"but your rabbit HAS to have a companion rabbit"

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I think that the point of the thread is not that rabbits CAN'T be successfully housed together, but that the admonition that a rabbit MUST have a companion is an old wives' tale (possibly perpetuated by the unscrupulous to get people to pay for more than one rabbit at a time).
 
I would have to admit - a colony situation 'could' drive me crazy here in my part of Texas.
My neighbors are too close - pesticides, fleas, ticks
Keeping the colony floor clean w/o chickens - yeck (I know, the chickens spoil me)
Also, (a big one) I do not know enough about rabbit behavior, to know if they are having problems, until it became major.
- I may try it with my guinea pigs, though. From the pictures I have seen on the net, where they raised by the people that depend on them for meat, they are raised - roaming free in the house 10 to 20 in a group. If 10 to 20 can get along, my few should be fine. :)
- the me edit that by saying "might" - they are more vocal, so I might pick up on problems faster. I would rather learn with my small guineas - that I can put my welding gloves on to separate, if I am there when it happens - than with my rabbits!
 
My NZ buck hates to be alone. He's ALWAYS had a cagemate...first his brother (who was delicious), and then a tiny little Mini Rex doe. He let her totally dominate him, which was hilarious...here's this hulking ten-pound white monster, and a little ball of fluff that'd fit the palm of your hand, totally bossing him around. She would use him as a shelf...more than once I caught her standing on him to reach the top of the cage-high floor-to-ceiling hay rack. When I fed them, she'd eat first and drive him away if he tried to eat too, so funny! She got out and alas, found the only poisonous thing in the basement (ironically left there by the landlord, dangit) and he got really depressed. It was the final push to my decision (for many reasons) to set up a colony room, so he could have a doe or three as constant companions. He's always super-submissive to every other rabbit, and seems to LOVE having kits around...I swear if he could nurse them he'd be a better mom than the doe who birthed 'em!

Right now I'm rethinking the colony setup though...because my two sibling-does, who were never separated except when going to a show.............have decided that they'd like to just kill each other and be done with it.

So...long story short (too late?), Bison (the NZ buck) does in fact like living with at least one other rabbit...he does get lonely and he does seem depressed when alone. He readily bonds instantly to the nearest living being, and submits at all times to does no matter how tiny.

Bubbly, the Champagne doe he's with right now, seems to barely tolerate his existence. Her sister Sparkles is currently living in my "grow out" pen because, as said, she and her sister have decided to make war, not love.

I think it all boils down to several factors...had I separated Bison and his brother, would Bison be more comfortable alone? I am unsure. Could Bubbly and Sparkles be "bonded" and be happier together as friends? HECK NO, it might work temporarily but long-term? No, someone would decide sooner or later, "I'm gonna kill her NOW."

Here's my issue: to me, it is not worth the risk. I am totally down with colony settings but given the social temperament of the Champagne does, I doubt it will work for me any longer. That's ok...I've learned a lot from my colony setting.

But know this: one rabbit wounding or killing another will be very unlikely in my herd, since aside from Bison and one-Champagne-doe-at-a-time, nobody will live with anybody ever again except for growing kits in the grow-out pens.

If I was selling something, and someone said "I need two or they'll die of loneliness" I'd warn them of all the hazards of housing rabbits together. The cure is likely gonna be worse than the "problem!!!"
 
The admonition that a rabbit MUST have a companion is not an old wives tale, its a New wives tale, never heard of such a thing before about 1990. Rabbits are food, they know they are food, they are content if they live in a place they feel safe where they have plenty to eat. They do not require a companion .

__________ Mon Jul 16, 2012 10:22 pm __________

Oh yeah, i decided to cut some holes in the new hutch i built and add some wire so that the rabbits can see the rabbits in the next hutch.<br /><br />__________ Mon Jul 16, 2012 10:22 pm __________<br /><br />but not because they need a companion,more just so they can see whats going on.
 
I got 4 just for the fact that I want the ones I like best outa them I also got a very big cage for them as they do get kinda big. But I started reading about rabbits and every single site I found tell you have 2 rabbits. Now seeing how they get along so far I can kinda see how me geting more then one has helped me out alot more then just one. 2 have goten really personal with me but the other 2 stay hiden. Now only one at first even went to the door at first then went in to the nest got the other and out the 2 went sniffing my hand. Now if I had goten 1 of the ones that set in the nest all the time id have not been very happy for first time rabbit owner.
 
the thread you have this on, makes me believe that you intend on breeding. Does your rabbit mansion have dividers, to be able to separate the rabbits, in case they take a dislike to each other?
 
curlysue":l22y94x4 said:
They are just repeating what they heard.if you show and you keep rabbits together you will quickly discover that rabbits will wait till right before a show too chew each others fur.making them unshowable.

I can just hear the conversation, "Hey Clover, would you mind chewing some hair off my butt? It's too hot to do a show today". :secret:
 
fishdip":1bke2drd said:
I got 4 just for the fact that I want the ones I like best outa them I also got a very big cage for them as they do get kinda big. But I started reading about rabbits and every single site I found tell you have 2 rabbits. Now seeing how they get along so far I can kinda see how me geting more then one has helped me out alot more then just one. 2 have goten really personal with me but the other 2 stay hiden. Now only one at first even went to the door at first then went in to the nest got the other and out the 2 went sniffing my hand. Now if I had goten 1 of the ones that set in the nest all the time id have not been very happy for first time rabbit owner.

I was of the mantra when I first delved into the Rabbit World to get two bunnies. The breeder told me that some will get along together but when they hit those teenage months, watch out. Also my Rabbit Vet stated the same thing. Issues with temperament can crop up real fast. Two bunnies that lived in harmony can turn on each other due to "hormones". I got two the first time, never knew much about rabbits, but heeded the breeder and my Rabbit's Vet's warning. Woke up one day to Dobby with "barbering" on his nose and knew that it was time to separate. I was fortunate enough to have the space to separate and an immediate move could be made. Rabbits can hurt or even kill each other. The AR people's mantra of "rabbits need a companion or a husbunny or huswife or playmate", I see as highly questionable and dangerous to those who really have never experienced rabbits. Rabbits are not pack animals. They are independent and individuals. Even colonies have problems, but if you know how to raise rabbits in colonies it can work. But not pet owners in the same crate. Area alleviates the need to dominate space. Now my bunnies all live in the same room, but they all live in separate crates. There is no dominance problem. They all get individual attention and care. They all know there are other rabbits there, but there is no stressful situation.

And with getting a bunny that hides in a nest, it takes YOUR time to get that bunny to feel comfortable in their surroundings. A rabbits is a prey animal. Bottom of the totem pole. Everything eats rabbits. That's why they are so tense and stress out in new surroundings. It takes time and patience with rabbits and true effort in a human's part to make them feel safe. Once they feel safe, it's the most rewarding experience anyone can ever have with a pet.

Karen
 
All of my Rabbits get to have a "Companion".
They have that companion during breeding which might last for approximately
five minutes or less. Other than that they have their own cage/territory
to live in/dominate. Two rabbits in the same cage may tolerate each other
for a while even if it is a Buck and a Doe. Eventually one will maim or even KILL
the other one when it becomes"an intruder" to the dominant one's territory.
It would be in your rabbits best interest to house each rabbit in it's own cage.
As always, JMPO and what has worked for me and umpteen million other rabbit breeders
for all these years since rabbit breeding and proper care/raising has become the norm.
Your mileage may vary.
Ottersatin. :eek:ldtimer:
 
I had two bucks that were born as twins. The got along fine till they were almost full grown. Then one day a doe chewed a hole in the partition between the cages and got in with them. The fight was on even after I got her out. They had to be seperated. Kind of reminded me of a redneck bar when a good looking woman shows up. :twisted:
 
Piper":3he3mqrd said:
the thread you have this on, makes me believe that you intend on breeding. Does your rabbit mansion have dividers, to be able to separate the rabbits, in case they take a dislike to each other?
Was this to me? If so it can close off 3 differnt areas top,bottom,nest box.<br /><br />__________ Sat Sep 22, 2012 11:15 pm __________<br /><br />[/quote]

And with getting a bunny that hides in a nest, it takes YOUR time to get that bunny to feel comfortable in their surroundings. A rabbits is a prey animal. Bottom of the totem pole. Everything eats rabbits. That's why they are so tense and stress out in new surroundings. It takes time and patience with rabbits and true effort in a human's part to make them feel safe. Once they feel safe, it's the most rewarding experience anyone can ever have with a pet.

Karen[/quote]
LOL its funny this bunny dose not care at all about me. But all the others I can pet as they feed. I am taking all of them to the vet on wed for cheek up and talk in regards to them geting cliped.
 
LOL its funny this bunny dose not care at all about me. But all the others I can pet as they feed. I am taking all of them to the vet on wed for cheek up and talk in regards to them geting cliped.

As you can see, rabbits are individuals and some take longer than others to warm up to you. Even rabbits from the same litter. Good luck with the check up. Let us know how they all do. Hope you get all the information you need to make your decision regarding clipping.

Karen
 
I will never again let 2 rabbits over 12 weeks live together. Each rabbit has it's own cage and I have an 8'x4' play pen that they get supervised exersize in once in a while. I had to hurry and bring all my rabbits from the farm, where I keep them, to my apt this summer because of the heat and due to lack of pens put 2 does together that had been in the past. I went to check on them in the quiet room that I put them in a couple hours later and found one took a chunk out of the others crown. I though I was seeing skull until I really got it cleaned up then saw it was cartilage at the ear base. Point is they can and will seriously harm each other with little or no notice, Mine are only together for breeding, pre-weaning with mom, and weaning with same sex littermates ( to reduce a little stress). occaisionally they get to be in the playpen together but are watched carefully, if I have to leave they go back to their holes.
 
The 'bunny companion' thing was actually started by the HRS to place unadoptable rabbits. They'd bond a big normal rabbit with a smaller cute one, and then refuse to adopt them without their buddy. Clever marketing.
 
I found a site where someone was aking for advice about her older rabbit going blind. Someone advised her to get it a companion right away. Luckley she did not listen.
 
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