Looking for pet rabbit advice

LolaE · Apr 11, 2021

Hi there. I'm considering getting a rabbit (or two, so they're not lonely) for an indoor pet and have a couple questions--I was hoping someone in this forum could help me, as I want them to live happily!

I understand that it's best to get an adult rabbit, especially as a first-time rabbit owner. There are no rabbits at shelters where I live, so most of the rabbits available in my area are babies from rabbit families on nearby farms or properties. I have seen a local advertisement about an adult (neutered) male Enderby Island cross rabbit who needs a new home (already a few years old, accustomed to people and living indoors), and am considering enquiring--however, my concern is that this rabbit will be lonely, as I'm under the impression it would be unwise to try to bond this adult rabbit with another younger rabbit.

In light of this, would it be better just to try to get two kits from the same litter? Available in my area are mini lop, rex/mini rex, and Netherland dwarf. I realise the temperament of the rabbit is subject to the individual personality, but is there any way to decide which of these may make a good pet for me as a first-time rabbit owner?

Thank you very much.

Lola

LizzyMayHarvey · Apr 11, 2021

Kia Ora fellow Kiwi! I'm not gonna say much as it is late now but an Enderby Island rabbit would be pretty cool. As a first time rabbit owner I wouldn't bother trying to bond rabbits yourself if you don't need to. It can be tricky and sometimes disappointing although it can be done! Some rabbits do great with a buddy but if you can give them lots of attention and they are an indoor bunny then they are completely fine without another rabbit friend and shouldn't get lonely. If I were you I would either get one bun or an already bonded pair from the SPCA or something. Goodluck!

Catlyn · Apr 11, 2021

Hello and welcome to the forum!

Any breed will make equally great pet as the other would, it mostly boils down to the rabbit's looks, whatever type you would prefer, and then seeing if the rabbit you like has a personality that you can like enough. (This was the case with Storm, the darker one on my pfp, liked his coat too much to say no)
Or the other way round- a great personality and then see if the looks don't bother you too much. (This was Lümi-saw his desc and then the pic, didn't bother me at all, though i was looking for a coal-black uppy-eared girl)
Big boys will churn through hay n vegs super fast, and as far as i've read and know, they are generally more calmer than the smaller ones are, in one way or another. They also sprawl out waay bigger so they need much space, although i've seen smaller ones run so fast that it makes me wonder if the tiny ones needed even more space.

Although that is also largely dependant on the individual, my current Frenchie lop Storm is as diggy-diggy as the Frenchie before him, but Storm will rather nip, bite and flick his feet than ask for cuddles like the previous boy would. He doesn't binky as much as the other lop did, but will still sometimes forget that 'walls' exist. Lümi, my other current boy, is an average mixed helicopter-lop breed, and he is kissy-kissy as one could get, rivalling Musti, the past lop mentioned. Lümi is also more prone to throwing hooks and crashing into walls. One more thing he's more prone to, perhaps for being a mixed breed, is illness and ailments. In about half a year we've had him, he's suffered Pastuerella, chin chaffing, some extremely awkward and heavy moults, and about a dozen bouts of mild diarrhea( caused by my mum's nasty habit of giving what he's not supposed to eat) while Storm has only gotten pastuerella from him, and a mild case of skin flaking. (Storm has been with us a month longer, but he's also a month younger to Lümi)

When it comes to having a buddy, not all rabbits need them. Sure, it is a benefit, but some circumstances don't allow it. If you can entertain your one bun enough, they will be fine being a single bun. Musti started alone in the shed, but still loved us. We eventually brought him inside and he remained a single bun for the mere year we had that young chad for, but he never seemed sad.
Storm and Lümi were supposed to be bondmates, but Lümi turned out to be a boy instead of a girl, and i had struggles w bonding, so they ended up having a bonding season for almost all of fall, and then still unbonded because of moving disputes. When we move again, i will have to make them forget each other in hopes that they will bond once more, but they don't seem to like each other any more (they did have some pretty bad fights when breaking up, after all) so i'm not hoping much.
If you do have a shelter or some sort of organization that helps with bonding rabbits, i say go for it, if not, then perhaps you will have to see and observe if your bun feels lonely by themselves.
But if they have a good diet, an interesting and stimulating habitat (the thing i fail at the most since resources here are horrible) and lots of affection from you (the thing i do the best) they should do just fine as a solo bun.

LolaE · Apr 11, 2021

Hallo Lizzy and Catlyn. Thanks a lot for your great replies. It doesn't seem like the shelters in my area hold bunnies, so that may not be an option for me. I am out of the house most weekdays from nine to five; I'd be able to give the bunny lots of attention when home, but not during the day. Is that still enough to stop him/her from getting lonely? If I get two kits from the same litter, and fix them when they come of age, will they not bond easily? Maybe getting just one is a better idea; like I said, I just want him to be happy. It would be nice if he were moderately affectionate, too, but there is probably no way to predict that with a baby bunny.
Lola

LolaE · Apr 11, 2021

One more thing about something Catlyn said: if I observe that my single bunny does seem lonely, how easy would it be to bond him to another bunny, given there are no bunny shelters in my area?

Blue eyes · Apr 11, 2021

Getting an adult single bun that is used to indoor living is, in my opinion, ideal for you. Rabbits tend to nap most of the daytime anyway and are more active dawn and dusk. Your work schedule would work just fine with that.

Getting 2 sibling babies is in no way a guarantee that they will get along after both are fixed. It would be completely hit or miss. They may bond, they may not. I would not recommend that.

If, in time, you feel that the male needs a companion bun, then you may be able to find a suitable potential bondmate in the same way you just found this guy. Any other already-fixed rabbit could be introduced to your bun to screen for potential compatibility if that time comes.