When deciding on whether or not to add a rabbit to our home,
we researched what a rabbit needs in order to live happily. We learned that
rabbits are social creatures that crave interaction and stimulation. After
examining our schedules, we realized that we could not fulfill all of the
socialization needs for a rabbit. We decided that adopting two rabbits would
make more sense, so that the rabbits would have an ever-present friend. We then
learned that while rabbits crave companionship, they have also been known to
violently fight with other rabbits, even to the death. We knew that if we couldn't adopt a pair of already bonded rabbits, we would be in for a delicate
adventure.
I had my heart set on owning an angora rabbit. I have this
mini-obsession with learning the arts from the days of my great-grandmother; I
have learned to crochet, I learned tatting, I’ve dabbled in quilting, and I
wanted to learn to spin fiber that I harvested. We do not have property for sheep,
so an angora rabbit seemed like the answer. After more than a year of
volunteering at a rabbit shelter, a well-mannered gray angora rabbit was
surrendered. It didn't take long for me to fall in love. She was not bonded to
another rabbit so we knew that we would need to find another well-mannered
rabbit to attempt the bonding process. Enter the outgoing and lovable Jack. He
is the only rabbit that I ever met that gives kisses on demand.
We began the bonding process at the shelter by placing them
in adjacent crates. I was ecstatic when they started lying as close to each
other as possible, seeming to not only tolerate each other, but enjoy one
another’s presence. It is most healthy for the rabbits to be spayed or neutered
and so Jack and Lucy were scheduled for their special surgeries on the same day
to facilitate the next step in our bonding process. As it is with humans,
rabbits can bond through shared stress. So we put them in individual carriers
and allowed them to watch each other as we drove to the veterinarian. Several
hours later, I picked them up and took them home to stay. We placed them in
individual crates, within a few inches of each other so that they could support
each other through the healing process.
According to information we had read, it takes about two
weeks from the neutering surgery for the male hormones to work their way out of
the body, so we waited two weeks before putting the rabbits together. We wanted
to be in a small enough space that we would be able to intervene if there were
problems, so we took the bunnies and went into a bathroom. We put a quilt on
the vinyl floor so they would be able to have some traction and let the bunnies
loose. Lo and behold, Jack was still frisky so we separated the rabbits and
decided to try again in another week. The next supervised play time was a
complete success! The bunnies sniffed around each other and Jack soon plopped
down in front of Lucy.
After several more supervised play sessions, we put Jack and
Lucy in one crate with a divider. Now they would be able to reach each other
but also get away if needed. This situation lasted for about a week until the
rabbits took matters into their own hands (paws?). We came downstairs one
morning to find that the divider had been breached and the rabbits were
together. They have been together ever since.
Disclaimer: This is not a how to guide for bonding bunnies,
simply our experience.
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