Secret to a not cross bunny is making sure it has a buddy
RABBITS must be adopted in pairs as they get bored, lonely and even depressed living on their own, the British Veterinary Association (BVA) has said.
The veterinary profession is calling on the Government to ban pet shops from selling single rabbits, after a survey of their 18,000 members found 42 per cent of the bunnies on their books were housed alone.
Rabbits live in groups in the wild, and need to socialise with other members of their species if they are to remain happy and healthy.
The BVA said ministers “must encourage owners to buy rabbits in compatible pairs or groups in pet vending legislation”.
Research has found that companionship is so important to rabbits that they often choose company over food when offered one or the other.
A recent BVA survey of vets found that 73 per cent had come across pet rabbits whose welfare needs were not being fully met. Some families house their rabbits with guinea pigs, which experts advise against as they have different dietary and social needs. Smaller guinea pigs may also be at risk of injury.
Daniella Dos Santos, the BVA president, said: “Whether they are outside or inside, pet rabbits are highly sociable animals and benefit from buddying up with a suitable companion, so it’s a big concern that so many in the UK still live alone. It’s important to acknowledge the significance of companionship and adequate housing space to keep rabbits happy and healthy.”
She also stressed the importance of making a suitable pairing.
“Anyone thinking of taking on a pair or group of rabbits should seek expert veterinary guidance to help make sure that the match is successful,” she said. “For example, if you’re starting from scratch, a neutered pair is ideal but if you already have a lone rabbit and you’re wondering whether you should get a companion, ask your vet what your options are and the safest way to introduce them.”
According to the 2019
PDSA Paw report, rabbits are the UK’S third most popular pet. However, their needs remain very misunderstood and they can become depressed if they suffer from loneliness or cramped living conditions. You can usually tell if your pet is feeling low if it seems lethargic and unmotivated, sleeps more than usual or hides for hours on end. In extreme cases, they may pull out their own fur or bite things excessively.
Vets are campaigning to make it a crime for pet shops to sell one rabbit at a time. The problem is that rabbits grow lonely if kept on their own. Owners who find their bunny becomes flopsy should not always blame the milky sedative found in lettuces, which made Peter Rabbit’s sisters so tractable. No, the British Veterinary Association advises, the creature may be pining, like the poet Chatterton, whose solitary end in a garret was unhappy. Rabbits are social animals, certainly, but the vets warn that a companion for a sad singleton must be chosen with care. Mixed sexes could lead to a population explosion, but rabbits are also of uncertain temperament, and have sharp teeth. Keeping a rabbit is nearly as hard as fixing one’s own domestic arrangements: 28 per cent of households are single, not counting rabbits.