Whether or not to try for a second rabbit

[HouseMiniLops]

So as you may already know from my previous posts, we recently tried to get a baby female rabbit to bond with our 1 year old neutered male free range house rabbit.  It did not work.  The baby attacked the adult, and our best efforts could not get them to stop attacking each other and any one else who smelled like the other rabbits.  It was simply causing too much stress and anxiety having that much aggression going on with no way of knowing if or when it would ever end.

So I’m currently trying to decide whether to just give up on the whole thing and be happy with our one rabbit.  He is wonderful, snuggles up to my kids, does not destroy anything and loves attention.  This seems like the logical thing to do.

Except.  I feel so sad for him when I am working a long day and he is clearly upset when we come home.  Or worse yet, when we leave for a few days to go camping or visit relatives in the care of a neighbor.  It is clear he gets lonely and angry.

I decided to put all of this on the back burner either for a few weeks or indefinitely, until I just got a response to an email I sent a few weeks ago to a rabbit shelter.  It is about a 50 minute drive, but they have lots of already spayed!!! females and would let us bring him for a bunny date.  We are headed in that direction this weekend, and could conceivably bring our current rabbit along, pick up a new one, and let them bond together this weekend at my FIL’s house (very neutral territory!).  This sounds absolutely crazy typing this out.  Someone please tell me either I’m nuts to even consider it, or yes, go for it, it would make two very happy well cared for bunnies.  Most likely I’m just nuts. 

[BigJudeBunny]

There’s no harm in trying! And if it doesn’t work out, well, it doesn’t work out! I wish you the best of luck and hopefully your bunny comes home with a friend!!!

[MoveDiagonally]

I would ask them if they have a foster to adopt program. This is where you can take the bunny home and try to bond them and if it doesn’t work out you can return the rabbit to the shelter and either try another bunny or decide to keep him single.

I would not outright adopt another rabbit (without fostering and attempting to bond) unless you are willing to keep them both, separated, if it doesn’t work out.

[HouseMiniLops]

Thank you, that is an excellent suggestion MoveDiagonally.

[HouseMiniLops]

I’ve decided to wait a while, perhaps indefinitely.  Sweetie was so happy last night for the first time since we tried to bring home another rabbit.  As I watched him doing his happy dance, then snuggling up to my son and licking his face, I just thought – why would I want to mess with this?  We already have the ultimate pet, and I am not sure I am willing to risk it in an attempt to make it better.

[Beka27]

What a precious picture of your babies! That’s beautiful!

He can definitely be a happy single bun! A mate is always an option in the future, but it isn’t something you have to rush into. If he is happy and you are happy, there’s no need to rock the boat.

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