Do Rabbits Have to Live in Pairs?
- Team Nibbles
- 7 days ago
- 6 min read
Understanding Rabbit Companionship
Rabbits are intelligent, sensitive and highly social animals. One of the most important — and often misunderstood — aspects of rabbit welfare is companionship.
Companionship is often treated as an optional extra in rabbit care, but this misunderstanding has serious welfare implications. Rabbits are a social species, and living with another rabbit is a core part of meeting their emotional and behavioural needs. Keeping rabbits without appropriate companionship may meet basic physical needs, but it does not meet the full standard of good welfare.
In this blog, we explain why companionship is essential for rabbits, how this is recognised in law, and what appropriate companionship looks like in practice.
Rabbits Are a Social Species
In the wild, rabbits live in social groups. They rest together, graze together, groom one another and rely on each other for reassurance and safety. These behaviours are deeply ingrained and remain just as important for domestic rabbits.
A rabbit living without appropriate companionship may still eat, sleep and appear outwardly settled — but that does not mean their social and emotional needs are being met. Rabbits are wired to live with other rabbits, and without that connection they may experience loneliness, frustration or chronic low-level stress, even in otherwise good conditions.
Understanding rabbits as a social species is key to understanding why companionship is essential for good welfare.
Companionship and the Animal Welfare Act
In the UK, rabbit welfare is protected under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which places a legal duty on guardians to meet an animal’s welfare needs. One of these needs is the requirement to be housed with, or apart from, other animals as appropriate.
This recognises an important welfare principle:
some species need social contact with others of their own kind in order to experience good welfare.
For rabbits, this is especially significant.
Rabbits are a highly social species, and research and welfare observation have shown that they place enormous value on social contact. Studies have demonstrated that rabbits value the companionship of another rabbit as highly as they value access to food — a powerful indicator of how essential social connection is to them.
In other words, companionship is not simply enriching for rabbits; it is fundamental to meeting their welfare needs. Providing food, shelter and veterinary care alone is not enough if a rabbit’s social needs are unmet.
Why Humans and Other Animals Can’t Replace a Rabbit Companion
It’s very common to hear guardians say that their rabbit doesn’t need another rabbit because they are home all day, or because their rabbit appears to have formed a close bond with a cat or dog. While these relationships may seem comforting, they do not meet a rabbit’s social welfare needs in the same way that companionship with another rabbit does.
Rabbits communicate using subtle body language, scent cues and behaviours that are unique to their species. Grooming, resting side-by-side, moving and exploring together, shared vigilance, and choosing when to be close or take space are all forms of interaction that only another rabbit can provide.
Even the most attentive guardian cannot replicate this. Humans are present for limited periods, follow a different daily rhythm, and cannot offer constant, species-appropriate social interaction. Similarly, relationships with other animals — however peaceful or affectionate they may appear — are not a substitute for the companionship of another rabbit.
From a welfare perspective, these situations may help a rabbit cope, but coping is not the same as thriving. To fully meet a rabbit’s social and emotional needs, companionship must come from their own species.
What Healthy Rabbit Companionship Looks Like
Appropriate companionship isn’t just about living near another rabbit — it’s about a relationship that supports wellbeing.
Healthy rabbit companionship is typically calm, mutual and choice-based. Signs of a positive bond include:
Resting or relaxing together
Mutual grooming
Moving around and exploring the environment side-by-side
Choosing to spend time together, while also having space to move apart
Relaxed body language and confidence within the shared space
Persistent chasing, tension or avoidance are not signs of healthy companionship and may indicate stress or a bond that needs support.
The Importance of Neutering
For rabbits to live together safely and harmoniously, neutering is essential.
Unneutered rabbits are driven by hormones that can lead to aggression, territorial behaviour, frustration and unstable relationships. These hormonal behaviours can make bonding difficult or impossible and significantly increase the risk of fighting and injury.
Neutering helps to:
Reduce hormone-driven aggression and stress
Support calm, stable and long-lasting bonds
Allow rabbits to interact naturally without constant tension
Improve overall wellbeing alongside companionship
This is why neutering is a fundamental part of responsible rabbit care and a cornerstone of successful companionship.
You can find more information about neutering, timing and aftercare in the → health section of our Rabbit Care Hub, where we share welfare-led guidance to help guardians make informed decisions.
The Role of the Environment
Companionship cannot be separated from the environment rabbits live in. Even well-bonded rabbits need enough space and resources to allow their social relationship to function properly.
Adequate space allows rabbits to:
Move together comfortably
Rest together without feeling crowded
Take space from one another when they choose
This is why space, housing and companionship must always be considered together when assessing rabbit welfare. Bigger spaces allow rabbits to express natural behaviour and maintain healthy social relationships.
You can learn more about creating a suitable environment — including space, housing and enrichment — in our → Rabbit Care Hub, where we share practical, welfare-led guidance for everyday guardians.
Our Approach at Nibbles
At Nibbles, companionship is non-negotiable.
We do not rehome rabbits to live alone. Rabbits who arrive in bonded pairs or groups remain together when rehomed, while rabbits who arrive on their own are only placed into homes where they will live with an existing compatible rabbit. This ensures companionship is always in place.
All rabbits in our care are neutered before rehoming, as this plays a vital role in maintaining calm, long-lasting bonds.
This approach is grounded in welfare science, the Animal Welfare Act, and years of hands-on experience caring for rabbits in rescue.
Rabbits deserve more than survival — they deserve lives that meet their physical, emotional and social needs.
If you’re looking to find a suitable companion for an existing rabbit, or you’re considering welcoming rabbits into your home for the first time, you can view the rabbits currently looking for homes on our → adoption page.
Conclusion
Companionship sits at the heart of rabbit welfare. It shapes how rabbits feel, how they behave, and how they experience the world around them. When rabbits are able to live with another rabbit — in a suitable environment, with the right support — they are more relaxed, more confident and better able to express natural behaviour.
Treating companionship as essential rather than optional represents an important shift in how we care for rabbits. It moves us beyond outdated norms and towards a welfare standard that reflects what rabbits truly need. By understanding and meeting rabbits’ social needs, we give them the opportunity not just to survive, but to live fuller, more connected lives.
Rabbit Companionship: Common Questions
Can rabbits live happily on their own?
A rabbit may cope living alone, but coping is not the same as thriving. Without another rabbit, important social and behavioural needs remain unmet, even when other aspects of care are good.
Do rabbits have to live in pairs?
Rabbits are a social species and need companionship with their own kind to meet their welfare needs. This may be a bonded pair or, in some cases, a compatible group.
Isn’t human companionship enough?
Human interaction is valuable, but it cannot replace the constant, species-specific social contact another rabbit provides. Rabbits need rabbits to fully meet their social welfare needs.
What if my rabbit has always lived alone?
Many rabbits have lived alone simply because companionship wasn’t explained at the time they were acquired. With the right support, neutering and introductions, single rabbits can go on to form strong, positive bonds.
Key Take-aways
Rabbits are a social species and need companionship with their own kind
The Animal Welfare Act recognises that social needs are a core part of welfare
Rabbits value companionship as highly as food
Humans or other animals cannot replace rabbit companionship
Healthy companionship is calm, mutual and choice-based
Neutering is essential for stable, harmonious bonds
Learn More in Our Rabbit Care Hub
This blog is part of our growing Rabbit Care Hub, where we share clear, evidence-based guidance to help guardians meet their rabbits’ welfare needs.
You’ll find information on housing, space, diet, behaviour and more — all designed to support healthier, happier lives for rabbits.
Supporting Nibbles’ Work
Nibbles is a small charity, and we rely entirely on public support to continue our work. If you’ve found this article helpful, please consider making a donation.
Your support helps us:
Care for vulnerable rabbits and rodents in need
Advocate for better welfare standards
Create accessible care and welfare resources for everyday guardians
Every contribution makes a real difference — thank you for helping us give rabbits the lives they deserve.
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