds just a few days after my ladies! 😛

[Bu20055]

@HipHopBunny

 

Getting another bun to bond with her is definitely not a now thing, but I like planning ahead. I may or may not have been planning to get a bun for two years before I even knew if I was allowed 😛 .

 

Hehe 😛 . Don’t worry, I wouldn’t dare complete a bunny bond before your girls are bonded 😉 .

Good luck with your girls! I hope they bond soon! 😀

[Bu20055]

Okay so there’s a bun at the rescue my girl is from that has been in the rescue for 2 years! 😥 I wouldn’t do anything bonding related for probably another 2 months, but I’m considering fostering/adopting him, even if I don’t bond the two of them. Their personalities seem like they would go well together, which leaves bonding as a likely option so long as they are both healthy. What do you guys think? How much more work is it caring for two singles rather than one?

[pinkiemarie]

Oh no 2 years? That poor bunny!

[Bu20055]

I know! The poor guy! 😞

[HipHopBunny]

Hmm. You could try fostering him, but what would your intentions be? For, you were talking about 2 singles, so is it your hopes to just have another bun, or is it to bond him with Esther? If it is to bond him with Esther, and they are both happy and healthy buns, I would see if your rescue would be open to doing speed dating. 🙂 That way, you could see if Esther agrees that they would be a good match! 😉 Other than that, I think your plan sounds great! 😀

Also, *ahem* but, I would think by now you would know how important pictures are to us. 😥 There aren’t any pictures of the bun in question! 😛

 

[pinkiemarie]

Yeah I have to agree about the pictures!

[Bu20055]

She was actually at the same foster as the other bun for a while, and kept trying to get into his room, and hung out by his pen when she could. She was apparently quite sassy and tried to nip all the other buns through the pen bars, but not this bun. My hopes are to bond the two, but I plan to take it slow and I would be a little disappointed, but okay with having 2 singles if it didn’t work out. Don’t worry @HipHopBunny I haven’t forgotten 😉 . I’ll get some pics up soon 😁

[DanaNM]

I would say 2 singles is more work than a pair, but not a crazy amount more. The main things that I notice as extra work are double litter boxes to clean, and coordinating separate exercise times.

If he seems to be languishing in the shelter, fostering can really improve chances of being adopted, as you can get a chance to see the bun’s true personality. And the foster-to-adopt situation is nice for bonding (that’s what I’ve always done with mine, I foster them till it’s clear the bond will work, or until we can find them a permanent home).

. . . 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.  

[Bu20055]

Okay so we’re going to start fostering him soon! The rescue is actually foster based so he’s been in foster homes his whole life (he was born into the rescue). Poor guys still hasn’t been adopted, likely because the rescue is quite small and had 2 other litters around the same time, which means there was a lot of baby buns. Here are some pics of him!

In the first two he is younger but the last one is only from about a week ago.

and here’s a silly pic of Esther because it made me laugh lol.

[Bam]

Oh, he’s completely adorable! And the pic of Esther is wonderfully silly! 🥰

[HipHopBunny]

Oh, what an adorable lil guy! 😀 <3 <3 <3 <3

Do you get to name him too? 🙂 If so, how about Thumper, Peter (as in Peter rabbit) Benjamin Bunny (from Peter rabbit 😆 ) Or Hopper?

[Bu20055]

Hehe thanks guys. He’s so stinking cute. 🙂

Nope this lil guy already has a name, Blaze. Like Esther we’ll be keeping it given how long he’s had it for. Great names though! 😀

[DanaNM]

OMG HE IS SO CUTE!  And looove Esther’s rex booplesnoot!

How was he there so long!? He looks like he could be prince dorian’s son!

. . . 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.  

[Bu20055]

Hehe Esther has a wonderful booplesnoot, doesn’t she? Best part is she doesn’t mind when I boop it lol.

I don’t know how he hasn’t been adopted yet, he’s so cute! I was actually thinking that too! He does look a lot like Dorian.

His pen is almost all set up now, we’ll be picking him up on Saturday! I’m getting very excited now lol

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