An Adopter's Story

We received this letter from an adopter after she adopted a companion for her rabbit. It says it all.

When I adopted my first bunny, I thought I couldn't afford a second one for a few more years. Also, this bunny, Athena, turned out to be very playful and affectionate, and I was a little bit concerned that we might lose our special bond if I got a second bunny. I'd always thought of myself as a single-pet kind of person, you know? I paid Athena lots of attention and hoped that this would make up for her being a lone bunny, at least for a couple of years.

But bunny love won out, and a few months after I took Athena home we adopted Teddy, a friendly little boy bunny with whom Athena had an instant bond. Seeing how they communicate with each other, play, and groom each other, it's now totally clear to me how having Teddy around gives Athena something I never could have provided on my own. Now I see with my own eyes what it means that bunnies are social creatures: companionship with fellow bunnies gives them all kinds of happiness and security for which there's really no substitute. I don't find having a second bunny to be any more work or much more money; and seeing how well they care for each other, the tiny extra cost (for food) is well worth such an enormous boost in their well-being.

From a purely selfish perspective, too, getting a second bunny was the best thing I ever could have done! All the joys of bunny ownership are multiplied many times over when you have more than one. Seeing two bunnies snuggling together (which they do for most of the day), licking each other's faces clean, and playing games together is the cutest thing imaginable and it brings me huge joy every single day. Teddy is unbelievably adorable, and being able to see the ways in which they are each unique helps me to understand and appreciate both bunnies better. And Athena only got more affectionate and snuggly with me once she had a friend! (She wants to make sure that she gets plenty of my attention.)

If you have a single bunny, I'd definitely encourage you to do yourself the huge favor of getting him or her a friend. It's the best thing you could ever do for your bunny (can you imagine life with no human contact?) -- and it will bring you enormous joy!