It may be surprising to learn that rabbits can cry and mourn the loss of a mate like humans do. Rabbits are capable of deep love and affection and their understanding of what is happening is greater than most people thought.

Linked partners

Rabbits living in pairs of neutered males and spayed females can be compared to an elderly pair. They live in a comfortable routine, completely in tune with each other and sensitive to the needs of others. Conjoined rabbits eat together, groom themselves, play together, and of course snuggle and sleep for hours. They also know the importance of “time out” and will give themselves space to do their own activities whenever they feel like it. As the years go by, this bond deepens and therefore the sudden loss of your partner can be very painful.

Dealing with death

If one of your rabbits dies in its sleep, you will likely find the remaining rabbit sitting near it, apparently not traumatized by the sight of its dead companion. Rabbits are known to engage in a kind of dance, jumping, etc. The purpose of this is unknown, but some believe it is the rabbit’s way of giving its partner “a good goodbye.” It is important that the remaining rabbit has a chance to see his dead companion so that he can understand what has happened and do not believe that his companion has simply disappeared.

If one of your rabbits has to be euthanized, it is best to do it at home so that the remaining rabbit can spend some time with its partner’s body before removing it. You should leave them together for at least an hour and stay with them if you can; Your rabbit will find this comforting and can control his behavior at the same time. This may seem very macabre to us, but it really is the best thing for the rabbit that you have left.

Duel

Even a rabbit that has had a chance to say “goodbye” to its partner will feel confused, lonely, and sad. This can manifest itself in different ways depending on the personality of the rabbit. Some rabbits may turn to you for comfort, following you and lying under your chair. Others may stop eating and pine, or hide from you. They can even show aggression, even if this is completely out of line. This can be a very difficult time for us as owners, trying to comfort the remaining rabbit as it deals with its own pain.

Forward

While rabbits show many similarities to us in the grieving process, in a key way they are quite different from us. They can move on and accept a new partner very quickly, sometimes even the day after their partner dies. This has nothing to do with a lack of feeling for your previous partner; they simply want to be with another rabbit and this need is so urgent that their relief at seeing a new rabbit come into the house is very evident. While rabbits can live happily as single, often bonding with humans, cats, dogs, etc., a previously bonded rabbit is unlikely to be completely happy alone. In other words, they have gotten used to living as a couple and can only find true happiness again if they find another partner.

Often times we are the ones who have a hard time moving on, feeling like we would be betraying our lost rabbit by welcoming another into our homes so quickly. Meanwhile, the remaining rabbit is suffering and we, try as we may, are unable to replicate that much-needed bond. As difficult as it is, we can learn from our rabbits in this regard; our love for a new rabbit will not diminish the love we feel, and will always feel, for our lost rabbit.

Copyright 2011 Hannah Davis / Bunnyhugga – All rights reserved.