Companionship

How to meet our rabbits’ need to be housed with other rabbits

If we are responsible for a rabbit, we must ensure that “any need it has to be housed with, or apart from, other animals” is met (the fourth Welfare Need listed under the Animal Welfare Act, 2006).

Rabbits are social animals –wild rabbits live in large communities (see our information on wild rabbits). As Winnie the Pooh says:

"If I know anything about anything... Rabbit means Company."

Rabbits need the company of at least one other rabbit – no other species can meet all their needs, for many reasons, including:

·       Vigilance – rabbits are prey animals, and can only truly relax when there is another set of bunny eyes looking out for danger.

·       Warmth – for a rabbit’s comfort, nothing can compare with snuggling up to another rabbit.

·       Grooming – all rabbits benefit from another rabbit to help them groom, but it’s especially beneficial to elderly rabbits.

Bonded pet rabbits spend more time grazing, resting, and exhibiting other normal behaviours, whereas a solitary rabbit will spend more of its time alert for predators. If a solitary rabbit feels anxious, stressed, or frustrated, it may develop abnormal behaviours. In fact, rabbits value the companionship of other rabbits as highly as they value food, and that they will take extreme measures just to have another rabbit within their sight. See the RWAF website for a list of studies.

The problem

In the wild, rabbits would fight off any strangers entering their territory. Although a single rabbit will crave the company of another rabbit, a new rabbit cannot simply be placed with an existing one because: 

·       They are territorial creatures – they fight to defend their territory against interlopers.

·       They observe a social hierarchy – they need an opportunity to establish this hierarchy before they can live peacefully together.

What is bonding?

‘Bonding’ is the word used to describe the process of assisting rabbits to form a close relationship, so they can live together happily and safely. However, it’s a complex process, and is often stressful for rabbits and for owners!

How to bond rabbits

When it comes to choosing a companion for your rabbit, your rabbit is the best judge. Apart from making sure both rabbits are neutered, there is no key to finding the best partner. Many believe the best combination for an easy bond is a neutered male and neutered female, but two neutered males or two neutered females can also live happily together. Age and size do not matter – a younger companion often brings a new lease of life to a senior bunny. Litter mates often make great companions, but some fall out as they mature.

Note that guinea pigs are not suitable companions for rabbits – they have different dietary requirements, different methods of communication, and there are health risks (rabbits’ hind legs can cause serious injury to guinea pigs, and rabbits carry Bordetella, which can cause respiratory disease in guinea pigs).

There’s no perfect, infallible way to bond rabbits, and it can be confusing to read the many contradictory recommendations – even experienced, reputable rescues vary in the bonding methods they use. It’s important to remember that different methods work for different rabbits (and for their owners). The main debate seems to concern the size of the bonding pen used to introduce the rabbits, which varies from a washing basket to a whole room. Another choice is whether to attempt 24/7 bonding, or bond for short periods of time each day.

24/7 or short periods?

24/7 – Rabbits are introduced in a bonding pen and stay there (unless it’s obvious they will never be friends), until they are bonded. The bonding pen is small to start with, and its size is gradually increased as the rabbits start to bond. This requires 24/7 supervision, so although it can be a quicker method, it’s not suitable for everyone. It also requires an understanding of the rabbits’ personalities, to know whether they are likely to get along, before they are placed together.

Short periods – Rabbits to be bonded live in side-by-side enclosures, with owners swapping their items (e.g., litter trays) so rabbits grow accustomed to one another. They are placed together in a bonding pen for only short periods each day, increasing in time, until they are happy together. Again, the pen is increased in size if the rabbits’ behaviour is positive. This can take longer, as they may wish to re-establish their hierarchy each time they are placed in the bonding pen, but is better for people who cannot supervise 24/7, or are not experienced enough to predict whether rabbits are likely to fight.

Bonding principles

From our research, and from our own experience, we believe there are some fundamentals that increase the chance of success:

·       Prepare – Read as widely as possible about bonding, and watch videos, to make an informed choice on the best technique for you and your rabbits. The RWAF offers advice on its website and in publications. We found this video on the Rabbit Awareness Week (RAW) Facebook page, by Wood Green Animal Shelter, extremely useful.

·       Be patient – It takes time for rabbits to work out their hierarchy and become friends, usually from between a couple of weeks to a couple of months, and so moving too fast (e.g. expanding the rabbits’ space before they are ready) can be counter-productive. 

·       Ensure rabbits are neutered – Apart from the obvious reasons, neutering will reduce the likelihood of territorial aggression. If recently neutered, wait a few weeks before attempting to bond. Pet shops are notorious for mis-sexing rabbits, so always check with a vet if you do choose to shop rather than adopting rabbits.

·       Choose a neutral area for bonding – The rabbits need to be in unknown territory, so they have no reason to defend it. It should be in an area which can be left in situ, not an area that causes you inconvenience, thus increasing the pressure to move the bonding process too fast.

·       Create a small bonding pen, add nothing except hay and water – The rabbits need to be in unfamiliar, sparse territory, so they have no reason to defend it or items within it. Placed together in this foreign area, out of their comfort zone, they will start to explore, gradually becoming more confident with the environment, whilst also getting to know each other. Once at ease together, the space can be increased, and litter trays added without triggering territorial aggression. Opinions vary as to the best size – some people use a very small area whereas others recommend a larger area. The important factor is that it is small enough that the rabbits focus on getting to know each another, without being distracted by wandering off to explore, or able to completely avoid interaction. 

·       Ensure full supervision – It’s important to recognise aggression, and intervene to prevent injury (wear thick gloves, and use a dangled towel or a soft-edged dustpan for separating them). It requires your full attention – if time is limited or there are distractions, it’s best to postpone bonding.

·       Don’t be too quick to intervene – Knowing when to intervene is critical. It’s easy to worry that a small nip or chase will escalate into a fight, causing serious injury, and ruining the chance of a bond. However, certain interactions are required to establish their hierarchy which is integral to bonding and stopping them too soon will disrupt the process. Some chasing, mounting, and nipping must be allowed so they can work out who is the dominant and who is the submissive rabbit. It’s a tricky balance – supervision must be at a distance which doesn’t interfere but is close enough to prevent injury.

·       Recognise body language – This is essential, not only to know when to intervene to prevent aggressive behaviour escalating into a fight, but also to know when the bond is progressing well enough for space to be increased.

o   Neutral: These can be allowed to continue –
Ignoring one another; short chases without retaliation; nips (even with some fur pulling); mounting (but remove a male who mounts a female’s head in case he is injured!); lowering head to request grooming; leaving droppings/urinating. 

o   Positive: Signs that they are becoming friends, and that bonding area could be increased –
Relaxing, especially lying down near one another; grooming themselves, or one another – this is an excellent sign; mirroring (copying each another’s actions, e.g., grooming, or nibbling hay).

o   Negative: Stop these behaviours – distraction may be sufficient, or they may require separation –
Growling; lunging with open mouth; raised tail with ears back; one rabbit turning on the one who is chasing; and ‘bunny tornado’ – rapidly and tightly circling each other is very serious aggression. 

·       Check regularly for any injuries to the rabbits – Remember that rabbits hide any weakness, so it might not be obvious if they’ve been hurt.

·       Be kind – Don’t use stress bonding methods – meeting a new rabbit is already stressful enough. Although the bonding process is more likely to succeed if the rabbits feel ill-at-ease in a neutral territory, they should not be forced to feel scared. Putting the rabbits together in a stressful situation, such as a car journey, so that they seek comfort from one another may appear to help them become friends, but it’s cruel to put them under such strain. Just as we rarely form lasting friendships with the strangers we met in a stressful situation (e.g. a broken-down lift), rabbits bonded through stress won’t necessarily form a strong relationship.

·       Once bonded, do not separate – If separated, even for a vet appointment, there is a risk the bond may be broken. It’s better to take them together, which also helps them both to feel less stressed and aids recovery in the unwell rabbit. If they do have to be separated, reunite them carefully – they may need to be placed into a smaller area for a while, to re-bond them.

·       Don’t give up on finding a friend for a rabbit – Very few rabbits are impossible to bond – sometimes it just takes several attempts, and a willingness to adapt techniques, to find a suitable partner. Rabbit-based bonding is the kindest method – rabbits know who they want as their friends, and this is the advantage of taking rabbits to a rescue for bonding, as they have a choice of potential friends. Alternatively, adopt on the condition the rabbit can return to the rescue if the bond fails – in this case, finding a different partner will be the kindest option for both.

 

Follow this link to find out how Ebony and Snoop became friends.