Can I bond my disabled bunny?

Question
Hello Alice, we have a home sanctuary with many, many bunnies/guinea pigs and all of our bunnies are fixed.  We have one we just took in 2 wks. ago that is not spayed and is one year old as of July.  

She is disabled BUT is fairly active, meaning she has deformed back legs (bent inwards but can scratch herself with one of her legs).  She's not in any pain as she was apparently born this way and was the runt of the litter.  She only weighs 2 lbs. but looks sooo tiny.  She's a wonderful, quiet, affectionate little girl who also is visually impaired.  Her one eye is smaller than the other and both eyes have white cloudiness over them.  

After all of that, she comes out of her pen (I make my own pens for our bunnies), and goes around the room and will make it back to her own pen when she wants to.  She's just adorable.

I realize I would have to have her checked to even see if she could be safely spayed.  I know the potential risks of not having them spayed but I don't want to risk her as of now either.

Do you think a bunny like this could be ever bonded with another one?  I have a few single rabbits (2 are waiting to be spayed actually) but they're larger and of course would be a lot more active than her.

I've dealt with many medical problems over the years as well with our brood, even disability but either they already had a partner before becoming disabled or developed a more serious problem and had to be euthanized.

Thanks for reading my long-winded letter.  Will await your answer.

Paula

Answer
Hi Paula

Females who are disabled have a better likelihood of bonding with a male then a female accepting a disabled male. Males are more accepting and like humans, not as picky sometimes about who they select for a partner. If it looks like a rabbit and smells like a rabbit, then their hormones usually take over. With the males being neutered, they won't have the surge of hormones that unfixed males would have, but their tolerance may be slightly better rather then the other way around (a male disabled).

If you have a picture of her, would you care to send it? I have one kit right now who is also the runt of the litter and her back legs appear abnormal but she can still walk and bear weight on them. She has one brother and they are close, always cuddling together because they have only each other (the litter had two kits alive and two dead).

If you have a smaller male, or about the equivalent size, then you may be successful in bonding them. If the male is younger (3-6 months) you may have more success as well. You will want the male to be a passive rabbit, one that doesn't need to consistently assert his dominance and prefers the companionship. If the male rabbit only has the one female to choose from rather than from a whole group of females, then they will also bond more successfully.

Her being blind, or almost blind shouldn't inhibit the bonding. Just so long as you have a male bunny that is tolerant and doesn't pick on her because she will have a harder time trying to defend herself and the stress of the situation may make her more aggressive to everything if she is constantly picked on. Her response to you may change as well. Any potential suitor should be allowed to explore a neutral room with the disabled bun. Watch them closely before putting them in a cage together. If he takes to licking her and she is receptive then you have found your match. It is always better for the female to be put in the males cage or, try to re-arrange the cage and clean it out so there are no associated scents.

I'm sure you are familiar with some of these things because you seem knowledgeable about rabbits. You might have to try a few males before you find the right one, but if the disability isn't causing her discomfort in any way then she may also be receptive to another rabbit. MAY BE, we never know sometimes with these creatures and sometimes if they have been living alone for a long time, they decide that they want human attention and nothing to do with another rabbit. This will require some experimentation on your part. Put her cage next to the male that you want to try to bond her with first and allow them to 'get to know each other' through the cage first. Often you can tell how they will do before they are even out of the cage.
Another option is to harness the male to a lead so that you can have control of him at least if he decides he doesn't like her for whatever reason.
If in the end she decides that she only wants human company then she will fare just as well bonding with you instead of another rabbit. Regardless, she sounds like a very sweet little bunny and I hope you have success in whatever direction that you proceed with her.
Let me know if I can help further...
Alice