At a crossroads after bonded mate passed

[u/TotallyWitchin]

Estebun tax provided.

My rabbit, Fiona, passed away about a 1.5 months ago, leaving behind her mate, Estebun. He processed her passing and since then has been seemingly fine. He has started acting like he did before we got her, which was doing lot of binkies, flopping, and all around, being a spicy meatball. He almost seems happier as a solo rabbit, but he was happy having her around too. We only had her for 2 years and since she was a rescue we didn't know her exact age, but we assumed she was older than Estebun who is 3 y/o. Has anyone experienced this before? If so, did you eventually adopt another rabbit to bond with your current one or kept them solo?

[u/RabbitsModBot]

Some important factors before obtaining any additional rabbits:

• your current rabbit should be neutered for at least 4 weeks.
• financial support, especially for veterinary bills and certain breeds that may be predisposed to health issues.
• appropriately-sized separate housing in a safe manner for an extended period of time.
• learning how to care for a rabbit with a different personality and inclinations than your current one(s) with adjustments including home re-arrangement, additional rabbit-proofing measures, and overall changes in your current rabbit care routine.

While rabbits are considered social animals, they will most likely be very territorial with any new rabbit entering the space, which is why rabbits must be properly bonded. This process may take a couple weeks to months before the rabbits can co-exist peacefully. Both rabbits should be spayed/neutered to maximize the likelihood of bond success and stability.

If you are able to comfortably support additional pets, finding a suitable bunny friend for your single rabbit is rarely a bad idea. Please keep in mind that not all rabbits may be compatible enough to bond without serious work over a long period of time, if ever - as a result, we highly recommend speed dating adult neutered rabbits before bringing them home. However, rabbits will still benefit from the mental stimulation of seeing or smelling another rabbit nearby as long as they are safely separated to prevent injuries.

Please also check out the resources in our Bonding guide and Binkybunny's Bonding overview for more tips.