Company

Making sure your rabbit has a friend

Do rabbits need company?
What’s the best combination of rabbits to keep?
My rabbit lives alone – should I get another rabbit?
Is a person a suitable companion for a rabbit?
At what age will rabbits start breeding with each other?
Is a guinea pig a suitable companion for a rabbit?
Who should care for my rabbits if I go on holiday?

Do rabbits need company?

Yes! Rabbits are very social animals and need the company of other rabbits. Rabbits kept on their own become stressed, and their behaviour may change as a result of this. Think about wild rabbits that you see in fields; they are almost never on their own. Rabbits get lonely.

Rabbits shouldn’t be kept on their own. They are very social animals and get lonely if they don’t have the company of another rabbit.

What’s the best combination of rabbits to keep?

The best combination is usually a neutered male with a neutered female. Un-neutered males and females shouldn’t be kept together, as they will breed and it can be difficult to find homes for the young.

My rabbit lives alone – should I get another rabbit?

Yes, but you need to get advice on how to introduce a second rabbit safely.

Rabbits living on their own get lonely and bored, but keeping the wrong pairings together can lead to unwanted kits (baby rabbits) and fighting. You can make sure this does not happen by getting your rabbits neutered (a neutered male and neutered female is best) and introducing your second rabbit carefully and gradually.

Ask a vet, vet nurse or other qualified pet care specialist for advice on how to do this.

Is a person a suitable companion for a rabbit?

Company from people that a rabbit trusts is better than the rabbit living alone. But a person isn’t really a good substitute for living with another rabbit, as people and rabbits have separate needs and different methods of communicating. A rabbit living with just people is like a person living with just rabbits. Would you be happy living with just rabbits?

If a rabbit is kept alone they should have the opportunity to interact with trusted people for several hours each day.

At what age will rabbits start breeding with each other?

If they aren’t neutered, female rabbits reach sexual maturity between 4 and 5 months of age and male rabbits reach sexual maturity between 5 and 8 months of age. Smaller breeds may reach sexual maturity earlier than larger breeds. It is strongly recommended that you neuter your rabbits (for more information visit our page on neutering).