Do bunnies act different when they are paired?

[Nibbles_NZ]

I got a New Zealand about 3 weeks ago. It’s about 11 weeks old now. It is very sweet and really likes to cuddle. It likes to run around but doesn’t really know how to play just yet. I’ve been noticing that it seems bored a lot of times. I’ve had it in the cage (but let it out to play off and on day and night). I just bought a large play pen for it and it really seems to like it. As much as I love my bun, I can’t let it out to freely roam the house until it is house trained (that I am working on). I don’t want it to get depressed. Is it a good idea to adopt another bun for my little one to play with? Does it change thier personality towards people? I want it to want attention from me.

[Karla]

Rabbits are used to live in large warrens with lots of other rabbits. They are very social creatures, who can bond strongly with each other. Because of this, yes, your bunny will still love the attention from you. Just as you can love more than one bunny, your bunny will also be capable of loving both you and another bunny. And considering the fact, that you are the one providing them with treats and food, you will never ever be ignored by your bunny

Until recently I had a trio and I had no problems with getting lots of cuddling time. Actually, I think my first bunny got much more social and willing to be petted after he was paired. Until then, he wasn’t utterly convinced that being petted by a human was any fun until he saw another bunny enjoy it, so I actually think you might benefit from getting another one. And then of course, so will your bunny.
 

[Monkeybun]

I’d wait to get another until your current one is spayed or neutered. What gender is your bun? I notice you’re just calling your bunny “it”…

[Nibbles_NZ]

My bunny is a buck. He can’t be neuterd for another couple of months. I was thinking of getting either a fixed doe or a baby doe. I have heard they do not have thier scent glands until after they are 3 months old. My bun was with others before I got him. I’ve only had him for amost 3 weeks now. He doesn’t seem territorial and he got along with my aunts dog (who wanted to eat him). I would love to get another one. I am really hoping this will work out.

[Andi]

I have one bunny in particular that came to me as a single, and i eventually bonded to another bunny. Before the rabbit bond, he was bonded to me, would snuggle on my lap and sleep with me on the couch. Since he now has a grilfriend, things did change he is much more interested in snuggling with her then me. That said He loves me, no doubt (Specially if I have treats LOL) but i did sort of miss the old relationship we had. But i know he now has someone to groom him, and be with him 24/7 which i am unable to do.
I like keeping my animals in pairs when i can.

So do they change with a friend? Some do, but i find they will change much more after puberty then they would being bonded to another rabbit.
My 2 cents anyways

[Monkeybun]

If you do get him a friend before he is neutered, go with the spayed doe, rather than the baby. Its better to be safe than sorry,a nd not risk a surprise litter if you can’t get him neutered before she matures.

[Nibbles_NZ]

Most of the photos I’ve seen on here, the rabbits are paired. Does anyone have a solo rabbit? Is it free roaming or caged (and let out to play)?

[Monkeybun]

I have 2, but they arent bonded yet. Both of them have a cage and exercise pen, the pen is attached to their cages, and they are never just locked in the cage. They each get time every day to run around the entire apartment, and seem to be quite happy that way right now lol.

[Nibbles_NZ]

I so wish I could let mine run around my entire house! I would but I have little kids and I need to bunny proof my house! If that is at all possible! lol

[jerseygirl]

Lots of people have happy single bunnies at this site. I had a single bunny for 1 1/2 years and now she’s in a pair. I wouldn’t say she’s any more happier. She likes the company and his grooming her but she’s as she was before really. I do feel he was wanting a companion more so. He seeks her out alot. Mostly, they just like to be around where things are happening. Human company will keep them happy also.

What makes you feel that he’s bored and getting depressed?

[Nibbles_NZ]

He just looks bored sometimes. I don’t think he even knows how to play. He will get up and walk around and then flop down and lay there and look at you. He does the same thing when you let him roam free around the house. I don’t think he is depressed. I think he just needs something. I don’t know what that something is. I’m trying to figure it out. I bought him things to chew on, he has a ball with a bell in it and other little toys. He just doesn’t play. I am going to make a diggy box for him tomorrow. Aren’t baby buns supposed to love to play? He just seems kind of lost. He is a definite attention seeker. He always wants attention. That’s probably why I feel so guilty. I wasn’t expecting him to be that much of an attention seeker. I always thought rabbits were solo. Boy was I wrong. I just can’t spend as much time with hiim as he wants. Any ideas?

[jerseygirl]

Bored rabbits usually are up to no good, destroying something they shouldn’t! I think from what you describe, Baxter sounds like a typical bun. He’s loafing and sleeping. They do this alot throughout the day. You may notice certain times of the day though when he becomes more active.
Typically, rabbits do spend much of the day in a quite place, resting or sleeping. They can sleep with their eyes open too, so he may not be just lying there staring but actually catching some Z’s.
It’s also not unusual for them not to go for toys. Mine don’t much either. You can identify their play style though so keep offering different things. Activities that encourage chewing, destruction, digging, tossing…. What does he do when he has time outside his cage or pen?

Have you tried a simple cardboard box with some entry/exit holes cut out of it?

[Elrohwen]

My bunny was a solo bun for over a year before we got our second. I loved it! Honestly, there are moments when I miss having him all by himself. Having two is fun, but having a super close bond with one of the two is even more fun. A bunny that isn’t particularly bonded with you (which, after 3 weeks, he really isn’t) plus a new bunny will create their own little bunny warren that doesn’t involve you. If you don’t get close to your boy and develop a real bond now, you might never get that opportunity.

Wait until he is neutered, then get a spayed female. You really don’t want to deal with the stress that getting another unfixed rabbit will bring (long, stressful bonding session plus seeing both bunnies through expensive surgeries)

[Nibbles_NZ]

That is Very good advice. I absolutely do not want to get an unfixed female and end up with babies! I am done with the bunny search. I am going to make him activity toys! I have my little girl all excited about it…she is going to help. I am also going to talk my husband into building a bunny house. We have a lot of untreated wood (not red wood).

[Sugarbear]

Posted By Nibbles_NZ on 04/22/2010 05:13 PM

Most of the photos I’ve seen on here, the rabbits are paired. Does anyone have a solo rabbit? Is it free roaming or caged (and let out to play)?

We have a single rabbit.  He has the run of 90% of our house.  We have a small fence around the tread mill, he likes to go under the tread mill  and chew the rubber mat.  We started by giving him a small area and expanded it when he seemed ready.  For a while he had two rooms at night and three during the day.  We too are thinking of pairing him with a female once he’s fixed.  I had a solo rabbit for 12 years and he was bonded to me.  He was normal and behaved very well and was a very good pet.
 

[Juli]

I have a single bunny but im gonna breed her and have her live with one of her babies. I think that another bunny to live with yours would be good but make sure he can get along with it.

[Karla]

Juli, you do know that the fact that they are mother and baby does not necessarily mean that they will get along? And that they will both need to get spayed?

I have to admit that I always get sad reading something like this. There are so many rabbits at shelters just waiting for someone to come by and rescue them, and we as bunny lovers should do what we can to help this by not breeding our rabbits as that will just increase the problem with unwanted rabbits. For every baby you get, a rabbit at your local shelter will miss its chance to be adopted.

[Balefulregards]

Juli, I would like to point out that Intentional breeding is a prohibited topic on the board.

As to single buns. Coco was a single bun for 1.5 years. She was a happy diva then, and a happy diva now. She loves Jackson, but she could have been just fine as a Single Gal. She is also free roam 100% of the time.

As to the pairing, Jackson needs her more than she seems to need him – but I am unsure if that is personality OR a side effect of her being here first, and a generally more social rabbit.

[Nibbles_NZ]

Juli, Not to mention, not spaying your female rabbit will have a bad, unhealthy and sad outcome for both of you. Rabbits who don’t get spayed are very likely to die from uterine cancer. Don’t breed your bunny. That’s the least you can do for her. If you absolutly want her to live with another bunny, go to your local shelter. If you don’t have one with bunnies, buy one. It’s so much better than breeding her. You can greatly increase how long she will live.

[Nibbles_NZ]

Posted By Balefulregards on 04/24/2010 08:06 AM
Juli, I would like to point out that Intentional breeding is a prohibited topic on the board.

As to single buns. Coco was a single bun for 1.5 years. She was a happy diva then, and a happy diva now. She loves Jackson, but she could have been just fine as a Single Gal. She is also free roam 100% of the time.

As to the pairing, Jackson needs her more than she seems to need him – but I am unsure if that is personality OR a side effect of her being here first, and a generally more social rabbit.

I wish mine could be. I want them to be. Any tips?

 

[Elrohwen]

I think having a free roam bunny is a combination of how well you can bunny proof (ie how many destructable objects are in their area) and the personality of the bunny. There are some bunnies who could just never be trusted free roaming. Then there are bunnies, like my Otto, that I would trust anywhere in the house at any time with minimal bunny proofing. Some just aren’t troublemakers and I think that’s innate.

Now, if you’re able to set aside a room that doesn’t have much destructable in it and is just for the bunnies, then it’s easier for them to be free range in that particular room.

[usagi]

When we first got our bun, we were also worried that he would be lonely and bored during the day while we are not home.  We live in a studio apartment, so it’s a bit different, but after looking around a bit (see “habitat masterpieces” on bb homepage for ideas), we built a bunny condo around the cage, with an xpen around both the condo and the cage (we used those grid things from target).  This way, he has some space when we are not around.  When we are home, we generally give him free run of most of the apartment, but we have to keep an eye on him.  Even though we have bunny-proofed, he has his ways… 

When we first got Lems, we got him a lot of wooden toys.  He was totally not interested.  Have you tried any willow or grass mats?  Lemony also loves yucca and the applewood sticks… Just some suggestions!  

[Nibbles_NZ]

I have them all! lol. I have willow basket, grass mats, applewood sticks. He isn’t really a trouble maker…well, I think I just can’t see it. My husband can though lol. He does chew on my carpet and I’m always getting him out from under the recliner. He likes to chew up fabric. Any kind of fabric. His favorite lately is clothing…jeans! We have a microfiber suade sectional couch that I’m scared of him trying to chew on so I just don’t let him in the living room anymore. Not by himself. Now that I have 2 bunnies, I am giving them thier own bunny room (seperatly of course). They will take turns having free roam in that room. Maybe we’ll get them on an schedule! lol

[Moonlight_Wolf]

so wish I could let mine run around my entire house! I would but I have little kids and I need to bunny proof my house! If that is at all possible! lol

I wish I could too, but I have BIG people that won’t let me, LOL!  I have parents that won’t allow it, but at least my bunnies can run around in my bedroom.

[Nibbles_NZ]

I am working on a bunny room. I am new to bunnies so I am trying my best to learn what they love. I have 2 that need fixed and can’t be together lol

[Balefulregards]

As to free roam – I think I got lucky. Coco was the first rabbit I’d ever had ( a rescue) so I was seriously playing it all by ear. At first I moved her into our bedroom ( which is like a 15×15 space) because we could rabbit proof it easily and because we could close the door if needed. I also wanted her close to me so I could socialize her, as she had a pretty cruddy previous life.

I bought a gate in case she made a break for it….but she just never did, so we grew accustomed to having the door open. She would occasionally hop out and see what other people were doing, but on the whole she has a Very large space in the bedroom.

She will occasionally wander out to scratch at my husbands bedroom door in the morning if she doesn’t sense that anyone is bringing food quickly enough…and one time Jackson did wander into my daughter’s room and eat the entire internet connection – But I viewed that as OUR fault for not bunny proofing well enough.

The other thing is that we both work from home primarily, so they have people with them nearly 24/7. I also make a very concious effort to change their “habitat” every other week….re-arrange their maze, change the location of their diggy box, add or subtract toys/boxes etc. I find with my two that more than 2 weeks means that they FIND things to get into, especially Coco who is a small, furry gang leader.

[Nibbles_NZ]

That’s a good idea to change things. It seems like it would keep them entertained more and distracted from the other things. I am a stay at home mom and my husband works at night so I do have a lot of time to socialize my buns. My Baxter is really comfortable with me. I’m still working on getting my little girls to treat him the way he wants to be treated. Kind of difficult with to year olds. lol They are doing well though. My almost 5 year old little girl is very good with him and he is warming up to her too. I figure, I can keep them in the bunny room and when they are spayed/neutered and bonding I will introduce them to different rooms in the house. Primarily the living room.

[usagi]

Sounds like a good plan!

[Author]

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