Help me make a decision

[bun lover]

Hi, folks: 

We are in looking into adopting a bun from our local shelter. There are two pairs of unspayed females there, the Brown Pair (BP) and the Grey Pair (GP). We think all four came in to the shelter together in the winter. The GP used to live together, but they began fighting and have been separated. They still play together.

The BP, however, live together and appear to be what people call “bonded.” The shelter people want us to adopt both (of course). We really only have room for one bun. We have become very fond of the Little Brown Bun. There’s a Bigger Brown Bun and she’s furrier.

I am getting anxious to the point of tears on this issue. I understand it can be a BAD idea to separate bonded pairs. I have also read that it can be done and it all depends on the buns.

We would like Little Brown Bun because she is younger, smaller, less furry and reminds us of our recently departed bunny. However, I do not want to cause trouble from Day One and cause harm to any of the buns.

So I’m wondering if we’d be better off with one of the grey buns, since they are separated.

I mean, what if I take both Browns and they end up fighting and have to be separated. I know it’s most likely because they are unspayed (the shelter will take care of that once we commit). I just don’t know what to do/think/etc.

My partner tends to think that all this “bonding” stuff is something that people “project” onto rabbits and that they can certainly be separated.

I know I’m emotionally fragile because of our recent loss. I just miss my best friend so much.

Thank you for listening.

 

[Sarita]

I would go with the gray bun…but I guess I wonder how the shelter is about bonded rabbits – how rabbit savvy are they? Some rabbits can definitely stay bonded but there is NO guarantee. I brought home a bonded pair of unspayed females and they stayed together until one passed (both got spayed of course)…any idea how old the bonded brown pair might be? I have no idea the age of my females when I rescued them from the shelter but my best guess is that they were at least one year old when I got them.

[tanlover14]

First and foremost, your partner is wrong. Bonded bunnies create a very strong bond between one and another. They rely on each other. And can go into a severe bout of depression if separated. Does this mean they all do? No. But it’s very common but separated bonded bunnies to get ill or depressed when separated from a mate.

I am curious though – how young is the brown pair? When they are very young separating is not difficult and there isn’t much danger to doing so. If they are adults though I would highly discourage it. I also want to point out if she’s younger this could contribute to her smallness and she could end up being bigger than you actually anticipate. Food for thought.

Another thought – if they are bonded, do you have the finances for both? I know you mentioned space but there’s a lot of ways you can create extra space by making your own house for them out of NIC cubes and building up rather than out. There’s a ton of different ideas located in the Habitat of this site. We had three of our buns living in a smaller sized condo but with multiple levels that they really enjoyed. The extra levels created more space for them. And then they had out time when we were home and they could be supervised.

[bun lover]

The Brown Pair is rather young–possibly under a year. The girl we want to adopt is a Netherland dwarf. The SPCA folks said they came in in February and that she has not grown “much,” if at all. So I’m thinking under a year.

I certainly don’t want to traumatize anybun!

 

[Jessie1990]

I wouldn’t separate them. Honestly, if it was me, I would get the pair but that’s just me. I think it depends on whether you want a single rabbit that might bond more strongly with you. I’ve read that pairs sometimes stick more to themselves, BUT I’m sure it also depends on the personality of the bun. Why don’t you visit often and “feel” out the situation. If you can afford a pair, I would just go with your gut But I would NOT separate the pair, unless the shelter just put them together and called them bonded.

[bun lover]

We can’t afford a pair right now. I wish we could because I love them so much. More shelter visits are planned, for sure. We want to spend a lot of time holding the potential adoptees and watching them play. The thing that kind of gets me is, there’s these volunteers, and they’re kind of standing over our shoulders while we’re holding one of the BP, and saying things to the other one (who is in her cage) like, “oooh, you miss your buddy, don’t you?” Quite honestly, I don’t see anything happening (such as frantic searching around the house, sniffing, etc. while her friend is out and she is not).

As for the shelter putting them together and calling them bonded…honestly, I don’t know what the story is there. The shelter is not even clear as to where these rabbits came from (they have “trapped” on all four of the BP and GP cages) but they have been there since Feb.

Anyways, we do want a single rabbit that would have more of a bond with us. We’ve had issues with rats who were bonded and then began attacking one another, those who lost partners and didn’t seem to notice, etc. I guess every case is different.

 

[MoveDiagonally]

If you don’t want a pair then I would adopt one of the single gray ones. I agree with others about it not being fair to the rabbits to split up a pair. Bonding is definitely NOT just something projected on rabbits by humans.

[LittlePuffyTail]

I agree with the others. I don’t think pairs should be separated.

[Beka27]

I agree. Adopt a rabbit who is not bonded, or even just “living with” another rabbit. There is no way for you to know the full depth of their bond, and it’s not fair to you to grow attached to a bunny that is in a pair, unless you have the resources and space for both.

Will the rescue be spaying all of these rabbits before they go to their new homes? If not, the cost of spaying will be your responsibility. Make sure to take that into consideration also if you adopt from them.

[bun lover]

Yes, they will be spayed before adoption takes place. They take care of it there at the shelter, where they have three vets that work with them.

Posted By Beka27 on 06/25/2013 11:59 AM

Will the rescue be spaying all of these rabbits before they go to their new homes? If not, the cost of spaying will be your responsibility. Make sure to take that into consideration also if you adopt from them.

 

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