When one rabbit in a bonded pair dies, the surviving rabbit requires careful welfare management and eventually a new companion to restore their social needs.
Rabbit bereavement welfare requires understanding the genuine social bond that existed between the pair. A rabbit that has lost a companion is not simply missing a companion animal - it has lost a being with whom it groomed, slept in contact, and structured its social world around. The searching behavior exhibited by bereaved rabbits reflects genuine confusion and social loss. Management during this period should balance providing comfort and stability with eventually addressing the fundamental social need through careful re-bonding. Leaving a social species permanently alone after bereavement is a welfare decision that requires clear justification - usually the rabbit's health or behavioral incompatibility with potential companions.