new rabbits?

Question
Hi,
I have written to you several times before and I appreciate all the time you've spent with me so far. First for my little dwarf Bun who died of pneumonia (you thought) last August. Then with my New Zealand White girl with her grief of losing her friend, then with her hind leg paresis she developed last November.  The care she required in the past 8 months bonded us so entirely, we had our daily routines of expressing her bladder, bathing and bandaging her feet. She was so cuddly and happy, but then one day last week she didn't really seem very energetic, still ate everything in site and drinking good. The next day she couldn't stand at all. I new her time was close, and didn't leave her side. Always made sure she had her favorite veggie parsley which she was eating. And she still loved cuddling, She even slept on my bed the last night and I got up every few hours to get her more parsley and some cuddles. She died in the morning in my arms, didn't seem to struggle at all, just went to sleep. Not entirely sure what happened. I realize her condition wasn't that good, but she seemed to be doing fine. So that's the first part of my question, because I know you have experience with disabled rabbits. What might of happened in those last couple of days for her to weaken so drastically even though eating, drinking, and pooping ok?

The hole that's left in my heart is more then I can cope with, which brings me to the second part of my question. I went to my local humane society and they have many rabbits needing a home. Mostly males. There was 3 in particular that I connected with, but I'm afraid to get them because of everything we went through with Boo Boo.  Also I'm not sure if 2 males can be bonded together, or even three males.. would that be unfair, like a third wheel?  I just don't know how I could possibly get one or two and leave the rest behind. My hope is to get the 2 small males and keep them in the same cage(when they are not out of course) The cage is very large, but I don't know if thats  a good idea, also that would mean the third would be by himself in another cage. Is that cruel?  I may have lost my perspective and would appreciate any guidance or advice. I'm worried that I'm going to get the 3 males then have to get 3 females for them to bond with and that may be too much for me to handle.  Thank you in advance for everything you do.

Alison

Answer
Dear Alison,

I'm so sorry about the terrible loss of BooBoo.

I know how hard it is to lose a disabled bunny who has been such a central point in your life.  I hope you know that both of you had a wonderful gift in each other, and that it's much harder for you, the one left behind to grieve.  She was so very lucky.  Can anyone hope for a better passing than to be loved every second of every day, and then to go to sleep peacefully in the arms of the one you love most after a night of being spoiled and loved?  We should all be so fortunate--as hard as it was on you.

In bunnies with this type of paresis, E. cuniculi is often the culprit, and it can cause renal damage. Without more information from bloodwork, it's not possible to know for sure.  But I would not be surprised if her kidneys finally failed her, and there is no return from that.

As far as bringing new bunnies into your home--that's a tough call.  I will tell you that it's usually harder to bond three males (they MUST be neutered and allowed to heal/calm down for a couple of weeks before you even attempt introducing them) than opposite sex bunnies. But a lot depends on their personalities.  If they are already neutered, you could ask the Humane Society people to allow you to see how the three interact in a neutral space.  If they don't fight, it's a good sign.  But if you see any sign of aggression, then that's going to be more of a challenge.

If you do think the three can get along, then you can find bonding tips here:

http://search.atomz.com/search/?sp-a=00062824-sp00000000&sp-q=bonding&user=enter...

It's certainly not impossible for three neutered males to bond, and three bunnies can actually be as happy or happier than two.  And if something happens to one (which I hope doesn't, but it can), then the two will have each other as consolation and comfort, which is a true salvation when the stress of grief can so easily harm a single bunny.
I'm personally a big fan of threesomes (or more) for this very reason.

So I'd say:  Take it slowly.  See if the bunnies have potential for bonding, and take it from there.  If you need more help, contact your local HRS chapter and see what bunnies they have for adoption:

www.rabbit.org/chapters

and who knows?  You might rescue bunnies from two different sources.

Only you can make the final decision, but I hope this gives you a few ideas, and will be of some help.

Good luck,

Dana