# Can a rabbit be happy without other rabbits ?



## Ninchen (Mar 24, 2009)

I noticed that some users with lots of experience keep only one rabbit.

I was told that a rabbit needs a mate of his own species, that a human being could never substitute that.
It would not be appropriate for the species, because wild rabbits live never alone.

How do you think about this and what are your experiences ?

(In Germany the animal protection people are against having single rabbits, they collect signatures to enforce a law against it...
Thinking of breeders, this will never work, I guess.
And yes they are strictly against rabbit breeders.
The rescue orgs do not give you a bunny, if you don t intend to have a pair.)

I had rabbits living alone and they didn t "suffer", they jumped around, lived cageless, flopped, did binkies, enjoyed their treats and rubs.
That is not a cruel way to live after all.
Living in the wild seems to be more cruel to me, although it is most appropriate to the species. Getting older than 2 years and visit the vet is not natural after all.

But then: Watching bonded rabbits is so sweet. They love each other and surely would miss each other.


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## BethM (Mar 24, 2009)

From what I've heard, most rabbits do prefer to have a partner. 
However, I have met some rabbits who flat out don't like other rabbits.

My Tobi lives alone. She is aggressive towards my other two rabbits, so she stays in a different room they are not allowed into. We would like to get her a partner, but cannot have another rabbit at this time. She is bonded with my husband, and may not get along with another rabbit.

On the other hand, Nick and Amelia seem to truly love each other, and are almost always together in everything they do.


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## tonyshuman (Mar 25, 2009)

Some bunnies are just to mean to have friends. I love to see my bunnies together and I think they really love each other and would be very sad alone. However, there are bunnies at the shelter that are too antisocial to have a buddy. Some rabbits don't want to share their "person" just like they wouldn't want to share their mate.


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## Hazel-Mom (Mar 25, 2009)

Hazel is an only bun, and she's very happy with that.
She loves her human family, tried being friends with White Chocolate, but changed her mind about "the brat" after being sprayed on once too often 

I wouldn't call her "anti-social" at all, she is very social towards visitors, and she is most definitely NOT mean.

She just likes being an only bun, and being loved to pieces by us, and loving us back


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## jamesedwardwaller (Mar 25, 2009)

very interesting,an inititive/law-(-against-having-only one rabbit),your fore fathers were sustained from famine with potatoes,rabbits,etc..yes i have read also about the lone rabbit,. my experience is females of a liter can be housed together,without major blood letting/just dominance,.however the same is not true of males ,at about 5-months of age(when the testostrone kicks in),.there will be major blood letting-cost me over $1000.00 to save one male,..about 3 years ago a neighbor brought over a 6 day old cottontail,whose views on life are quit different than my others(-havanna,holland mini-lop,rex,hymalayin),-he thinks he is a pigeon and lives in my bedroom/habitat,.he allows me to function as a human,.he is quit the character,.he does have mirrors,and communication in his environment/though he is nocturnal/8pm-8am religously,.i own operate my own rehab for broken,diaguarded animals,..sincerely james waller [email protected]


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## AngelnSnuffy (Mar 25, 2009)

*Hazel-Mom wrote: *


> Hazel is an only bun, and she's very happy with that.
> She loves her human family, tried being friends with White Chocolate, but changed her mind about "the brat" after being sprayed on once too often
> 
> I wouldn't call her "anti-social" at all, she is very social towards visitors, and she is most definitely NOT mean.
> ...


I have to agree with this as I've had three now. I've tried to bond two of them then my oldest one died of unknown causes. But, yes, buns can be very happy alone in a nice size NIC!


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## Flashy (Mar 25, 2009)

I think, like with people, rabbits have their own preferences. Some like/need a friend, others can tolerate it, others don't like it, other are fine either way, etc.

I have a lot of single buns, but thats not for want of trying to bond them, they just prefer to be single.

In fact, most of my single buns see me as their mate. Skjy in particular get very upset and depressed if he is around another rabbit, he is far happier alone.

Candyfloss has been through 3 firedns so far and divorced them all, and she has lived with them for at least 6 weeks each. She did fine with them, but she was more anxious, more jumpy, etc, and now she is by herself she is very relxaed with life. Although little does she know it won't be long unti i try her with a friend again.

I do just think its down to the individual rabbit as to what they are happy with.


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