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What age to get contis neutered?

Lea123

Young Bun
Hi

shadow.jpg


Here is a pic of my rabbit Shadow, he is around 5 months old. I have never owned a giant breed before and I was just wondering when I should get him neutered. I got my smaller breeds 'done' when they were around four months but I have read that contis can grow until they are 18 months and I was wondering if neutering early would harm development. I would really like to get him a friend soon.

Any help would be much appreciated

Lxx
 
what a georgeous boy :love:
contis reach full size at 18mth - 2.5 years !
ive never had one neutered before but i will say make sure you have a really good vet that knows about the breed as they do not do well under a GA because they have small hearts and the ga puts their hearts under a lot of pressure i know someone who tried to have her boy done but he didnt surrvive the opperation :cry:
and many contis dont come back out of it usually die of heart failure :?
just thought i would warn you :?
also have you been told contis only live 3-4 years ? that is the adverage age of them if you lucky they usually die of heart attacks due their size and due to having small hearts its too much for them :cry:
thats what my vet said when he did pms on my contis he pmed a few of mine so he could learn more about them
i love contis and have owned many over the years they are amazing breed :love: but they do bring alot of heart break :cry:
 
Yes they do grow slower and so for longer, which is good for them - better joints and bone strength etc.

If you are not sure when to get him done, I'd speak to your vet, but probably I'd wait until he shows some signs of sexual maturity i.e. humping, spraying urine, etc.
 
Yes they do grow slower and so for longer, which is good for them - better joints and bone strength etc.

If you are not sure when to get him done, I'd speak to your vet, but probably I'd wait until he shows some signs of sexual maturity i.e. humping, spraying urine, etc.

that could be difficult ive kept contis for over 10 years and never ever had a male that did that they tend to be a calm relaxed breed ;)
 
Thanks for your replies - just wondering if your contis are all single rabbits? Just thought it would be good to get him a friend - do I have to wait until he is 18 months before I do that?

I had read that they as a breed don't live too long so I intend to enjoy every min of him

Lxx
 
If you want to get him a friend (all bunnies should have one IMO if possible) then he definately needs to be neutered, and so does she, before they meet. This will make bonding a lot simpler and they will have a much more stable bond.
 
So in which case, given their shorter lifespan, would it be better to compromise and get him neutered now (assuming his bits have dropped) so that he has a good period of time with a companion - and presumably the GA risk is lower on a younger, smaller rabbit when his heart might be more in proportion?
 
So in which case, given their shorter lifespan, would it be better to compromise and get him neutered now (assuming his bits have dropped) so that he has a good period of time with a companion - and presumably the GA risk is lower on a younger, smaller rabbit when his heart might be more in proportion?

I agree with this. I'd do what you'd normally do with a buck and have him done as soon as the testicles are down.

I have an 18mth one here at the moment and he was done at about 7 months. Just waiting for my vet to get back and I'll be having his wife done and then they will be looking for a home. :D
 
Thanks for your replies - just wondering if your contis are all single rabbits? Just thought it would be good to get him a friend - do I have to wait until he is 18 months before I do that?

I had read that they as a breed don't live too long so I intend to enjoy every min of him

Lxx

it can work either way as a breed they are are very soppy and stupid and calm and relaxed when around other rabbits but you must also remember that if they do fight they can cause some damage and they are strong and harder to split up
all mine were seperate because i showed them and they were happy like that but they did get time together in the garden too they loved to play together running around etc it was very rare they got into fights they are such a gentle breed
if you keep him alone you shouldnt need to castrate him they are calm and its very rare they spray and hump in the 10 years + ive never had a buck do either but thats a choice only you can make
if you do bond him well of course you will have to get him done if you do have him done i would have him done while he is younger and fitter just may be a better time to get it done i dont think it will effect his size or development but i cant be 100% sure
you are right they do have short life spans you will be lucky to get 4 years 3 is the usual because as i explained before their hearts give up :cry:
however just to break that rule i do have a 7 year old which is known to be the oldest conti known i have looked for older ones but not found one she will be 8 soon so some do break the rules ;)
oh please keep posting pics of this georgeous boy he is so scrummy just reminds me of my jacks ( captain jack sparrow, jackson, jack and captain jack harkness ) ive always had a dark steal boy called jack from my jack sparrow line, I was waiting for a Giacomo Casanova but that wont happen now since im down to my last 2 contis and wont be getting any more when luchiano and apple go to the bridge because they are getting too heavy for me now with my bad back :cry:
 
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I have been told you need to wait until at least 6 months, My Hari (Conti) will be 6 moths next month, he is humping and spraying :roll: so i cant wait to get him done:)
 
Shadow says thank you to all the kind people who said he was pretty :)

He is showing no signs of reaching sexual maturity. Fortunately no humping or spraying! I will leave him for another month or so and then make a decision. The op is def a worry. Didnt realise that they don't cope as well as smaller breeds with anaesthetics

Lxx
 
Shadow says thank you to all the kind people who said he was pretty :)

He is showing no signs of reaching sexual maturity. Fortunately no humping or spraying! I will leave him for another month or so and then make a decision. The op is def a worry. Didnt realise that they don't cope as well as smaller breeds with anaesthetics

Lxx
:shock: hes not pretty, girls are pretty hes a handsome and sexy boy :love: i do love him :love:
yes hun contis do not always do well under anaesthetics if you look inside a conti according to my vet who looked inside several of mine just out of interest and to learn more about them he said their hearts are about the same size as a normal bunnies heart and with that size and weight well thats why so many die of heart attacks :cry:
so please make sure you have a very good vet and if they dont know the breed well tell them about this as they may not know my vet didnt know until as he calls it had a play !
he did this with all mine that died over the years and every one was the same and yes a couple died of heart attacks the others were just old age :cry:
my conti caitlin had to have her dewlap removed due to a tumor and infection which went manky and the vet nearly lost her in the end they did the opp if i remember under some heavy sedation type thing it wasnt a seditive but she wasnt under anaesthetics either but what ever it was the recovery was quicker
if i was you you have a month to talk it through with the vet and decide what to do after that ;)
 
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My Ronnie was neutered at around 20 weeks, although it was an emergency op as his brother tried to castrate him :( Ronnie is around 7kg and is a perfect size. I would personally get your boy neutered soon so you can get him a friend :) Hes very handsome ;) xx
 
My pair were neutered at 6 months, as were all the giants at the rescue.
I reckon we've had a good 16 neutered, and have never lost one under GA for a neuter.
My pair are coming upto 5yrs this year.:D
 
Thanks everyone for your advice. I think Shadow would really like a friend so in a months time I will be brave and book him in!!

Wish me luck...

Lx:wave:
 
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