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Realize all the lonely rabbit behavior first to better understand whether your new pet rabbit is lonely or simply stressed due to some unusual changes in its environment.
Knowing your rabbit’s lonely behavior will aid you to prevent your house rabbits from further feelings of depression.
I have described in this article several actions of rabbits which determines the rabbit is lonely. Unless you understand that your rabbit is lonely you can’t prevent your rabbits from getting stressed or sick.
A bunny has to be lively in order to stay healthy.
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Lonely rabbit behavior: Is my rabbit lonely?
In order to know if your rabbit is lonely or not you have to pay attention to your rabbit’s behavior.
A lonely rabbit may show signs of aggression towards other rabbits or its guardian. Similarly, a lonely rabbit will overeat and pull at its own fur.
A rabbit will act in different ways when they are lonely:
- A lonely rabbit will seek your attention and nudge at you;
- It may simply refuse to interact and bond with you. A lonely rabbit will not show any interest when you pet him/her or try to play with your rabbit.
- A lonely rabbit will show aggression towards other rabbits;
- A lonely rabbit will become destructive. They will bite furniture and rip off carpets with their tooth.
- A rabbit that is eating more than usual and pulling on its own far is also a lonely rabbit.
How to stop your pet rabbits from being lonely?
To stop your rabbits from being lonely or depressed, you can do any one of these:
- Introduce a rabbit of the opposite gender to your current pet rabbit. Allow time for them to become friends and follow the rabbit bonding stages for proper rabbit introduction.
- OR if you are not willing to bring home another pet rabbit, then make sure you spend plenty of time with your current pet rabbit.
Two above mentioned are the only ways to stop your pet rabbits from being lonely.
As well as you can bond a rabbit with other pets like cats and dogs. In order to bond a rabbit with a cat, you will have to be patient and follow the steps I have discussed here >>> Do cats and rabbits live together?
In case you have a dog as a pet and want your new rabbits to live happily with your dogs >>> Read HERE.
Human interaction to prevent rabbit depression.
A rabbit guardian must prevent their rabbit from getting depressed at any cost.
What shall you do if you do not have any other pet to bond with your bunny?
Do you have plenty of time to spend with your rabbits? If you have enough time to bond with your rabbit and be the best companion of your rabbit you can do as follows:
- Do not lock your rabbit inside a cage all the time. Rabbits like to run around and explore. Give them a running space and make sure you bunny-proof your house.
If you cannot bunny-proof your house then choose a play-pen for bunnies to build a bunny running space. - Your rabbits will explore themselves and in time slowly they will come close to you. Once they come close to you pet them slowly. Learn here how to pet a rabbit the right way?
- Do not pick up your bunny. Rabbits are prey animals and if you pick them up they may get scared. Get down to their level and play with them.
- Use rabbit toys for your rabbits. Toss some rabbit toys and see your rabbits playing with and chewing on them.
- Do not invade their space or they can think of you as their enemy. Allow your pet rabbits to come close to you.
Lonely rabbit after the death of a bonded partner.
A rabbit will get very lonely after the death of its bonded partner. Rabbits are very social animals and require a companion to remain happy and healthy.
Rabbits build a strong relationship with their partner and the death of their partner will cause severe stress and depression in a rabbit.
What can you actually do to prevent?
To prevent your pet rabbit from further loneliness you have to spend a lot of time with your rabbit. Do not allow your rabbit to remain lonely.
Try to bond with your grieving pet rabbit.
Your rabbit will grief and it will cause extreme stress in your rabbits. Once they are stressed beyond limits they will get sick very fast.
If you can’t spend sufficient time with your rabbit you can help your rabbit to come out of depression by introducing a new rabbit friend to improve the scenario.
However proper introduction is required before doing so. Do not expect your older rabbit to accept a new bunny companion right away.
Without correct rabbit bonding stages, the older rabbit may show signs of aggression towards the new bunny.
Follow the correct steps and perhaps it will help your grieving rabbit come out from depression.
Can rabbits die of loneliness?
YES, rabbits can die of loneliness. There have been several cases where a rabbit passed away after a few days of its bonded partner’s death.
Losing a friend or a bonded partner will cause the rabbit to grieve and depression. As a result, the grieving rabbit will be stressed.
AND in time the stressed rabbit will become unhealthy.
Staying in such a condition may result in the death of a lonely rabbit.
Therefore it is always a rabbit guardian duty to look after a lonely rabbit and do everything possible to keep the pet rabbit in a good shape.
Want your rabbit to be happy and healthy?
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My rabbit is grieving the loss of his friend a guinea pig we got another baby guinea pig to help they we re starting to except each other but the baby guinea pig escaped in our house wall we can’t find her should w e buy another baby guinea pig and try again? I am spending as much time as I can with our male rabbit
Hi Amii. Sorry for the loss of your rabbit’s friend guinea pig. It would be good to give your rabbit more social friends to help. Rabbits need friends too.
I hope that this helps.
Hi Amii, I believe it is best if you try to introduce a new rabbit to your pet rabbit. A lonely rabbit’s health can deteriorate quickly. So you have to act fast.
As the baby guinea pig escaped, there is no alternative to buying a new one. Your rabbit needs a friend at this time.
Pet rabbits can stay comfortable with their owner. However, in your situation, your rabbit was bonded with a guinea pig. Hence, I hold your companionship is not adequate.
Please buy a new rabbit friend for your bunny to prevent it from sudden death.
My rabbits bonded partner just passed 2 days ago and she has become very aggressive. they were together when she died for around an hour untill we found her (she died of old age). i feel when we removed the body she thought we had done it. she wont let me touch her or get near and she has destroyed 2 litter boxes now. luckley she is still eating, i need help on what to do. i can not get near her to help her, should i get a new rabbit? how long should i wait? how can i help her? Please reply, thank you.
Hi Elizabeth. Sorry to hear about the loss of your rabbit. How is your rabbit responding now?
Hi l just loss one of my rabbit they were sister. But one passed away .she was with her dead sister all night l was heartbroken. But the one l have left has been going for me biting me and she not eating much lam so worried l dont no what to do .l dont want to lose her as well
Hi there , your article has been very helpful but I’m still in a bit of a quandary. My rabbits life long partner has sadly passed away. Due to the cause being infectious , I couldn’t let my current Bunny be with him at the time. As she is an older rabbit , I don’t know whether or not getting her a new companion would be the best option. However , it’s difficult to spend enough time with her everyday when she’s been used to constant company. I’m so stuck with what to do!
Hi Elizabeth. Sorry to hear about the loss of your rabbit. It would be good to start a new bonding process with your rabbit.
My rabbits bonded partner just passed 1 days ago catching from dog.. 2nd rabbit has going to stress???? How I care about him
I had two female rabbits both around 2 years old, one suddenly died two days ago and I’m wondering if it’s best to get another rabbit as I’m not able to spend adequate time with the rabbit. If so would it be better to get another female or a male?
My old rabbit has just passed away and my other rabbit seems very sad. He no longer gets excited when I give him banana, he just sits there and stares at me. He might be just sensing my sadness, but i feel horrible and I dont want him to be unhappy. my other rabbit was 2 years older than expected, so he lived a good life. What should I do?
One of my rabbits passed away 2 days ago from bowl issues, his brother the next day was very lonely. He wouldn’t eat or drink. He wasn’t himself so we tried to take him to the vet but he passed away in my arms before we got there. He missed his brother too much..