Adopting a pair of bunnies has definite advantages.
Rabbits are social animals
and definitely enjoy rabbit company. It's wonderful to watch them
interact together, they have a constant companion and young rabbits settle in
very easily after adoption. You do, however, need to choose a pair or a
partner with care.
Two males together can fight (although we've kept many adult male littermates together without any fighting) while a male and female together will have unplanned litters (potentially inbreeding) and 2 females can have more false pregnancies than solitary females.
We much prefer our bunnies to be adopted in pairs where possible - the ideal pairing being a brother and sister - but the male MUST be castrated at puberty, ie as soon as his 'extra bits' appear which is usually between 12-16 weeks of age - we will show you what to look for(!!)
The second choice of a pairing would be 2 sisters (we recommend both are spayed at 6 months of age) but, if you are choosing just one bunny for now with the intention of adopting another later, then we'd strongly recommend buying a boy first. He could then settle in and be castrated at 3-4 months and then meet his girlfriend shortly afterwards. If he is castrated as a mature adult, then he will need to wait 4-5 weeks before meeting his new girl-friend or wife to guard against pregnancy or risks of him injuring his new girl.
As soon as 'filled' testicles appear, then it's time to take a male along to the vet. A mature adult can still be fertile for up to a month so it is important to ensure you have him castrated ASAP. Females can be spayed which involves more major surgery but, once she's had chance to recover, she can be returned to her boyfriend. See also male-vs-female
We feel that keeping bunnies in pairs is
essential for hutched bunnies living outdoors in the garden to
ensure they always have some company rather than lead a life of isolation
with less human interaction. A single bunny is always at risk of
suffering from boredom and we share the view of the RSPCA that enforcing a
single pet rabbit to live in caged solitary confinement can be cruel. So,
in consideration of the social needs of our bunnies, we would be extremely
apprehensive about letting any of our young furry bundles move to a new home
without a friend, partner or companion. Boredom and frustration can be reduced a little by providing
stimulating toys and varying them, perhaps offering different toys on a
rota - but this is still a poor substitute for a compatible
pairing.
Indoor house-bunnies tend to receive attention and stimulation throughout the day so a partner, whilst still desirable, is not essential..
Bunnies also like to have Toys to play with.... These can be purchased from our online shop.
Pairing Rabbits with Guinea-Pigs:
There is no natural reason why humans should consider housing rabbits and guinea pigs together any more so than housing rats with frogs 'because they are small' or elephants with polar bears 'because they are big'!
We would never recommend pairing rabbits with guinea pigs as these are very different species with:-
 | very different personalities - hence they are incompatible |
| different communication methods - hence they do not provide the companionship they each require |
| very different dietary requirements - hence it is virtually impossible to provide each with their own individual nutritional requirement unless they are separated |
They each thrive in very different environments:
| Rabbits tolerate cold temperatures well - guinea pigs don't |
| Guinea pigs can cope with warmer temperatures - rabbits don't and are very prone to heat stroke |
There are behavioural reasons for not housing the two different species together:
| Rabbits tend to be territorial and may not appreciate a guinea pig shuffling around 'their' space. This can lead to bullying - and mounting is almost inevitable for the poor guinea pig who will almost certainly become stressed and possibly suffer injury. |
| A rabbit can trample on a guinea pig causing internal injuries and many bunnies will bully a guinea-pig leading to a life of fear for a naturally timid animal. |
| A guinea pig can retaliate and give a rabbit a (deserved) nasty nip which could lead to abscesses requiring surgery. |
Therefore, we feel it is much better to house like with like - a bonded pair of neutered rabbits or a small group of guinea-pigs - never mixing the two together.
 |
Bunny
Buddies - why every rabbit needs a friend |
 |
Rabbits
need SECS -RWF guide to keeping your rabbit outdoor |
To take a look at our companion pet rabbits available, please click the link: BUNNY SALES
bravenet.com