Rabbits are highly social animals that suffer when housed alone. Understanding rabbit social needs and bonding behaviour is essential for responsible ownership.
Single-housed rabbits suffer from a fundamental deprivation of their social nature. The companionship need is not met by human contact alone - rabbits need species-specific interactions including grooming, huddling, and synchronised feeding and resting. Welfare organisations now firmly recommend paired or group housing as a minimum standard. The bonding process requires patience but produces dramatically improved welfare outcomes.