Rabbits are prey animals, and take a lot of comfort in the presence of other rabbits, so they will eat together, play together and sleep together. Even rabbits who are tucked up safely in their hutch would rather have a friend of the same species to snuggle up with, especially at night when predators are prowling.
Bonded rabbits spend the majority of their days and nights together. They tend to visit the litter tray at the same time, eat together and groom together. A lot of time is spent simply snuggled up together sleeping. They can become competitive with each other over food and attention from us.
Bunnies are social so enjoy the company of another rabbit, but they tend to be particular about their friends. They also have a lot of personality, so don't expect every rabbit to be like a cuddly stuffed animal. Some rabbits don't enjoy being held, while some might.
When you keep rabbits together, they form a 'pecking order', with some animals becoming more dominant than others. Rabbits can develop abnormal behaviour and may suffer if you leave them on their own and with nothing to do for long periods, so you should keep your rabbit with at least one other friendly rabbit.
Rabbits are naturally sociable animals and in the wild they live in groups for safety. It's important that rabbits live with at least one other rabbit at all times, so that they feel safe. As they're social animals, they also enjoy eating together, grooming each other and lying down together to keep each other warm.
Pet rabbits can be kept alone if they are given daily attention and socialization from their human companions. It's best if single rabbits are kept as house pets so you can spend ample amounts of time petting and playing with them.
Expect your rabbit to be lonely.
In the wild, it would be with other rabbits 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you only have one rabbit, you can give it some companionship, but it will still be lonely at night or when you are away at work. Sometimes a female rabbit will be fine on its own.
In general, rabbits will be happier in pairs than when they are single. A second rabbit can prevent depression, and even help to minimize boredom and troublemaking behaviors. However, enough social interaction from humans or other pets is also okay if getting a second rabbit is not possible.
Rabbits lick for affection, not for salt. Licking means “I love you, I trust you.” Lunging may occur when you reach into your rabbit's cage to clean, give food, or to take your rabbit out – a sign of disapproval.
Rabbits are social and intelligent creatures. They'll know that you love them; you just have to learn how to say “I love you!” in a way they'll understand. You can show your rabbit you love them by giving them gifts such as toys and yummy treats.
If you spend the time to pet them and give them a nice massage, your rabbit will thank you by licking your hand or your leg. You may also receive a couple of light nips from your rabbit. This is especially likely if your rabbit is grooming you around the seams of your clothing.
Rabbits hold grudges. For this reason, it is best to avoid allowing them to get in an all-out fight. You need to determine, however, whether their behavior is actually fighting or playing as some of the behaviors overlap. Rabbits will nip at each other to get the other's attention.
Rabbit pairings
Rabbits can live happily in male/female, female/female, male/male pairings and larger mixed groups. However, the most natural and therefore easiest pairing is male/female. In the wild, rabbits tend to live in male/female pairs and will sometimes remain partnered for life.
Bonding sessions may only last about 10-15 minutes at first. That is okay. Don't stress about it; you can slowly increase the time until they can spend hours together.
Like lots of pets, bunnies need plenty of exercise and stimulation. While it's often necessary to cage your rabbit when you're gone or sleeping, confining it to a cage all day is detrimental to its well-being; it denies your rabbit vital exercise, prohibits socialization, and increases boredom and lethargy.
Because rabbits are social animals, they will often get depressed if they are left alone for too long. A rabbit who is treated like a cage animal and left alone inside their enclosure day in and day out is very likely to become lonely and depressed. Instead, it's best to treat rabbits as companion animals.
Your rabbit may show signs of wanting attention from you by nudging you, softly biting or even making digging notions directly on you. On the other hand, they may show signs of withdrawing from you, refusing interaction and not responding when you try to pet or play. A lonely rabbit may become hyperactive and angry.
Because rabbits are social animals, they require daily interaction and attention. They aren't happy languishing in a cage day after day. For several hours daily, they need time outside the cage, to socialize, exercise and explore. To be comfortable with their people, they need frequent, gentle interaction.
Bonded rabbits can also break their bond. This can happen if they've been separated, for example if one bunny needs to spend a few days at the vet. It can also happen if you move house, move or change your rabbit enclosure, or upset the hierarchy by introducing new rabbits.
These are all signs that the bond will be successful. Thumping when a rabbit uses a back leg to stomp. A thump is a to let everyone know they are frustrated or annoyed about something or as a warning sign if they feel threatened. The rabbits may also show each other the 'bunny butt'.
Think of rabbits out in the wild: they are prey animals, always on the alert for danger, yet unable to communicate verbally. That's where stamping or thumping comes in: they use this body language to tell others they are feeling threatened.