Bonding advice needed please!

by Em
(United Kingdom)

Hi, new here. I lived with a beautiful giant papillon bunny called Wilbur. I rescued him when he was over 1 (approx) and gave him the most incredible happy life a pet bunny could wish for, he was free roam, indoor and out but preferred spending his time indoors with us (his family) and the cats.

(all were treated for fleas etc) who he loved very much they would sleep together they grew up together. He was always fully vaccinated each year and lived for 9 years.

He passed in my arms and I held him most of the night afterwards. he passed in October, I couldn't bear getting him buried or cremated so I decided to drive 4 hours to a highly recommended taxidermist so he could come home and always be with us. Now it's the end of January and he's still not back yet. I miss him so much it hurts.

He was a giant papillon bunny, he was bigger than the cats and was so happy.
So I decided to rescue another bunny who is somewhat smaller than Wilbur, I'd say a medium sized rabbit, he's a silver fox (soon to be neutered male) He's only 5 moths old, the vet said he wasn't ready to be neutered when we took him in for his vaccinations, flea & mite treatment and check up. They said approx 5-6 months old. Dreading it incase it goes wrong!!

He's energetic, healthy happy free roam bunny just as Wilbur was, however I think it would be a good thing to get him a mate! Not for breeding but as a companion.

A spayed female bunny. Now I believe it takes approximately 6 weeks for a newly neutered male bunny to be ready to be introduced to a new mate. He is an incredibly gentle, timid bunny who has a lovely nature, not at all aggressive. I wanted a large rabbit or a medium to large rabbit (due to the cats mainly as cats are predators by nature and even though our cats are SO old they hardly move about anymore, one is 21 years old and the other 19!!! But I still don't want to chance getting a tiny bunny. The cats have been introduced to Mr Bing and are not at all bothered, so an equal sized mate if not bigger would be ideal.
A french lop spayed female perhaps?
I know the bonding can be a tricky one and I hope that he can bond with a mate.
Any suggestions on this would be much appreciated, thank you in advance.
Here are some pictures of Wilbur the giant papillon and Mr Bing the Silver fox.
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