thinking about taking on a baby bunny- looking for info from multi-rabbit households

[jayne fine]

I currently have a ~2.5 year old minilop female named Millie.

For the past few months I’ve been thinking about getting a second rabbit.  I now feel comfortable that I’ll be able to find a 1 bedroom, pet friendly apartment where ever I end up transferring schools.  The other issue was what to do with them while I went to camp in the summer- I now have a dog that will be coming with me, and so I’m no longer worried about predators getting to them at night, since there will be a dog with them.  so with those things fixed I’m thinking that I might start taking steps towards getting a second bun.

I rescued an adult the first time around because I wanted to know what I was getting into.  I’d never had a rabbit and I was living in a small, carpeted dorm so really didn’t want one that was destructive and didn’t want to deal with bad baby litterbox habits.  I got a smaller bunny because my dorm room was about 10 feet by 8 feet and was nowhere near enough room for a full grown giant rabbit to run around in.

I realize that if I were 100% getting another rabbit to live with Millie the best choice would be a shelter bunny she had shown interest in regardless of size/color/breed.  However, I am finding that I really, really want to get a giant breed and I really want to experience raising a kit.

My anticipated worst case scenario is the new bun ends up being destructive and having bad litterbox habits and he and Millie won’t get along and have to live on their own.  I have decided I am ok with 2 separate cages and 2 separate playtimes and have accepted destructiveness is going to at least be a stage and possibly stick around forever.  I also understand that he might not be cuddly and affectionate.  That’s ok, Millie is usually both of those things.  I’m hoping that going to a good breeder will eliminate worries of aggression, but I also understand that it is a stage he will likely go through.

I’d like to get the new rabbit while I’m at home mostly because I have so much free time now.  This is the best time for having unbonded rabbits.  I will be able to spend more time with the baby now than when I start classes, and then best case scenario the two will be partially bonded by the time I move (probably won’t do anything more than supervised play until then

 

Now for my questions:

1) My breed choices are Flemish Giant, Velveteen or English Lop, New Zealand Whites, and English Angora.  The Flemmie is probably what I’ll end up going with since they seem to be the most laid back and definitely fit with me wanting a big bun.  The NZW fits the bill also, but I don’t know if I want to deal with the white hair during shedding seasons, Millie is mostly white and I wish she weren’t during those times, plus I’d like them to be a little bigger.  I do like the idea of an English Angora with a trimmed coat but I do have some bunny allergies and I don’t think I should commit to a long haired bun.  With the larger lops I’ve heard they tend to be more boisterous than Flemmies which to me translates to more likely to be destructive and I would prefer another cuddly bun even though I’m ok either way, so I think Flemmie probably fits that best.

 2) My plan is to have separate cages and playtime until the boy is old enough to be neutered, and then once his hormones calm down start intro’s. They will, however, be in the same room until I move to a new apartment in the fall.  At home they’ll be able to see each other and interact through cage bars during playtime.  During the summer, they can be more effectively separated during playtimes and will likely be living in appropriately sized dog crates stacked on top of each other.

Would this be a problem/detrimental?

3) How do those of you with multiple, unbonded rabbits feel about it?  Is it terribly hard to give both buns the attention they need?  Am I crazy to think I could manage to juggle 2 rabbits?

[vanessa]

First – I have to remind myself – that the note ont he top of the page says not to discuss intentional breeding.
That beign said – many of us either have, or started with unfixed and/or unbonded rabbits. I started with 1 male, and 2 females. Unfixed, unbonded. I kept them separately. They had 4 litters tha tI can remember. It was a fantastic experience. My boyfriend and I were just reminiscing yesterday about the miracle of watching the nest building, all the fur plucking, the tiny pink squirmy babies, how quickly they grew, how terribly cute and playul they were, how soon they climbed out of the best box and followed mom around, doing what she did, eating what she ate, it was a beautiful experience. I kept one of the male kits, and not have 2 fixed, bonded pairs. (The first male got very sick and was euthenized, and I adopted a shalter bunny in his place). So I’m still at 2 bonded, fixed pairs.
Before they were bonded/fixed, I didn’t let them live together. They only met to breed. For about 6 months, I had the male living loose in my fenced front yard. I took turns with the females, allowing them yard time. So they had plenty of unsupervised yard time as couples. I suspect they did their natural version of bonding – through the mating meets, and the yard time. By the time I fixed and bonded them, I honestly just paired them off and put the females into the male’s enclosures, and called it a day. During that time, they were outdoor buns. I spent at least 3 hours a day outside int eh front yard, so I had plenty of time to give them individual attention.
Dog crates – I started with 2ft cubes. 2x2x2. 1 bunny per cube. I moved the cubes aroudn the yard to give them fresh grass. The cubes were too small. So I’m not a fan of dog crates. I understand that sometimes we have to make to with our limitations. My bunnies were always unhappy if the minimum living area size was less than 8×4, per bunny.
(I have a white california/new zealand, had a red newzealand, have a black california/rex, and a white/grey rex/new zealand).
I like to think that I manage to pairs. But since they are in a bedroom with a dividing fence, honestly, the pair in the first half of the rom get the most attention. The dividing fence is annoying to step over. I need to build a gate into it. The other pair does get daily attention, but less than the first pair. It may also be because after 2.5 years, they are still somewhat wary of me, and I dont’ want to make them feel harassed.
2 separate buns (or pairs), is a lot of work. You need to be sure you have adequate time. I.e. think – twice the amount of time you currently spend with Millie.

[jayne fine]

I should have been clearer- I have NO intention of breeding. Millie is already spayed. The boy would be neutered as soon as my vet is willing to do it. The reason for getting a buck is that as far as I understand it tends to be easier to bond opposite sex bunnies.

My parents and I had a big fight about getting another rabbit. They don’t think Millie really needs to have another rabbit and 2 rabbits and a dog is too much responsibility for someone my age. While I understand that it is a lot of take on as I’m switching schools and given I’ll only be 21, if the two rabbits bond then it won’t really be any added work, it’ll just effect the cost of living for the buns, and I really feel like Millie needs the stimulation of another rabbit. I honestly don’t feel like I can provide her with the attention she needs as a singleton.

also, to be clearer about the housing- dog crates would be temporary summer housing (late june-august). They would likely only be for nighttime, also, as the buns would be part of program during the day.

Millie is currently living in a large dog pen about 2′ by about 5.5′. I’m planning to make a storage cube cage that is multiple levels and about 2 by 3 by 3 or 4 cubes for her. The other rabbit would live in the dog pen until they can be bonded.

[vanessa]

I think you have a good grasp of what you can and can’t handle. I re-read your post – “raising a kit” is what prompted my first sentence. I see now that you meant “raising a young buny, and not breeding to rais a kit (very very young baby bunny). Sorry to alarm you. Larger is always better, but your setup sounds fine.
Young bunnies definitekly have bad litter box habbits. Youngsters are definitely naughty. My destructive male is about 2 years old. Each bunny is different. But puppy dogs are naughty too. They go through chewing stages as their teeth grow. Bunnies also have developmental/behavioral stages. Bunny-proofing and stimulation are key. Stimulation won’t remove all those behaviors, but bunny proofing will make it ok.

You mentioned the dog and predators at night. Where do the bunnies sleep? Indoors or outdoors? We always hope that our bonding efforts will work, and for the most part, they do. But there are some of us on the forum that keep single bunnies becuase their bonding didn’t work.
I think you sound well prepared for 2 bunnies. It might just be a matter of smoothing the issue over with yoru parents.

[jayne fine]

all my bunnies will always be indoor rabbits- the predators are in reference to where I work in the summer. It’s a camp in the berkshire mountains and we have fishercats around there, which are vicious little weasel-like animals that kill for fun. The rabbits would only be outside in the summer under supervision. They would be sleeping inside with me, my dog, and my roommate. The reason I didn’t bring Millie last summer is some of the housing isn’t very secure and a determined fishercat might be able to break in if it wanted and wasn’t too afraid of people; with a dog I’m not worried about it though. My dog is a 4 month old Boston Terrier- we’re working on her manners with the bunny right now; she’s just very excitable and wants to play too rough but has very little prey drive so I think once she grows up a bit they’ll get on great.

My parents are holding out against it now because getting another animal is “too much wanting and getting” and they think that “I have too many pets for someone my age.”

We got the puppy in November, so it is a very small amount of time between animals, and I also have a dwarf hamster, so I understand them feeling like its too many animals. They’re saying if I want another rabbit I can wait until I go to school, but I don’t know any vets there to do neutering and worry that I will struggle to go through a tough bonding while I’m adjusting to a new school/schoolwork compared to just working part or full time.

I’m really frustrated because I feel like Millie is suffering being alone but they’re being bullheaded about it and pretty much taking the attitude that being alone won’t kill her so I should get over it and stop being impatient and petulant.

They’re animal lovers and I know they both care about Millie but I don’t think they really see small animals as having enough emotional capacity to be depressed, which I worry she is.

[vanessa]

I understand worrying about a rabbit being depressed. I worry about that for Lancelot. Guin is bossy with him, so he doens’ tplay n his 3rd level condo platform like he used to. It makes me anxious. I want to be 100% sure that he is 100% happy. Puppies are a lot of work. Your parent’s concerns there are valid. You want to be sure the puppy is wel trained, doens’t scare the bunnie,s etc. That’s not light work, or quick work. I couldn’t get my border collies to leave the cat alone. I have to keep them separate.
How long do you think it would take to adjust to a new school/schoolwork? I am thankfully finished with school (unless I decide to go back for more punishment). There is definitely an adjustment period. Perhaps if your parents won’t let you get another bunny now – once you are adjusted to school, you could get one then? That would give you some time to find a vet in that area to do the neuter, and you would have time to adjust to the schoolwork. Bonding bunnies is time consuming, and emotionally taxing. It affects us differently if were going to school, or working. Which of those requires more time/concentration? It varies from person to person. You have done well in looking at your options in your current situation. What about the options if your current situation does not allow for a new bunny? Perhpaps some similar research into a plan B – getting a rabbit once you go to school – would enable you to have more information to make a decision/present a case?

[vanessa]

Perhaps you could investigate a plan to alleviate Millie’s depression in the mean time? I’m trying to think of something for Lancelot. He plays in my bedroom at night – and Guin refuses to leave their room. So I haven’t shown her that it is safe to do so, because I don’t want to risk him losing his “out” – his escape from her bossiness. I gave them each a stuffie – to alleviate their loneliness, and give the other one a break. I make more of an effort to give them equal attention. I pay close attention to his health – he has a few minor physical conditions (spurs, weepy eyes, congesiton), that could cause him physical discomfort). When I use this plan of action – I see an improvement in his overall happiness.
(They are bonded, but she is bossy, which pushes him away, which makes her sad and resentful – and bossy – which makes him sad and resentful – and then he ignores her – viscious circle…)

[jayne fine]

Luckily my pup is very well behaved and a super fast learner. Believe me, she’s no border collie. My last puppy (the family dog, who I think has a fair deal of lab and border collie in her) was an absolute nightmare to raise and I’ll never leave her alone with the rabbit. This puppy is the easiest dog I’ve ever worked with, she seems to have pretty much been born partially trained. She learned ‘leave it’ in literally half an hour. Like I said, once she’s a few months older and not such a baby puppy she’ll figure out pretty quickly what I’m ok and not ok with her doing to the rabbits (namely she’s not allowed to chase them).

The reason I want to bond now rather than once I’m at school is exactly because of the emotional taxes and the time it takes. I got Millie once I had settled in my sophmore semester, and while I eventually was very glad I did, it was super hard to adjust to a new animal while I was so busy. Part of that is I was in over my head academically (taking too many classes with too heavy coursework) but part of it is it’s very hard to bond with a new animal on a college schedule. It’s just not the same as maintaining a relationship with an animal you know.

When I tried to explain this to my parents, they claimed “if I feel like I won’t have time to introduce two rabbits when I’m at school then I shouldn’t get another one.” They don’t seem to grasp that it’s different having 2 rabbits you know versus one you know and one you know nothing about, ya know?

I’m doing my best to keep Millie as happy as possible, but she’s a hard rabbit to please. She has no interest in toys and hasn’t been as friendly with me of late. I’m getting a rug for my room to help her traction on the floor (she hates my hardwood floor), and I’m looking into making her cage a little more interesting. Ugh, I just feel like it would be so good for her to have a friend ASAP.

[vanessa]

How about a stuffie for the mean time? Guin loooooves her stuffie. She has 2 of them, and loves the one that has floppy ears like Lancelot. It has improved her state of well being dramatically. She has a bonded pal – but their relationship is sometimes strained. The stuffie makes her happy – which makes her behave nicer towards her pal, which makes him happy, which makes him more likely to be affectionate with her, which makes her happy.
Sometimes we just can’t change our parent’s minds. In that case – all we can do is find a good work around. How long will you be at school for?

[jayne fine]

My guess is I’ll in school for 3 years, possibly 3.5 to 4 though. Pretty much the rest of Millie’s life, or at least well into her senior years.

I’ve tried a rabbit-shaped stuffed animal before and she had 0 interest in it, it ended up shoved in a corner and collecting fur. She really doesn’t play with anything. She’ll dash around if I let her out and sometimes chews on her seagrass matt but mainly if I’m not actively engaging her she mostly just lays around or sleeps.

She shows interest in both the dogs but neither of them are gentle enough- the lab thinks she’s food and the puppy is just too little to be gentle. She’ll shove her little face against the bars and make little piggie noises at them- the pig noises are her way of greeting, she does it to me to ask for food.

[vanessa]

That’s a long time to wait. It sounds like you have a solid plan. I hope your parents let you get another bunny. It’s difficult when we can’t convince them otherwise.

[jayne fine]

After having a more levelheaded discussion with less yelling it seems they don’t object so much to me taking on another animal but more to me having another pet in our apartment.

Well, I’ve been feeling pretty cramped living in the city and not really wanting to live at home anymore and I’m thinking about maybe moving to our house on long island with the dogs and my bun and hamster once I get my drivers license, which would probably be around mid/late Feb or very early March. I’d like to start riding again in order to get over my injury and prepare for the amount of riding I’ll be doing at school, and that would give me a solid few months to work on that.

It’s going to be a sucky few months until the summer either way- I really want to be in school again and feel like I’m working towards a goal and the city feels absolutely oppressive and I figure a little nature can’t hurt.

If I move out here, both rabbits will have their own room until the boy can be neutered, so space and cage size will no longer be an issue, and it’ll be nice to feel like I have my own space again. there’s not a whole lot of privacy in our apartment.

[vanessa]

That sounds fantastic! Level headed does work better than yelling 😉 Your bunny(s) would love to share a room. Mine do. All that space would be so much less stressful.

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