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Nest Building

The Duchess

Wise Old Thumper
So, I have two single buns here for holidays. The owner has tried to bond them herself to no avail so I agreed to try while they were here.

The female is one of the most defensive rabbits I have ever seen in my life - for a 'spayed' female that is.

She is 7, and was rescued in June by this lady from a local all species rescue that doens't do bonding - they merely chuck rabbits in together and if they don't fight they can go home. Well I am not sure what happened but this lady adopted her but has reported many behaviour traits I would expect to see in a unspayed female.

I asked the lady when she was spayed and she said that the rescue hadn't done it but that she was supposed to have been done before she arrived and had been in the rescue over a year.

I put it to her that due to the reputation of said rescue in our area, that she might not be spayed at all (this rescue insists on the people giving up their rabbits to vaccinate them before they go in) and I know that they don't neuter in order to rehome.

The lady went back to them and they have assured her that she is spayed.

David and I have spent the last week handling her on an almost hourly basis and she is actually happier to be with us and will now not box us everytime we approach her. She growls, lunges and bites too. This is classic cage guarding.

This morning I go up and she has built the most amazing nest ever. Complete with fur and quite a bit of it.

Now I do understand that there can be phantom pregnancies but baring in mind that she is spayed, and is also 7, I would be quite suprised to see such 'symptomatic' behaviour.

Does anybody else have good evidence to suggest that this is just a behaviour or does anybody else think that the owner should be asking for proof of neutering.

BTW, I did attempt to bond them on the first day - with the unfamiliar surroundings being key, but she immediately attacked him and locked on.

I honestly don't think she is spayed - but would like to have some evidence that I could very wrong and it's just behavioural.

The lady who owns the buns is not new to rabbits. Also they live near each other at home so by coming here and living near each other, this isn't likely to be the biggest factor in her building, although I do accept that the unusual surroundings may encourage her to make up 'her own territory'

Sorry for the long one.......................
 
My gut feeling is that she is unlikely to be spayed.

That said, I have a pair of four year olds who were spayed when they were two and a half, and they still build lovely nests (they are sisters), often, joint nests :lol: in the litter tray, complete with fur (although they've not made one since being bonded with Lightning). So potentially it is possible, but I would say its sensible to look into whether she is spayed or not before presuming its behavioural because its far more unlikely its behavioural than being unspayed.

Tricky one.
 
I know - see I would ask the rescue for proof. She did go back to them and they said she was spayed but not by them. I would be wanting to know who did and when.

Problem is that unless this is sorted she is going to live a solitary life as no bunny is going to get anywhere close to her. She even looks grumpy LOL.

I am actually loving having to spend time with her to see if we can make a breakthrough, - she could just have been illtreated in her previous home and that has made where what she is.

I actually ask for proof of spay if I am taking in females now as I know that some rescues will accept the word of the owner giving females up that the bun is neutered, but having seen one case where this wasn't true this year, I will not take the risk and can't afford to do an investigative spay just to find out.
 
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Might the owner let you take her to the vets maybe for a shave? See if there is an obvious scar?

She sounds like an awesome rabbit :D I hope you can bring her round, whatever the cause :)

ETA- saw your edit and definitely agree that's the only sensible course of action. Shame that this bunny didn't end up in a rescue with you, as opposed to in the other one.
 
Might the owner let you take her to the vets maybe for a shave? See if there is an obvious scar?

She sounds like an awesome rabbit :D I hope you can bring her round, whatever the cause :)

I think she could do that Tracy, but I just don't want to put her to all this trouble just because I have a sneaking suspicion that might end up being unfounded.

I think when she comes back to collect I will strongly recommend she gets details and dates...........
 
My feeling is like yours Helen, I think it is very unlikely that she has been neutered. I do hope that her owners will investigate and get confirmation one way or other.
 
Gemma makes nests periodically too. I was told she was spayed when I rehomed her from Pets at Home (she was in the adoption bit). My vet did shave her and couldn't see a scar but said that didn't prove she hadn't been spayed. She is fine with George so I have left it but I do sometimes worry that she hasn't actually been spayed and may get cancer. I also wouldn't want to put her through an unnecessary operation either. Whatever I do feels wrong!
 
Gemma makes nests periodically too. I was told she was spayed when I rehomed her from Pets at Home (she was in the adoption bit). My vet did shave her and couldn't see a scar but said that didn't prove she hadn't been spayed. She is fine with George so I have left it but I do sometimes worry that she hasn't actually been spayed and may get cancer. I also wouldn't want to put her through an unnecessary operation either. Whatever I do feels wrong!

Thanks Karen.

Anybody else got personal experience of older spayed ladies building nests or doing things that you would associate with an entire doe?

Just would love some anecdotal evidence because at the moment I don't believe this girl is neutered and I'd like to be given a glimmer of hope that others buns who are neutered do this kind of thing.

The reason I am so wanting to get to the bottom of it is because this owner would like to adopt from me because she can't bond her existing buns and to me, it would make sense to try and do all we can to sort this pair out before doing down that route.

Thanks
 
If the bun was handed to a rescue without documented proof of spaying and just on the owner's say so, I would lay money on her not being spayed! It doesn't sound like spayed bun behaviour and I can see that introduction to a male and/or the change in surroundings with other bunny smells would easily trigger a phantom in an unspayed doe. Heather is nearly 8 and has never exhibited any behaviour like this and neither did Santa (although she did walk around with hay gathered in her mouth sometimes but I think that's more because of her teeth) even though there have been various other foster buns coming and going over the years.

Might a conscious ultrasound be possible to try and tell?
 
When I adopted Cloud, she was unspayed. The RSPCA didn't want to get her done because of her age (seven). Literally within hours of her coming home she was plucking fur and nesting. I decided I had to get her done in the end because she'd plucked her armpits bald within a few days. :shock:
 
If the bun was handed to a rescue without documented proof of spaying and just on the owner's say so, I would lay money on her not being spayed! It doesn't sound like spayed bun behaviour and I can see that introduction to a male and/or the change in surroundings with other bunny smells would easily trigger a phantom in an unspayed doe. Heather is nearly 8 and has never exhibited any behaviour like this and neither did Santa (although she did walk around with hay gathered in her mouth sometimes but I think that's more because of her teeth) even though there have been various other foster buns coming and going over the years.

Might a conscious ultrasound be possible to try and tell?

I'm not sure if she's sit still long enough for a conscious anything to be honest Alison. She's a mare in bun's clothing. LOL

She's finished nesting now - amazing looking creation it is and she seems very proud of her efforts.

I certainly don't think I shall proceed with any bonding attempts until I've spoken again to the owner again to see if she wants to get confirmation in whatever form she can. She's not contactable during her holiday so we can't do anything immediately.


Will wait and see.
 
Hello, don't know if this helps or not. My little nethie doe nests every spring, usually a couple of times and walks round with hay in her mouth. She is with a neutered buck and was spayed by a rescue with a good vet, etc. She is very slightly grumpy around food with her partner buit other than that no worrying behaviour.
 
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