Fostering Rabbits?

[Bo Bunny]

My humane society has always had a few rabbits.  I was considering fostering one or so, but need to know with Bo, would that work?  Bo has bonded well with my cat, they play and groom eachother, even share a water bowl.  I wouldn’t want to foster a rabbit that then bonded with Bo then only have to leave if adopted.

 

Any suggestions?

[Monkeybun]

If you foster, you’d have to keep them seperate so they don’t bond… unless you fall in love with the bun Seperate play times, seperate housing, everything.

[TARM]

keep them in separate rooms. Bunny smells in your house could upset your resident bunny.

[Beka27]

Absolutely keep them separate unless you have plans/desire for a second bun. Is you house set-up in such a way where they can both have housing and exercise space and never venture into the same territory? This sometimes works if you have an upstairs and downstairs bunny… Good for you for wanting to foster… but be aware, fostering has the tendency to become adopting.

[Elrohwen]

I wanted to add that a new bunny is unlikely to bond with Bo if you just let them out together, like Bo has with your cat. Two bunnies who don’t know each other are likely to fight if let out in the same space without careful introduction and lots of time and this is why everyone is recommending the bunnies have separate spaces.

[Bo Bunny]

Thank you all very much! I’ll keep these suggestions in consideration.

[Beka27]

Thank you for clarifying that Elrohwen! I wasn’t entirely clear on the fact that it’s likely the two buns would fight viciously if in the same space, or at the very least have poop and pee marking wars all over the place. The worst (best?) case scenario is that they instantly fall in love, and then at that point, it would be cruel to break them up.

Is your rabbit neutered? Keep in mind that most rescues will not allow people to foster unless all pets in the house are spay/neutered…

[Balefulregards]

We fostered Jackson with the intent to Bond him with Coco. He was neutered before hand as well.

I liked this strategy because it made sense that if the bond didn’t work out, he would be getting lots of socialization and reinforcement in regards to what being a good House bun is all about. Plus, I had the extra non-Coco territory /and supplies to keep him, and I figured that it would free up a space in our SPCA for another homeless rabbit. If and when he had to leave to a forever home, I would have known that I tried my darndest to bond them, and it just wasn’t the right match for them.

As it stood ( and stands) they have had a slow bond which is just now turning into that rabbit love I have seen in others buns. They were not a “hard” bond in that they weren’t aggressive, but I certainly had the Poo and urine wars. They didn’t fall instantly in love either. It has taken six months for them to show that sweet bonded pair affection towards each other.

I am not sure I would have wanted to go through the poo and urine wars had I not been actively trying to bond them! It is rough to wake up to the poo explosion and start cleaning as soon as you step out of bed.

I would love to say I could foster rabbits for other homes in the future, but I suspect I would end up with a massive warren since I am a big softie like that. I admire people who can foster and let them go.

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