Does bunny need a friend?

[Emily S]

My husband and I have a 3 year old dutch rabbit named Rosie.  She has been a single rabbit since we adopted her 2 years ago.  She seems like she may be lonely or depressed – but it is hard for me to know.  Rosie has free-run of the apartment during the day.  At night she is in her crate+x-pen combo.  In the evening when we are home from work she seems to sit in only one of two places – behind the kitchen table or inside her x-pen (although the gate is open).  When she is let out in the morning she hops all around the house exploring and seems very happy, but the rest of the day she just sits around not really interested in much.  She sometimes plays with toys and is interested in being petted & will lick/groom our hands back, but often will hop off and sit in seclusion.  Is this normal or is she depressed?  Should we get her a friend?  We are open to getting a second bunny, but want to do what is right for our girl we have now! 

[Wick & Fable]

Generally bonded rabbits are a good bet because, as much as I love Wick and understand his body language, I’m not a rabbit and can’t check off all those communication boxes to fulfill his needs.

One point I’m thinking of is how often you interact with her. Two years of having her means she’s no longer “new”, so perhaps you are interesting and engaging her less, so she’s reflecting that disengagement herself. I mention this because this is what I realized was happening with Wick and I, so I bought some toys to present him food, make food time a fixed schedule when I can sit and pet him, and I try and crawl around and cuddle with him at least once a day. He seems to be more active now than in the past.

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.

[Emily S]

I don’t think we are engaging her any less than when we first brought her home & we get her new toys often.  She gets her leafy greens hand fed to her twice per day.  She just doesn’t seem as happy the rest of the day as she does first thing in the morning.  Instead of exploring or digging in her dig box or coming to investigate her mom and dad when we are laying on the floor (which we do often in the evenings) she seems to be disengaged and prone to sitting in the far corners of the room.  It’s hard to tell if I am reading to much into ‘normal’ bunny behavior or if I am really seeing a sad bunny.

[Wick & Fable]

Thanks for the additional information.

I’m now leaning towards daily activity cycle. Wick is active in the early morning, but from 8am to 3pm, it’s his sleeping time. Anywhere from 12-1, he will move briefly for a hay/poop/pee break, but then he goes back to sleep.He goes to a corner he perceives has the least noise and stimulation and actually sleeps that entire time. This could be a room I’m not in at all during that entire time or it could be in the same room as me, but in a spot I’m not walking around. Early on, rabbits usually don’t get into a schedule, but after they feel secure in their environment, they tend to establish their activity schedule.

What are your thoughts from that perspective?

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.

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