Percentage of successes?

[Linette]

Sort of an informal poll

In your experience. Real experience.

 Have you found more bonds to be successful or unsuccessful?

 

I just went through a failed bonding experience, so this has been on my mind a great deal, and we are now evaluating if we want to try with a different rabbit or leave well enough alone.

[LBJ10]

I’ve only bonded one pair and it was an easy bond. My boys absolutely adore each other. =)

I know that there are some cases where 2 rabbits simply are not compatible. But it seems there are a lot more stories on here about success than about failure. I didn’t see your other thread (is there one?) about bonding, so I don’t know what the situation was. Was there a new rabbit that your brought in from a rescue? Was it a conditional adoption where the rabbit could be returned to them if the bond didn’t work? If that is the case, there is nothing wrong with trying another one to see if that is a better match. I’ve heard of rescues doing stuff like that, letting people take a bunny home on a trial basis to see if they get along with the current bunny in the home.

[Linette]

Yes, we did adopt a rabbit from a rescue and attempt a bond. It did not work out and we returned her. They would have let us try with another, but the rescue is 4+ hours away and the trip is long and costly etc so it’s not practical for us to keep trying repeatedly AND, there were some other concerns about the contract with the rescue, and the way some things were handled that made us hesitate to work with them again.

So we are considering whether or not we should try again, and the best way to go about it.

I’ve heard lovely success stories as well as horror stories about bonds, so I’m testing the waters.

[Beka27]

I commented in your other thread, but regarding this question, if I were in your position I would put getting a second rabbit on the back burner for now. You mentioned that your rabbit has free range and is like “your dog”. This behavior can change when a formerly single rabbit is bonded. Would you miss that close relationship if he was bonded to another rabbit? Also, just because he is free range now, this does not mean that his prospective mate would be able to be free range. Not all rabbits (regardless of age, spay/neuter status, breed, etc) are able to be trusted to roam free. Some rabbits are always chewers or diggers or sprayers, and some never fully litter train. If one rabbit in a pair has bad habits, these can also rub off on the second “well-behaved” rabbit. If for some reason the new rabbit is not able to be free roam, your existing rabbit would also need to be confined and they would need supervised play time together.

Finally, the point of getting a second rabbit is that it is not conditional on whether or not they bond. When you get a second, you make the commitment that they are yours forever regardless of if they bond. If you’re not committed to keeping two separate rabbits for the next ten years, I wouldn’t even consider it. It’s not fair to the second rabbit to be returned or rehomed just bc he/she doesn’t get along with the first bun.

[Beka27]

Lol… Just thought of this: Think if it in terms of human children. Mom has a second baby bc SHE wants one! If it were left up to the firstborn, he/she would always be an only child… Or would like a new baby, but ONLY if it’s a brother/sister… Or would like a new sibling, but ONLY until they start fighting over toys…

You wouldn’t give in to your kids when the 5 year old daughter says, “Billy broke my barbie doll! We need to rehome him!” Lol! 😉

[BunnyLady1989]

I fully agree with you Beka! That is a perfect analogy too. Definitely take some time and think about it and really take into consideration your current bunny. Some rabbits are perfectly fine with just you

[Linette]

I agree.

I think I got caught up in the “every rabbit needs one of their own” philosophy that I heard shared on so many sites.

And some worry over him being lonely if I get a job and he’s alone all day.

I felt like I was doing him a disservice to deny him a buddy of his own kind.

But when the bond wasn’t working, I did some more poking around online and read some more stuff, and like you say, some rabbits don’t need a buddy and are happy with things they way they are. If a rabbit has to be forced for months, tricked or traumatized to accept a friend…maybe it’s not meant to be.

I don’t consider rabbits disposable etc, but the deal with the rescue was…we didn’t own the rabbit, they did, and we had to follow their policies. Basically, I shouldn’t have gotten involved in that situation, and that’s on me. And I won’t try to fob responsibility off on someone else, but there were issues in which my hands were tied that impacted things.

So basically we’re back to where we started. I don’t personally feel a need for another rabbit. And the deeper in I get the less convinced I am that we are harming him by NOT having another rabbit for him. And I have put my own brain in a drawer and let myself be swayed every which way by the varying opinions I’ve come across.

People have very strong stands on these things, and I ended up feeling like I knew nothing, even though I’ve kept rabbits for 40 years. I need to listen to my rabbit and my own gut.

[BunnyLady1989]

You know I think we all get like that every once in a while. And it’s okay to feel like that. It makes us human. But you know you and your bunny the best, and you have to do what is best for your family.
(And 40 years? Wow!! That’s very cool )

[Beka27]

Yes, I read about your rescue experience in your other thread. I agree that this was an odd situation… And I firmly believe that if it doesn’t feel “right”, you’re best to walk away.

It’s obvious that you love your bun so much and if you get a second *at some point*, that second bun should be equally loved (and wanted!) by you! After all, you’re the one doing the feeding and cleaning!

I’m sorry if I sounded like a “downer” in my post previously. That wasn’t my intention. I think you so often hear only the positive stories, but having a second isn’t for everyone or everybun! And he can definitely be loved and secure and spoiled as a single!

When our lop passed away last summer, we decided against getting another bunny, so now we just have Meadow and she has adjusted well. Like you, we don’t take the acquisition of new pets lightly and we try not to let the “cuteness” factor outweigh what we can provide physically, mentally, and financially. We’re in a transitional phase (hoping to buy a house soon, want to get a dog when that happens) so we’d rather wait to make a big decision (and a 10+ year pet commitment is a BIG decision!)

Your guy sounds totally amazing. I’m looking forward to hearing more about him!

[Linette]

Thanks all,

You’ve not been a downer at all. I really needed to “talk through” this situation, because a pet IS a family member so it’s a big deal all the way round, emotions etc.

It’s been a learning experience!

And you guys are right, our emotions make us human AND humane.

[LBJ10]

I don’t want anyone to get the impression that I think it’s okay to keep switching out rabbit after rabbit. There are several members here who have taken a bunny home on a trial basis though to see how things go first. Everyone was in agreement that the bunny could go back to the rescue if things didn’t work out. I don’t feel like there is anything wrong with that. After all, bunnies do go to foster homes all the time and then go back to the rescue. So those bunnies are getting moved around a little bit too. I agree with Beka though that perhaps the timing just isn’t right and maybe your bunny would prefer to be a solo bun (at least for now).

[Beka27]

Oh absolutely, LBJ! I’m a big fan of the idea of fostering with the intention to adopt! If you know ahead of time that it is a trial period, you can go about it a little bit more detached maybe… Although most of those fosters never end up leaving! Lol!

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