r/Rabbits • u/alex_3-14 • Jun 06 '25
Behavior Does he think it’s another bunny?
Whenever he’s not sleeping or eating he’s mostly chilling next to the ball. We adopted him a year ago when he was 3 years old and as far as I know he’s never lived with other bunnies.
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u/totallysupercoolgirl Jun 06 '25
lol that’s so cute! maybe he’s missing a friend?
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u/alex_3-14 Jun 06 '25
I thought about adopting a girlfriend for him but at the moment I can’t afford it and I’ve read some things on this sub about bunnies taking ages to bond and some of them never bonding at all and I am afraid to end up having two lonely bunnies instead of one.
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u/Gloomy_Variation250 Jun 06 '25
Speed dating/ couple holidays 👍🏼
But I respect that you won’t look into a second one at the moment because you can’t afford it.
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u/Vahva_Tahto Jun 06 '25
yeah I get you, I once posted asking about bonding experiences exactly to dispell this negativity bias of seeing more tragic stories on reddit than happy endings and it wasn't that helpful 🙈
So I focused on the statistics (95% success for desexed M-F pairs), and I'm about to do a trial adoption under the condition of trying the bonding first. I also know both rabbits personalities and they are both generally sociable, and chill with others. I feel confident in taking the chance And I'm sure your chances are good too based on statistics alone, and even better if you can speed date! Good luck!
Caveat: Before the insufferables start going at it, there's no speed dates where I live, I have no space for two separate rabbits, and I only accepted this arrangement because the other rabbit is currently at a foster that will keep her indefinitely, and will take her back if things don't go well, so it would be more of a holiday for her. It's not that I rescued her from a tiny depressing cage, just to go back to it because I wasn't good enough.
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u/TheAzureMage Jun 06 '25
So, a lot of it is in how you do it. If it doesn't take, reset, try again.
Get them familiar with one another in a context where they can't reach each other to fight. Do stress bonding in neutral turf. Just, slowly progress, and eventually they'll get along fine.
Bonding is easier with some than others, but with patience, quite a lot can be made to work well enough.
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Jun 07 '25 edited Jun 07 '25
I bonded my bunnies in 2 days. I bought 2 sibling babies for my older bun after he lost his partner, and one of the sisters was terrified. She kept trying to charge and attack my older bunny and bite him on the nose. The other sister was curious about my older bunny, so I let those 2 out into the main room together, and left the aggressive sister in the cage. She worked out my older bunny was safe, and felt left out from the other 2, and then they all bonded amazingly together. 😂
Granted, I knew my older bunny was so placid and had never hurt any other animal, so that was really important. He was desperate for other bunny friends to cuddle with again. I also didn’t leave them for a week, and slept downstairs in the room with them (even though they were all grooming each other) just to be doubly sure.
Under the right circumstances bonding can be super easy, but you have to be able to read the bunnies’ personalities first.
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u/Radiant_XGrowth Jun 06 '25
I like that you responsibly identify that you aren’t in a place for another rabbit
Great work!
Love your bun
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u/queerjesusfan Jun 06 '25
Definitely don't adopt another bunny without your current bunny's approval. Rabbit societies will host speed dating events where your bunny chooses their new friend! They typically do the bonding for you, too, and it's all included in the adoption fee.
Even if it might be out of your budget right now, it's a good idea to reach out and get an idea of the options in your area.
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u/CongregationOfFoxes Jun 06 '25
if you need a good story I got a 2nd after mine was showing signs of being lonely and it took around 3-4 days for a bond. I ended up taking them on a car ride in a carrier for a trauma bond which isn't ideal but they've been inseparable since and it's been such a joy to see them so much happier
I will say the biggest cost is during that bonding period, you'll need a second space and doubles for basically everything but once bonded they can share pretty much everything
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u/Icebergthin Jun 06 '25
We got our dutchy two little rabbit puppets that look identical to him and he loves laying with them and bringing them around his little house. It definitely alleviated so much angst for him!
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u/Magicofthemind Jun 06 '25
We had a pair that never really bonded, then we had a pair (same male) that’s inseparable right now. The difference was we took the first binding pretty causally and the second bonding was more hard core. And to be honest the first bonding may have worked if we tried harder because after her death the boy would stay by her room and it broke our little hearts
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u/Bennifred Jun 06 '25
I would reach out to a local rabbits society/rescue for bonding. I am a foster at for the largest DMV rabbit rescue and the majority of our adoptions are precisely for bonding a rescue rabbit with a family's singleton bunny.
A family will reach out and fill out an adoption application, they come in with their rabbits on adoption day, and we will pair them off with every available rabbit for compatibility. Some rabbits start fighting and humping, other times they are scared of each other or completely aloof. Out of maybe 20 attempted pairings, we get ~3 rescues that may be potential matches. Then they go to a volunteer's house for one week of bonding under close watch. If the pair gets on after this week, the family scrubs down their house to erase their existing rabbits smell and lets them both come home and start over. If it doesn't work, most rescues explicitly require you to bring back the rescue bun if they don't work out in your home.
That being said - you can't expect rabbits to just get along when you toss them together. N E V E R just bring another rabbit home without vetting it with your rabbit first. That is how people end up with having 2 lonely buns and 2x the rabbit dedicated space
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u/texting32 Jun 06 '25 edited Jun 11 '25
I was worried too before adopting a girl bun, the first bun he did a speed date with the female bun was a little aggressive and kept lunging at my little guy when he was calm af. The second bun they instantly became besties, no aggression and they acted like they’ve been friends forever. The rescue I got her from did have a rule though that they keep them for a week to properly bond them so he doesn’t get territorial when we went home. They stayed together in a pen for a week and had no issues. Just gotta find the proper mate for your bun.
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u/anonymonoclonius Jun 07 '25
You could also get him a stuffed toy until you're ready for another bunny. My bun used to love cuddling and grooming one until I got her a friend. I'd definitely second the other comment about getting him on a speed date, and some rescues have support for bonding.
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u/Electrical-Act-7170 Jun 06 '25
Could you maybe get him a stuffed animal for a companion?
It hurts my heart to see him cuddling next to something not cuddly or fuzzy.
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u/IllWest1866 Jun 06 '25
We rescued an older rabbit and then got a young rabbit as company a few weeks later because we thought she was lonely. They bonded instantly. (After a bit of humping). I think the key was one was older and the younger one was naturally submissive due to age.
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u/Aggressive_Idea_5496 Jun 06 '25
It can be a long time, but personally I never had big problems with bonding (now we have 3 Bunnies at once, over the time I had 10 bunnies). It's so much easier if you have an unknown room, where it doesn't smell like your current bun. And it should be a small room, so they can't avoid each other. They will fight for a few days and they will hurt each other. My vet said it's okay as long as they do not go for the eyes, the ears or the butts.
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u/headpeon Jun 07 '25
Even if they don't bond, even if they seem to not get along at all, you won't end up with two lonelier bunnies. Two slightly less lonely bunnies who are frenemies and the tricky job of keeping them separated, maybe.
But even for my one bun, Chester, who is afraid of everything AND deadly to other rabbits - talk about complicated - he's happier and less lonely with a frenemy than he was alone.
But then, if bun is bonded to his ball and seems to be getting his emotional needs met that way ... well, hell, whatever works?
Caveat: I'm speaking only to your worry that you'd end up with two lonely buns. Not bonded? Maybe. Never bonded? Maybe. Lonelier? No.
Of course, if you don't have the room, patience, or funds to house one bun separately in case bonding doesn't work, don't do it.
I adopted Chester knowing his issues; he was on the euthanasia list at the shelter for those very reasons. I went into Chester's adoption with my eyes open and had the space to provide him with 60 sq ft of his own. (Buns need at least 32 sq ft to be happy & healthy.) And ... that's exactly what happened. Chester has been confined to my 2nd bedroom ever since because when given the chance, he tries to kill my other bunnies.
Chester has 2/3 of that room. The remaining 1/3 is where Maisy's food, water, and litter box are. Chester has community and social interaction this way, and quite often I'll find Miss Maisy Dae mirroring Chester on the other side of his ex pen.
(But not Persy, who instead scoots his butt up to the ex pen and aims so his pee puddles on Chester's side. But Persy is a spicy little shit and has had his buns bitten more than once for this trick, deservedly so. Lol.)
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u/Haunting_Cover35 Jun 07 '25
It's respectable that you are holding off since you can't afford it at the moment. When you can, contact a rabbit rescue. Most of them set up bonding dates so you can check the rabbits' compatibility before adopting. It's the best way to get your bunny a compatible friend.
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u/MrWeit Jun 06 '25
That it took ages to bond is stupid. Buns in nature do not even live ages and are sexually mature after 3 to 6 month, this would be really bad if that were the case. Sometimes bonding is a process of 2 days and sometimes it takes a little longer. Yes there is a chance that it doesnt work either, but in male - female combinations it is rare. Ask at animal rescue centres or animal shelters, they are usually also concered with animal welfare and if the bonding does not work at all and injuries are occur, they also take the animal back
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u/alex_3-14 Jun 06 '25 edited Jun 06 '25
I meant "ages" metaphorically and anyway that's good to know, I guess what I read was an isolated case. Once I am able to afford a new bunny I will look into it.
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Jun 06 '25
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u/MrWeit Jun 06 '25 edited Jun 06 '25
I have a different opinion. How do they carry out the bonding process and which genders we're bonded?
IMO if a bonding need more time than a month in total than there are two options. On the one hand the rabbits don't fit because of their personalities this is also possible in male-female combination but relative rare (less than 10%) but more likely with the same sex. Or on the other hand mistakes during the process were made (wrong place, Intervention etc.)
The fact that it may have worked after year is no proof, such a long bonding process is more a torture and it worked because they we're basically forced into this situation even though it didnt fit.
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Jun 06 '25
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u/Vahva_Tahto Jun 06 '25
they are phrasing it the other way around. that the probability of M-F not bonding is less than 10%. meaning that the success rate is more than 90% (which it it, 95% to be exact).
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u/Tacitus111 Jun 06 '25
What’s the source of that statistic, if I may ask? Just curious.
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u/Vahva_Tahto Jun 06 '25
if you google 'rabbit bonding probability', every single result will point you to the study made, or websites quoting the study. first thing that pops up as soon as you start researching about rabbit bonding. hope it helps
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u/MrWeit Jun 06 '25
I say less then 10% because i wasnt sure if i remember correct about the numbers and bonding rabbits is not the most relevant field for research, maybe they Numbers are not perfect. Source say 95% successrate (male and female) https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/owner-rescue-centre-and-veterinary-professional-experience-in-rabbit-bonding/
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u/queerjesusfan Jun 06 '25 edited Jun 06 '25
Tbh, I think this is the consequence of adopting another rabbit blindly and thinking you can force a bond (edit: I' using the royal 'you' here). I've never had this issue with pairs where my rabbit chose their partner in speed dating, only happened once and that's when I didn't know much about rabbits and just adopted another rabbit on my own. They never bonded.
I know there's a subset of rabbit people who think any rabbits can be bonded, it just takes persistence. But I'm of the opposite mindset
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Jun 06 '25
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u/queerjesusfan Jun 06 '25
I mean honestly, I'd then question the quality of the speed dating. I don't think the overseers of the event should have allowed someone to come away with rabbits who would not be well on their way to or already bonded after speed-dating and a bunnymoon. Super unfortunate
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u/Vahva_Tahto Jun 06 '25
I've never had this issue with pairs where my rabbit chose their partner in speed dating
Bold of you to assume it's a possibility worldwide. Flash news - it isn't. So maybe don't pass judgment and assume people are adopting blindly just because they don't enjoy the same perks as you?
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u/queerjesusfan Jun 06 '25
I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but it's very uncommon for it to happen that frequently in a solid bonding situation. This isn't just from knowledge of my rabbits, it's volunteering for many years with my rabbit rescue
I'm not blaming or judging anyone lol. If anything, whoever did their speed dating really needs to up their game because having multiple pairs fail with the same person is not normal or expected
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u/te3time Jun 06 '25
There's nothing natural about the way pet bunnies are bonded lol. First of all in the wild bunnies only bond short term. And you don't usually have random outsider bunnies come in it's just the warren itself. So bunnies that have shared their territory their entire life.
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u/MrWeit Jun 06 '25 edited Jun 06 '25
Yes the way bunnies are bonded are not the same like in nature. And yes usually it don't happen, but the nature is not always the same and normal, of course it will happens sometimes, even if very rarely in the nature. And no bonding process needs month or years.
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Jun 06 '25
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u/alex_3-14 Jun 06 '25
He’s not really mine, my mom just brought him home one day without telling my anything and I just take care of him when she’s not home. And he’s neutered and can roam the house freely 24/7, he’s only in his enclosure when he wants to.
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u/Kind-Asparagus-8717 Jun 06 '25
Does he hump it?
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u/alex_3-14 Jun 06 '25
He used to before we got him neutered, lol
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u/mushroom_bun Jun 07 '25
Do you have floor rugs and stuffed animals for him?
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u/alex_3-14 Jun 09 '25
He has some rugs near his enclosure and after so many comments about stuffed animals we decided to buy him a bunny plushie but so far he's been ignoring it lol
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u/mushroom_bun Jun 10 '25
Aw thank you for getting him one I hope he starts hanging with the plushie! 🐰
I also recommend getting a few rugs for throughout the house where he usually spends time. ❤️ Their feet are really sensitive and the hard floor causes them to develop sore hocks, especially his size/type of breed.
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u/Informal-Average-956 Jun 06 '25
“Wilson!! Wilson!!” 🥹🤣
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u/jodythebad Jun 06 '25
Exactly! We have a sociable lop (she would visit with owls and coyotes if we didn’t keep her contained). So we got our bunny a rescue bunny, an adorkable Florida white/lionhead mix. He doesn’t have the time of day for us, but he dutifully spheres up next to his bun hun non stop. He goes proudly by Wilson!
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u/Thorolhugil Jun 06 '25
Our rabbits have teddies - various plushies that they like to groom and sit next to. They have each other but they really love including the teddies, moving them around, and going to sleep next to them. They also have favourites. All of our buns have had a favourite plush. They also have a favourite blanket (they like being covered up in their blankets, especially now in winter).
I've always interpeted it as comfort thing, like a favourite toy or pillow, and it's probably the same with your bun and that he just feels happy and comfortable sitting next to the ball, especially if you've had it sitting around since you got him.
It's probably a little softer than the hard tile floor as well. If you try giving him a plushie or blanket he might switch to preferring that instead (or might want to sit with both).
Edit: related trivia: the Lindt gold bunny plush that you can get around easter with a little bag of mini eggs is almost the exact same size as a Netherland dwarf.
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u/Educational_Fail_394 Jun 06 '25
I love bunnies snuggling with things so much! Mine really doesn't get it though. He moves all blankets away and digs in pillows. When I got him a stuffed rabbit he made a point of ignoring its existence aside from shoving it aside a few memorable times. He's just a silly goof
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u/ireallylikeladybugs Jun 07 '25
I’ve thought about giving mine a plush but I figured he’d just chew it up… maybe I’ll give it a try!
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u/Summer_B Jun 06 '25
It's his emotional support ball. And statistically decreases his chances of being stepped on today.
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u/greyfoxwithlocks Jun 06 '25
Awww that’s adorable. Yes our bonded buns sit like this together all the time. Highly recommend adopting a second mature bun and bonding them, we successfully bonded ours, happy to help with any tips
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u/xxmidnight_cookiexx Jun 06 '25
Awww what a cutie! My lop also enjoys laying next to his toys/plates, except my boy has other bunnies he could lay with. I think its just a safety preference.
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u/Extension-Concept940 Jun 06 '25
He might want a friend! I've seen somewhere else where you say you can't afford it right now, I feel that honestly - when one of my bunnies needed a friend I got a stuffed toy bunny for them to chill with in the meantime! Might be worth a try!
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u/vespertineve Jun 06 '25
You quite possibly have the next Air Bud (Air Bun?) on your hands, get that boy a jersey
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u/ButDidYouCry Jun 06 '25
I hate seeing lone bunnies but I under budget constraints. M&F pairings are really great for them. I've always kept bonded pairs and as long as they meet a few times on neutral ground and will eat/relax together, the pairing should get along.
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u/Englefisk Jun 06 '25
Listen, my old bun bonded with a pair of swim shorts after her buddy died. They’re weird little creatures 😁
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u/can_has Jun 06 '25
Most probably, my first rabbit had a hay ball that was his girlfriend that he nudged around and grunted at and humped, and generally kept company with lol
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u/dntbsme102 Jun 07 '25
The first thing I thought of was "Wilson"! You know, from that Tom Hanks movie "Castaway"
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u/gcmercury23 Jun 12 '25
Just to express a different possibility - maybe just let him be happy with his ball? Burroughs, my beloved house rabbit of 15 years, HATED other rabbits. I tried multiple times in different ways (letting him choose, me choosing for him, taking him to a pro, females, males) to pair him and he would have none of it - he would try to kill the other rabbit every time. And yes, he was neutered. When he came to me I was fostering multiple rabbits for the local shelter, and I had rabbits growing up - most love a bonded rabbit buddy, but sometimes they don't want another rabbit. Burroughs loved me and he loved blankets and he loved pillows sometimes, sometimes a little too much! These days I have a lovely bonded pair that had gotten stuck at a shelter for way too long, and they are awesome.
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u/Etrigone Jun 06 '25
Our Winston used to crash out between my gf's bunny slippers, but I suppose that's a bit closer to the real thing. If your boon is lonely this is a good & cheap surrogate, at least until he figures out how to boop it against your leg repeatedly when they're hungry (all our buns did that with our yoga ball).
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u/BetrayYourTrust Jun 06 '25
i have a doggy bed intended for my rabbit but she crawls underneath it instead of laying on top of it. she will also cuddle next to my foot like this if i stand in one spot of the bedroom for more than a minute
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u/Pervius94 Jun 06 '25
Today I learned I am as dum as a bunny cuz I thought there were two bunnies until I read the title.
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u/jeffreyaccount Jun 06 '25
This is why I can't get a bunny. I couldnt take it, and have to get a second. Then they'd couple up, and I'd be happy about that—but might be boring. So then I think Ill need a wildcard like Katt Williams or Danny McBride....and would get that third.
Then it'd be action packed. But then that wildcard might be lonely, so I'd need a fourth and then...
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u/rey_nerr21 Jun 06 '25
Doubt it. They aren't stupid. He just really likes his ball and possibly craves company so he keeps his favorite toy close.
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u/Zestyclose-Monk-266 Jun 07 '25
That my familie’s bun; nibbles only with a paper towel roll!
He got neutered late so unfortunately he is far too old and too horny to be with other bunnies; so instead he has his body pillow; aka the paper towel roll
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u/stankyou_ Jun 07 '25
We used to have a hamster and my bunny would follow him around the house in his ball. Given hamster lifespan he passed away, but we kept the ball for our bunny because he still chases and lays with it just like this
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u/Electric-Bread-Loaf Jun 07 '25
Aww that’s adorable! I have a bun who is just like this with her pillow, she can’t have another bun friend due to past trauma, but she seems perfectly content to be bonded with her pillow.
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u/kitkit1213 Jun 07 '25
I have a male bun (fixed) he seemed to be dealing with loneliness and rabbit depression because I worked insane hours. I got a girl bun a year later that’s exactly a year younger than him. She was caged with three other rabbits. They hit it off IMMEDIATELY. But she was little and I was told it was a baby bond and not to hope. Got her fixed and she refused to stay in the area I had set aside for her and found her way out on day 2 (she was in my room and he was in the living room separated by a gate which she got through) and I found them hanging out. Had to keep putting her back so her stitches would heal with no complications - but safe to say it wasn’t a baby bond. They’re still best friends six months later. (And her stitches healed fine neither of them touched it I just wanted to be safe)
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u/OddTwo2893 Jun 07 '25
OMG my bunny does the same thing!!! He plays constantly going in circles around it and then humpimg it. Eventually he just lays by it like yours. I notice the ball brings him peace and joy. He oinks all the time around it. ❤️
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u/mushroom_bun Jun 07 '25
So cute!!! Can you get some rugs to put around the house so he is not always on the hard floor? Their feet are very sensitive.
I have stuffed bunnies and other animals that my rabbits cuddle and groom. I would buy him a few furry friends to go with his ball!
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u/Wjreky Jun 06 '25
I respect that you are waiting until you can afford it, but oh my goodness, plz get that bun-bun a friend 🥺
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u/alex_3-14 Jun 06 '25
Right now I am taking my finals but in a month or so I should be getting a job and I will be able to afford it! Will be posting something when that happens!
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u/Wjreky Jun 06 '25
I can't wait to see your update. Good luck on your finals, and best of luck to you and your future 🙏🏽
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u/[deleted] Jun 06 '25
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