Signs Your Rabbit Might Need A Companion...You find her cuddling up with the Dustbuster!
It's So Much Friendlier with Two!
Do you have a single rabbit who spends a lot of each day alone? Rabbits are naturally communal animals, so you may want to consider finding a partner for your bun to provide companionship when you can't.
Because rabbits are very territorial, it is unlikely your rabbit will welcome another into their space immediately. It can take a few weeks to a few months to combine two rabbits into a "bonded" pair. The key to a successful bonding process is starting with the right two rabbits. MCRS can help with this process. Our experienced Educators and Fosterers can "chaperone" initial meetings between two rabbits to help evaluate the likelihood of a successful pairing. MCRS offers this service not only for our foster buns but also at Minnesota Valley Humane Society and Animal Humane Society. So, if you are looking to make a match for your bun, MCRS will be sure you find the right companion!
MCRS generally does a series of three "dates":
- On the first date, the resident bun comes to a foster home and meets a series of potential partners.
- On the second date, the resident bun comes back to a foster home and spends additional time with the best one or two candidates.
- The final date is at on the bun's "home turf" to make sure their behavior doesn't change significantly.
This process is shortened for buns adopted from shelters since there is no guarantee the potential partner will still be available if the process takes too long. After the dates are completed, the new owners take over the bonding process. The buns will need to live separately for a period of time until the process is completed.
Not sure you know what is involved with creating a bonded pair? Read our Bunny Bonding Basics. There are also numerous articles on the topic at www.rabbit.org covering everything from the very basics to stories of individual bonding experiences. In addition, MCRS will soon be adding a seminar on Bunny Bonding 101. Watch the events calendar for dates.
If you would like to find a companion for your rabbit, contact us to make arrangements. Please note: your rabbit needs to be neutered/spayed to begin this process. Sterilized rabbits are less territorial and more likely to be amenable to meeting another bun.
Did you know…?
Once two buns are bonded, they should be kept together even when one bun is sick. If one bun in a pair needs to go to the veterinarian, their bonded buddy should accompany them. This helps the sick bunny to be more calm and also helps to ensure that the sick bun does not end up rejected by the buddy after their return from the veterinarian.
Recently, one of our members found this out the hard way. The male of her pair was ill and spent an overnight at the emergency clinic. When he came home, his girl wanted nothing to do with him. So, they had to live separately for a period of time and restart the bonding process.
Even if a bun has a potentially contagious condition, it is usually best to keep a bonded pair together. Most of the time, the partner has already been exposed to whatever the sick bun has and separating them will only further traumatize them both. Plus, you also run the risk of having to rebond them after the buns are both healthy again.
