Advice on getting another rabbit.

[Jellybean25]

Hi, I have one female rabbit and was wondering about getting another so she has some company. She follows my cats around like she wants a friend and will sit next to them if they are asleep, but my cats are scared stiff of her.
What advice does anyone have about getting another, I don't want to just get one and they don't get on as I won't be able to have seperate hutches/cages. I wouldn't want to give it back either as i'm a big believer in "an animal is for life".
I did have a trial with my brothers rabbit to see how she would get on with other rabbits, but they ended up fighting. I don't know if this was because he's a male (and neutered).
Any help or similar experience please.

[NazNomad]

A Guinea Pig will co-exist quite happily with bunnies, if that's an option you hadn't considered.

[crisgal]

there is loads on info on tinternet. like this:
http://www.jspca.org....g_rabbits_fsheet.html

good luck x

[boxtops]

My neighbours have a rabbit and a guinea pig, they get on very well, and they hoppit about the in garden when the weather is good enough.

[crisgal]

just a thought, why not bring your rabbit indoors and have him live with you? My friend has a house rabbit, and she was lovely.
Also, I don't think guinea pigs are good companions for rabbits, but i can't remember why!

We had 2 sisters, that turned out to be a brother and a sister and ended up with 9 babies! We kept one baby so now have three.
They have all been neutured to avoid fighting. The original two are sometimes a bit mean to the baby and you rarely see them all snuggled together.
We do have a chicken tho, and she gets on with them all.

As i say, it's quite tricky, and i read loads of stuff when we found the babies. There are some very good sites. I do think you are doing the right thing for your lonely rabbit though . let us know how you get on.

[Jellybean25]

Thanks for the answers. Crisgal, sorry I should of mentioned she IS a house rabbit and you're right it's recommended that rabbits and guinea pigs don't live together as the rabbit can hurt the guinea pig when it kicks, although I have seen them living happily together. I have a lot of experience with guinea pigs though, I used to have 9, none of them were brought together but they all got on fine.

[josaphine32]

We had a rabbit years ago and introduced a guineapig for company they got on really well to start with but in the spring the female rabbit used to try to mate the guineapig constantly, and the guneapig started to loose some fir, the vet said it was down to the guineapig beeing stressed so we had to seperate them,the vet said rabbits can break guineapigs backs if they get to frisky, is your rabbit neutered?
how long has the rabbit been alone for rabbits are territorial and may not take kindly to another one in there space.

[Jellybean25]

josaphine32, no I haven't neutered her yet, but i'm planning on it and she's been alone since at least October when I got her, but she was alone it the shop as she'd been ill.

[josaphine32]

She might settle down a little once she is neutered, do you have an rspca/rescue center near you as they will assess your rabbit with there rehoming rabbits and will advise whats best for your bunny, springs coming up and there will be lots of unwanted pets.

[Jellybean25]

No, i don't know where a rspca centre is near me, i'll have to find out, that's brilliant advice though, i'll have to pay them a visit.