Rabbit is lonely, is it ok to get another?

Question

One of my rabbits died recently and I'm worried that the other rabbit she shared a hutch with is feeling lonely on her own but is it a good idea to get another or would she fight it? She is 2 years old and is spayed and has a very gentle nature and had been living with the other rabbit all her life but I would hate to get another only to find she is more upset than by being on her own. I was also thinking maybe a guinea pig would be a good companion for her but someone told me that rabbits can sometimes accidentally hurt them just by kicking about, is this true?

Answer 1

dont get a guinea pig rabbits tend to bully g.pigs, so it wouldn't be worth getting a g.pig and finding out your rabbit picks on it and it has been known for rabbits to cause some damage to them just kicking around as they do, best bet to get another 2year old spayed female rabbit and introduce the slowly have the new rabbit in your old rabbits hutch with the old one out and the new one in there so the new scent of the rabbit is in its environment (for an hour or so), maybe put a hutch opposite, so that they can see and smell each other, or put them in a run together where you can easily remove one of them if things are going so well

Answer 2

hello there

sorry for your loss,by the way.it is true that rabbits are highly social animals.they like the companion of others(may it be a human or another rabbit).but this doesn't mean they cannot live by themselves.i suggest you give her time to cope up.bond with her for now.find more time to play with her.do not buy another rabbit yet.just let her be on her own for now.

DO NOT buy a guinea pig as a companion for it.there are many problems that you will face once you do such thing.guinea pigs and rabbits,contrary to the popular belief,do not go well with each other.for one,guinea pig and rabbit food are completely different.and it is not good for them if they eat each other's meal as guinea pig food has different nutrition in them than rabbit food's.

if you plan to get another rabbit,then go on.i am only advising you.you have your own decision to yourself.if you think she'll be happier that way,then go on.she's your own rabbit.not mine.

have a nice day.

Answer 3

get a neutered male, as he will probably get on with her. If they do not get on straight away, then keep giving them little 'meetings' everyday, and eventually they will just bond. I had to do this with my rabbits, it took about 2 weeks, but now they are inseparable! Good luck :)

Answer 4

Guinea pigs are a no go with rabbits, read my feeding guide page bottom notes on rabbits and guinea pigs being house together.

Do not try to bond a rabbit with your remaining one at the moment it will end up in a fight. Let her settle for a few months then if you wish invest in a young unchallenging, neutered buck.

Make the introduction slow and over a period of time, do not try and introduce a doe as there could well be fights for territory.A neutered buck is less of a threat as long as it is introduced on neutral ground and the hutch is cleaned so that no smells of the other rabbits remain. When you eventually introduce the rabbits to the hutch place the buck in there for 30 minutes first an then the doe not the other way round.

also be aware that second match making does not always work. Some rabbits will only bond with one for life and once it dies the remaining rabbit will have nothing to do with the new rabbit and will end up fighting with any other that goes near it.

some temperaments may clash too which can cause fighting

Answer 5

It could be okay. If you get another spayed female or neutured male, they could become bffs! Yes, it's true that if a rabbit kicks really hard, it could break it's backbone.

Answer 6

I would get another rabbit that seemed to be the same nature as your current one. I'm not sure about rabbits hurting guinea pigs but I have heard that they do get along. Does your kick a lot? Mine doesn't. If she doesn't then a guinea pig might be just right.  

Answer 7

Yes, it is OK to get another.  Choose a neutered male of similar disposition.  A good place to start would be a rabbit rescue, if you have one locally, because most of them will offer 'matchmaking' services.  They are very experienced and can usually tell right away if the match will ultimately work out or not.  A guinea pig would not be a suitable companion- they can be injured easily by a rabbit, and they have very different nutritional needs, as well as both species can carry bacteria that can be dangerous or even deadly to the other.  Look here in the socialization section for tips on choosing a new companion for her and introducing them successfully: http://www.rabbit.org/behavior/index.htm...