Are two bunnies better than one?

Question
I've fallen in love with a second rabbit--I've thought about
having two rabbits from day one, so they both have another
bunny companion. I hear that two bunnies are really not much
more expensive than one when it comes to litter, hay, pellets,
and fresh veggies, but it is more expensive in medical care. I
have also heard that two bunnies get into less mischief than one
and are less likely to be lonely.

My first bunny (Pumpkin) is a neutered male mini lop mix (about
6 pounds) and is about 9 months old, and the (possibly) new
bunny is a baby ND mix (I am unsure of the baby's gender--s/he
is going to be altered either way). My questions are: would it be
a good idea to bring a new bunny home? How would I bond
them and what are the chances of success? And, should I house
them in two seperate cages or one? (Pumpkin is a house rabbit:
he doesn't spend any time in his cage other than while everyone
is asleep or when no one is home--the new bunny would be as
well.)

Answer
First, here's a good article about the benefits of having a bonded pair that you might enjoy:
http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-8/rabbits-in-the-plural.html

But pairing them up is the trick! Rather than reinvent the wheel in telling you "how to bond," here's another good article that covers the basics and many bonding tribulations: http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/san-diego/behavior/bonding-tips.html

The short answer on how to bond is to allow them to meet in a neutral space, supervised, and see how they get on. Then gradually increase their time together until the signs show that they are fast friends. The article above referenced goes into detail.

Definitely have a separate cage for the new bunny. After the bonding has "cemented," they'll share a cage, but until then you need a way to keep them separate when not supervised.

The two most prominent possible problems I would prepare for are: first, if the new rabbit turns out to be the same sex, pairing will usually be more difficult than opposite sexes. Fortunately, neutered males are usually a bit easier to bond than spayed females. Possible problem 2 is that some adolescent and adult rabbits don't seem to accept young bunnies as readily as they would another adult rabbit. I have no idea why this is, but you should be aware of it and be prepared in case you need to keep the second rabbit separate for a few months until he or she matures a bit more and you can have a go at getting them paired up.

Best of luck to you, and may it be love at first sight! If you decide to do this and encounter further challenges not addressed by the references I've pointed you to, please let us know and we'll brainstorm for you on solutions.

Gina