Should i get a companion for my rabbit? I have an un-nuetered male rabbit who currently lives indoors.?

Question

I bought this rabbit ( stupidly) as company for a guinea-pig who's companion had just died. This went well for a few months until we found the guinea pig bleeding in his cage... it turned out that the rabbit had been constantly attacking him. The guinea pig died and my rabbit seemed content on his own.

However, I know that all the experts say that all rabbits should have company so quite accidently it ended up that he had a litter with a friends rabbit who I was looking after. This all went well and i kept two of the litter but each time I tried to introduce them my rabbit mounted them and eventually one of the babies got a spinal ingury because of the weight of his dad! Eventually these babies died from myxamatosis.

So now i am wondering what i should do? Part of me wants to nueter him but i am worried that 1: he is too old (4) and 2: that he will lose his amazing temperament around humans.

Would it work if he were 2 make frineds with another nuetered male?

Any suggestions are welcome!

Thank you

Answer 1

A rabbit doesn't necessarily need a companion. he might be perfectly happy with just you for company. It sounds as if he is very dominant , and will bully any rabbit which you introduce. Rabbits can inflict  really serious injuries, so you need to be very careful.

Answer 2

How old is your rabbit?

I had my rabbit neutered when he was 3 and have never looked back- he had some really annoying behaviours (like constantly raping my guinea pig) that needed to be remedied, plus i was planning on getting a female friend for him.

The operation was sucessful and ben is now a much happier bunny without all the unnesessary testosterone.

Neutering shouldnt have an affect on his behaviour around people- if anything he should act better afterwards.

I wouldnt put him in with another male- he is better off with a female, but even if she is desexed he will drive her crazy if he isnt.

Being a house rabbit it sounds like he is getting plenty of interaction with people, anyway so a friend for him would be nice, but im sure he is happy as an only rabbit as well if he is getting alot of attention.

Answer 3

well unless you want to have little rabbit babies then a female companion isnt good! Also somtimes with male rabbits, they tend to be dominant with each other, but not every two male rabbits, my male rabbit who is 4 months now un neutered is doing fine without one, i give it lots of attention, but do what you feel you should do, but just know that he is probaly fine without one! :)

my advice get  it neutered because that saves them from all sorts of illnessess, and stuff. And it sounds like since he has such a bad temperment that he might not make friends with the other male rabbit, he might bully him, but again do what you feel! :) :) :)

Answer 4

Two bucks same cage=fight

Answer 5

Can't have another unless he is neutered even then introducing can take a long time i.e. I had a neutered buck (houserabbit) I got him a female friend and had her spayed yet he was vicious to her I lived with a barrier across my living room for 3 months then one day they finally hit it off and became inseperable, it was a lovely sight to see but a long hard slow journey to get there.....