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Original poster

Rabbit neutering

30 replies

Nasreen · 27/09/2017 15:24

Hello all
Has anyone had their rabbit neutered recently? If so, how did things go? Has it altered your rabbits personality at all? How was the recovery?

I am contemplating getting my one year old male lion head neutered, as I would like to see if he could be bonded with a spayed female eventually. Has anyone done this successfully? What were the living arrangements for the two rabbits?

Thanks
Nasreen

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MargoLovebutter · 27/09/2017 15:34

We had our Netherland Dwarf neutered at about 1 year of age and about 6 months later we introduced a spayed female. The male calmed down quite alot after being neutered (and stopped biting me and spraying everything). We were worried that the introduction with the spayed female wouldn't work as they were really feisty with each other to start with but they settled really well together and became a good pair. Our rabbits had loads of room to work out their early issues, as they had the run of the back garden. I think if they'd had been in a pen, it would have got too aggressive in a small space.

Original poster
Nasreen · 27/09/2017 20:08

Thanks Margo

At the moment, our rabbit is free range upstairs and has a run for outside. The local rabbit rescue centre said they would help with the bonding as they offer a bonding service. So do you think if they DID bond, they could live happily upstairs together but separate hutches for own space and time?

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MargoLovebutter · 28/09/2017 11:23

Our female was a rescue rabbit too. It will just depend on how they get on I suppose, as to how you manage them. If your local rescue centre can give you support, that's really great.

Gileswithachainsaw · 28/09/2017 11:29

I have two boys which are brothers had them both neutered and they are totally fine together.

Surgery was very routine and recovery very quick I was more worried than they were Grin

Original poster
Nasreen · 28/09/2017 20:42

Thanks Giles
Think I will give it a go and hope for the best as I really would love Mikey to have a friend at some point ( and if he wants a friend!)

Here goes...

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wherewithal · 29/09/2017 11:17

We had our male neutered at about a year old. It went fine. He remained the same lovable little guy he’s always been, no personality change at all. He still still honks when he’s excited – I was so worried he’d lose that!

Original poster
Nasreen · 29/09/2017 17:57

Great to hear your bun didn't lose his honk wherewithal..😀
So, it sounds like neutering isn't such a bid deal after all? I was worried bun would lose all sense of self!
Wherewithal, do you have just get one rabbit? Does he live inside or our? If we did get another, I'm not sure what the living arrangements would be. Lots to think about!

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Original poster
Nasreen · 29/09/2017 17:58

P. S hope that makes sense.. serious iPad typos there!

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wherewithal · 29/09/2017 20:45

It seemed like a big deal at the time – we cancelled twice, out of worry. (Not that he’d lose his honk, but that we’d lose him. Bunnies seem way too fragile.) He recovered at lightning speed, and if anything, has grown more affectionate since the snip. Affectionate in a good way, not in the unrequited love kind of way that is one of the reasons for neutering in the first place.

We just have him. He lives inside, completely free range. Here he is now

Rabbit neutering
wherewithal · 29/09/2017 20:52

It’s important to have a vet that’s good with rabbits, and does a lot of these.

Afterwards we discouraged jumping as much as we were able, even barricading his favourite chair, but he found a way to leap onto it anyway.

Original poster
Nasreen · 29/09/2017 20:59

Oh that's really put my mind at rest wherewithal, thank you. I am worrying we will lose him (would never forgive myself) but I think I will book him in next week. You are right, bunnies seem way too fragile for anaesthetic but will select my vet carefully.

Lovely photo, What breed? We have a lion head.

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ConcernedNeighbour17 · 29/09/2017 21:02

I have two male rabbits, now four years old. The lady we got our rabbits from recommended we got them neutered at three months which we did. They were a bit floppy afterwards but we're still eating and moving around fine as soon as the anaesthetic wore off. They never fight or bite each other at all.

ConcernedNeighbour17 · 29/09/2017 21:04

We have two large hutches joined with a pipe from runaround and then another pipe to their run. Apparently having separate living areas they can retreat to if they want to be on their own helps to prevent fights. I might try it with dh and myself.

wherewithal · 29/09/2017 21:18

He’s Dutch - specifically, a tricolour Dutch. He’s not too shy for one more photo…

Rabbit neutering
Original poster
Nasreen · 02/10/2017 07:49

Lovely breed of rabbit the Dutch...

Concernedneighbour, I echo what you said about separate retreat areas for you and DH, I feel the same at times!

In going to book bun in for the procedure.. feeling a bit apprehensive, but hopefully all will be okay.

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urbansprawl · 02/10/2017 15:08

We didn't notice any change at all in our boy after we neutered him - he's still a big ball of gorgeous fuzz, and he still honks and buzzes when he's happy about dinner. He is the absolute best and the most handsome creature in the world. He scarcely seemed to notice he'd had the surgery, actually - he was a bit sorry for himself for a few hours, but he was flinging himself about like normal come the evening, and it was all we could do to keep him in his house.

He loves his girlfriend, too - honestly, two happy buns snuggling is the most heart-warming thing imaginable. It was a slightly stressful few days getting them there (mostly because our lovely rescue girl was a bit under-socialised, and we think she was unintentionally being quite rude to him! Not returning grooming etc.), but they were inseparable within a week.

They probably don't need separate living areas if they're free range - our two are pretty much joined at the hip. Very occasionally they'll have naps in different locations, but only ever where they can see each other.

urbansprawl · 02/10/2017 15:09

P.S. If you're anywhere near London, the exotics team at the RVC in Camden are amazing, and very fairly priced.

Happydays21 · 02/10/2017 15:12

We have never had any problems with bonding and their ability to move on when one has died always amazes me Smile

Rabbit neutering
Original poster
Nasreen · 02/10/2017 18:21

Thanks everyone.. feel so much better about the neutering now 🙂
Urban, I am in Cheshire but the local vets are a good bunch. It's just me worrying! How old is your bun? We are also thinking of trying bond Mikey with a female rescue companion. Really want this to work as he looked so lonely in his run earlier; I just had to bring him in.

Have great plans for the two of them in the future. We are going to create a little bunny garden for them as our garden isn't and can't really be totally bunny proofed. Then they will have their own indoor hutches and (hopefully) share the their indoor space.

Beautiful picture Happydays ...

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urbansprawl · 02/10/2017 18:37

Hi Nasreen!

Our boy is 5 now, but he was snipped at about 6 months, when he started to get a bit bothersome towards his (then) companion. He was clearly quite distraught when she died, so we took him to a local rescue and he picked his new friend by lolloping straight up to her and giving her a very thorough ear wash.

If it's an option, though, I'd definitely ask the rescue to bond your boy with the new addition. It's so much easier to do on neutral territory, and it can be a bit stressful for a few days, so (for the sake of the £20 or so they usually charge) it's money well spent.

urbansprawl · 02/10/2017 18:38

Happydays - so cute!

Original poster
Nasreen · 02/10/2017 19:49

Thanks Urban
I have been in touch with the local rabbit rescue centre and they do offer a bonding service, which is exactly how you described.
Think this is the way forward then..

Do you think we have left it too late for the snip at a year old? I keep asking this I know (only because I wish we had done it much sooner!)

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WhoWants2Know · 02/10/2017 19:57

I had a pair of rabbits and they were both neutered. We had a female first who hated me (peed on anything that smelled like me, nipped and "boxed" me) until the day after the op. Then she was suddenly as cuddly and affectionate as she could be.

We got a boy next and the bonding was a bit nerve racking at first, but they soon became inseparable.

One day he hit puberty and pretty much shagged her incessantly until we got him snipped just to give the poor girl a rest!

Happydays21 · 02/10/2017 20:35

I love that photo of wherewithals as well!

Original poster
Nasreen · 03/10/2017 08:38

Yes it would be great to share our happy bun photos now and again. I just get so much joy from watching their little ways !

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