Rabbits are highly social animals that suffer from loneliness when kept alone. Understanding rabbit bonding behaviour and providing appropriate social companionship is essential for their welfare.
Rabbit solitary housing is one of the most common and preventable companion animal welfare failures. Rabbits evolved in complex social burrow systems and have strong intrinsic needs for companionship. Solitary rabbits show higher rates of boredom-related stereotypies, fear responses, and physiological stress markers. When a bonded partner dies, surviving rabbits show clear signs of grief and distress. The bonding process requires patience and appropriate management to avoid injury, but once established, bonded rabbit pairs show markedly better welfare outcomes than solitary animals. Neutering both rabbits before bonding reduces hormonally driven aggression. Nordic countries have recognised this evidence by legislating minimum social contact requirements for rabbits — a model that should be adopted globally.