Introducing Rabbits
Satisfying your rabbit's social needs with a long eared companion
By nature, rabbits are very social creatures. That's not to say that a single rabbit won't be happy. As long as you bond
strongly with the rabbit, he or she will likely be very happy.
However, nothing is more heartwarming than seeing two bunnies cuddle. A long eared friend for your rabbit might be just the thing they
need if you are gone for long hours during the day, or if despite your best attempts they seem bored or lonely.
The national House Rabbit Society website has some great articles on introducing new rabbits and "bonding" them. Check them out below:
When people who already have a rabbit in the household want to adopt a bunny friend from our group, we often start out with a "bunny date."
This is where the existing rabbit is taken to meet the new rabbit, and
the two are introduced on neutral territory (that is, an area that neither
is familiar with or has "claimed").
Every rabbit is an individual, and on top of that simply has his moods. It's
important to remember that what happens on the first date can be unpredictible;
the rabbits may ignore one another, or they may attempt to fight. Also,
one meeting doesn't say much about the future of a relationship. For instance,
very docile, sociable rabbits can decide upon first meeting that they
want to fight with the new rabbit, but after a more slow and deliberate
adjustment period, may fall in love! A "bunny date" just lets
you know where you're starting from. If the rabbits ignore one another
or seem very comfortable with one another, you can continue with frequent
supervised "meetings" once they are both in your home. If they
attempt to fight, you'll want to start with a more conservative approach,
such as by placing their enclosures close to one another where they can
see one another, but not interact.
The picture above is of Billy, the mini-rex friend of Amy, and Bob, one of the Harrodsburg rescue rabbits. Scot (Amy's
husband) had fallen in love with Bob, and the hope was the the two would
bond and be able to move in together. the first meeting was very low key,
so all looks promising!
The picture to the right is Karen with her two darlings,
Hope and Bailey. They've come to meet Faith (the black and white bunny)
for the first time. The hope is that the three will get along together.
The initial meeting went very well!
The key when bonding is to be patient, and be positive!
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