Neutering

Hi guys

Bart is now coming up to a good old age of about 7 months (wow that's gone fast) and I'm thinking about him getting neutered.

At the moment he is showing no teenager-ish behaviour like spraying, marking, thumping or being a turd (apart from flicking feet and smelly pee) but we thought it should be something that get done sooner than later.

Can you guys explain what this will entail, like time scales, rough cost, how it could affect him, after care etc?

We will probably wait until half term to get it done, so that the missus will be home in the day to make sure he is ok...

What do you all think? :wave:

As long as you have a good rabbit savy vet neutering is a fairly routine op. Its much less invasive for the boys so they bounce back pretty quickly.

I drop them off at the vets at 8am and then they normally phone me mid afternoon to let me know how everything went.

I pay about £40 for boys, girls are dearer at £60.

The most important part of the aftercare is encouraging them to eat again. A lot of vets wont let you take them home if they aren't but its always a good idea to have lots of your bunnies fav veggies to hand to tempt him with.

Its a good idea to have someone home for a day or so post op just to keep an eye on him.

All five of my boys were back to normal 24hrs after the op, in fact some were bouncing about when I collect them from the vet.

I wasn't going to worry having my bun done as he wasn't biting or being territorial in any way until one Monday morning he really went for me big time!! That Thursday he was in the vets for 'the opp'. I told my vet what happend and he said it's a very good idea to get them done either before any behivor change or just as it happens, this way the behavior doesn't become a habbit. He made a very quick recovery and was eating as soon as he came home (was home the same day) and seemed very happy. Now he's a very lovable bun who loves to be cuddled and kissed, I just love him to bits

Ok cool!

It's rabbit awareness week at my vets next week so we're going to take him for another checkup (can never have enough :lol and we'll ask about neutering costs then!

Cheers guys!

I now have to go and fish him off of the TV bench :lol:

A couple of soppy pics too for you all :wave:

Lovely photos. We paid £38 each for ours two males. The thing with the humping, spraying, scrapping stuff was that it just started very suddenly. Plus, they stopped using the litter box. Got them done asap.

Ours are outside rabbits, so we kept them in overnight. I would say by the next afternoon they were fine. One had chewed out his stitches, but I get the impression males heal pretty quickly. They were certainly back to normal after a couple of days.

Wow, he's a handsome boy! :shock: Are you going to get him a girlie bun once he's recovered from the op?

Between us I am trying to persuade the missus into letting us get another one :lol:

At the moment it is a case of space and finance, we have enough for him but money has been a squeeze recently so it depends on that really

However, he is a happy little boy and we let him out as much as we possibly can, and he spent a good half hour sat on my lap being a fuzzy lap warmer earlier!

Neutering will be done in half term when somebody can stay home to keep an eye on him

My bun is now 6 and still intact, am I lucky that he's never shown bad behaviour? Is it ok to leave him unneutered? He lives indoors now so gets company, but I do worry he might be lonely without a bunny friend

Update!

Bart is booked in for his chopping on Friday! We're going to drop him off in the morning before work, and pick him up in the evening after work.

Poor little sod isn't going to like us very much!!

This brings me onto my next question - aftercare.

I have read a few things about his GI tract shutting down, heat etc. What shall I do when he is home? Leave him for an hour then try and feed him, force feed water, what do I do? Or shall I put lots of treats infront of him to get him going again?

Does he need any source of heat, or will a bed full of hay and straw do the trick? Or should I give him a towel?!

I want to make sure he returns to himself as quickly as possible

ZoeZo from what I have read you are lucky to not have had any behaviour issues - Bart's have started but they are very slight at the moment. At his age, from what I know, it is a bit too old now. But I'm sure one of the other guys could help you out!

Good luck for Friday - am sure it will all go fine

Go shopping before you collect him and get in all his favourite things (you can even pack him a little packed lunch if you wish for when he comes round after his GA at the vets - as they won't send him home until they are happy he is eating - I did this. (all my bun's favourite greens and hay (and the brand pellets you use if you use those) in little labelled bags and the vet nurses kindly kept the greens in the fridge and gave it to my boy)

I would suggest you purchase one of these:
https://www.thehayexperts.co.uk/Hea...er.438.html?osCsid=480um133ihqqvcs98dramaq4v1
But you can alternatively fill litre bottles with warm water and wrap a couple in a towel instead and put in his cage/pen.
To be honest, most boys bounce back very quickly and he will be somewhere on the spectrum of groggy and not wanting to eat to bouncing around like a lunatic stuffing his face when you collect him - you won't know until you do so it is best to be prepared.

You won't need to start syringe feeding until early morning if he doesn't eat, to begin with you just put him in his cage to rest up, with a heat pad, and all his favourite foods on display laid out for him, make sure he has had some pain relief before you take him home and pick up some critical care/recovery food from your vet as you leave (just in case he needs syringing in the morning). Put water in a bowl (if he normally uses a bottle) and just let him recover in his own time. If by the morning he is still looking off and not eating then pop him back to the vet for some more pain relief and gut motility drugs if necessary. But i'm sure you'll be able to tempt him before then. Tickling their noses with something tasty and strongly scented normally works... thyme, basil, coriander etc... they often snatch it to move it and then end up eating it! :wave:

ETA oh yes... something soft to rest on... fleece blankets or an old towel or two doubled up for comfort will be perfect!

I eventually got mine eating with corriander (expensive tastes!) and dandelion flowers...now she's back to her normal "see-food" diet...

Bart has been dropped off at the vets for his neutering

I feel really bad but it's for his own good! I won't be happy until he is home sat in his cage.

He has been packed off with a nice set of treats to get him eating, and has a nice clean cage to come home too

Poor little git

Don't worry. My little girl has gone in this morning as well. This is the 8th bun I've had done but it never gets any easier. He's in safe hand and will be home before you know it.

skipper is going for his first vets appointment today to see if he is well enough for the big op
im kind of scared that they will find something.. i dont know why.. i worry too much!

good luck with your bunny!

Well, Bart is home and nothing to report! He is all cushty!!

Apparently, within 30 minutes of coming round from his anesthetic, he was tearing his cage to shreds and hopping around like a loony!!

He is a bit quiet this evening, but has been stuffing his face, pooping and having the odd drink. He is quite attached to his towel too!

I expect he is sore, but ah well.

Just this second he has flopped out :lol: