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Contriversial question - neutering

TeflonsShadow

Wise Old Thumper
Hi there,

I'm sure you've all seen Rimmi by now... and yes, we're keeping his name despite learning what it could be seen as (rude)

After doing a lot of reading, I am wondering whether or not to get him snipped, he is the only bun in the house and I am not likely to get another soon. He is doing really well with the whole litter training and isnt aggressive or spraying (but is rubbing his chin on things which is fine)

I really dont want to risk losing him under GA (like the poor Clover that was lost recently by Tinsel) or change his behaviour/personality.

So do I really have to neuter him.... hes not going to impregnate anyone and theres no girls around for him to smell for him to get frustrated...

:s

Thanks for your thoughts

Jeanna and Rimmi x
 
Our first rescue old rabbit was un-neutered and had reportedly become more grumpy and cross and antisocial with age because of this.
Just my experience and a bit of a thin anecdotal story for solid evidence! :)
 
Aren't un-neutered bucks more likely to develop testicular cancer?

They will also be sexually frustrated. Afer watching a buck hump my foot & a brush, I don't think there needs to be does around:lol:

You can always have blood tests first on the day of the op, & the op is a lot less invasive for a buck
 
None of the rabbits I had when I was a child were ever neutered and all lived to old age without any problems.
None of their personalities changed as they got older,neither did I ever see them humping or spraying etc.
 
We as a rescue have had several rabbits neutered/ castrated and have never lost one under GA.

We had one die later from something unrelated.

Maybe we have just been extremely lucky but it is a risk we are prepared to take for their long term well being
 
I thought the risk of cancer was only for females?

Personally if he is happy and sociable I would leave him.

The rabbit we had as a child lived for 11 years and he was unneutered and very friendly.
 
How old is he? Bucks on their own can be much later in developing antisocial hormones.. up to 18months or so but it can be triggered by things like new cage/house/boarding. There is no rush to neuter if he's not now though, it's no more risky at 3-4yrs than 6 months. Testicular cancer is a risk but not as high as uterine and has the plus its easier to see changes as they are on the outside.

Neutering males isn't a big op and is very safe. You tend to hear and remember about problems more than the hundreds of normal ops. When a rabbit does die under anaesthetic it is usually because of an underlying health issue such as a heart or liver problem that is likely to have shortened their life expectancy even without an op.

The decision is yours though, you have to do what you think is right for your bunny.
 
I rescued a male rabbit that was about a year or so old and he never showed any hormonal problems nor did he ever spray. I did get him neutered as I wanted to bond him with Tinkerbell but I don't think I would have bothered had it not been for the bonding.
 
I thought the risk of cancer was only for females?
Personally if he is happy and sociable I would leave him.

The rabbit we had as a child lived for 11 years and he was unneutered and very friendly.

Nope - risk is higher for males too - just not as high as in females
 
When I went to the vets with him the other week for his VHD she said that she wouldnt bother because he is on his own and not doing anything 'annoying' such as spraying or humping.

Its a lot of money, that I dont mind, but I would be really upset if I lost him and I really dont want to change his personality.

Hes 13 weeks old so not due to have it done yet... vet said if I did want to have it done to wait untill 6 months.

My vets are rabbit specialists but the nurse I saw that day wasnt.... she didnt believe me about Cylap causing side effects and said it made no difference... I still got to have Lapinject though (I even checked the bottle to make sure she wasnt saying it was Lapinject to make me happy)

Thanks again
 
When I went to the vets with him the other week for his VHD she said that she wouldnt bother because he is on his own and not doing anything 'annoying' such as spraying or humping.

Its a lot of money, that I dont mind, but I would be really upset if I lost him and I really dont want to change his personality.

Hes 13 weeks old so not due to have it done yet... vet said if I did want to have it done to wait untill 6 months.

My vets are rabbit specialists but the nurse I saw that day wasnt.... she didnt believe me about Cylap causing side effects and said it made no difference... I still got to have Lapinject though (I even checked the bottle to make sure she wasnt saying it was Lapinject to make me happy)

Thanks again


As he is still so young you may find that problem behaviours will develop in the future, if that is the case you would be best to get him neutered straight away before these behaviours become a habit.

In 11 year of rabbit keeping I have lost count of the number of bunnies we have had neutered. In that time we have lost 2 males which both had major health problems that we already knew about and many years ago we lost a female for no apparent reason. But we have never lost a healthy male bunny while being neutered :)
 
If he starts showing problem behaviours in the future such as wee spraying, humping , agression etc I would get him booked in straight away. I believe that if it is left too long once these behaviours develop they can possibly become a habit as much as hormone related and will be harder to stop. Hope that makes more sense, I probably didn't explain it well before, heads all over the place :(
 
At 13 weeks odds are you wouldn't see much hormonal behaviour yet. Wait til 6 months are the decision might be made for you ;)
 
If he starts showing problem behaviours in the future such as wee spraying, humping , agression etc I would get him booked in straight away. I believe that if it is left too long once these behaviours develop they can possibly become a habit as much as hormone related and will be harder to stop. Hope that makes more sense, I probably didn't explain it well before, heads all over the place :(

I agree with Liz...if he does start to spray you'll need to get him done asap. Some bucks spray and some don't, but once the habit is ingrained you'll never be able to stop it.
 
I never knew about the antisocial thing. And yet, I can definitely back it up.

I waited to get Eddison neutered, as he was a single bun too. He was past the adolescent stage, and he never sprayed or was very destructive.

However, he has always been very antisocial. I got him neutered when he was about 1 1/2 years old, and he's moved house a couple times with me. He loves other bunnies, just not a big fan of me.

I would recommend neutering for sure. Very safe operation, and you'll have a happier bunny, I think. :)
 
i had a similar quandry with eric - only bun, no hormonal behaviour, sweet little boy. i eventually had him done in all honesty just because he needed a ga for a dental:oops:

i had a rough couple of weeks afterwards with him as he seemed to change and become naughty and destructive but that has (hopefully) now passed and when i posted on here for advice, the general concensus was that his hormones were kicking in around the same time.

i waited until eric was 7 months old tho due to previous health problems.

now i have the choice to get him a lady friend - if and when the time is right.

best of luck with your decision :)
 
Well Charlie is now appx 10/11 mths old and I haven't had him neutered.

I spoke to the vet when we were in for his jabs. He said as he isn't showing any anti-social behaviour as yet and there are no other buns about, then to leave it. BUT if anything flared up i.e. spraying, aggressive then to get him booked in. I am happy with that to be honest

I didn't have my other buns neutered and they lived long happy healthy lives.

We'll see

Beckie X
 
When I went to the vets with him the other week for his VHD she said that she wouldnt bother because he is on his own and not doing anything 'annoying' such as spraying or humping.

Its a lot of money, that I dont mind, but I would be really upset if I lost him and I really dont want to change his personality.

Hes 13 weeks old so not due to have it done yet... vet said if I did want to have it done to wait untill 6 months.

My vets are rabbit specialists but the nurse I saw that day wasnt.... she didnt believe me about Cylap causing side effects and said it made no difference... I still got to have Lapinject though (I even checked the bottle to make sure she wasnt saying it was Lapinject to make me happy)

Thanks again

Was this with Woods? They gave our buns the Lapinject and didn't suggest Cylap luckily but it could be different vet nurses as we tend to have different ones everytime we go in :lol:

If it is then Jason is a great vet and speyed Spice at about 4/5 months, they actually do it cheaper if they're under 6 months old. Spice must have only been about 700g and he was confident to spey a bunny so small :D I always presumed once a boy bunny has erm 'dropped' :oops: he was old enough to neuter, but all our boys are from rescue and were already done so I wouldn't take my word on it :oops: :lol:

Hope Mr. Rimmi knows how lucky he is to have such a caring mummy :D :love:
 
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