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Buns are being separated tomorrow - how will it affect them?

Alison Marie

Wise Old Thumper
I'm a bit worried about how it'll affect the buns - obviously they'd been together since birth and then suddenly we have to separate them :( Buttons seems to follow Nibbles aruond a lot too. But saw Nibbles humping Buttons this morning :shock: hopefully they're still too young to reproduce, I figured we had a couple of weeks yet before that started happening but obviously not. We have a double tier hutch that is being split off into two and are hoping to let them see each other under supervision every evening until we can get Nibbles neutered. We're having a big aviary built for them for when Nibbles is neutered so they have lots more room to run around and play outside :)

After asking the local vets, only one vet will neuter before 6 months, 4 months actually which would be late July. The others won't do it 'til September. Would you go for the earlier option or the later one? Is it safe to neuter at 4 months?

Am I just worrying about nothing? I would hate to break their bond but not a lot I can do until Nibbles is neutered :( feeling quite sad about it actually.
 
Apologies - I don't know the background or history of your situation.

Boys can be fertile at 8 weeks.

When you say one vet will neuter at 4 months, do you mean spey (the female)? Some vets will spey at 4 months but the bun also has to weigh enough & be otherwise healthy. It should be considered on an individual basis. Go with a vet who is recommended as being rabbit savvy. Obviously boys can't be neutered until plums are on show but this is often earlier than 4 months :D

Once they've been separated, don't let them interact together until you're are ready to fully bond again. The swapping about will confuse them, could cause a fight which will make bonding more difficult. If you are able to have them living side by side this would be ideal :thumb:
 
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Apologies - I don't know the background or history of your situation.

Boys can be fertile at 8 weeks.

When you say one vet will neuter at 4 months, do you mean spey (the female)? Some vets will spey at 4 months but the bun also has to weigh enough & be otherwise healthy. It should be considered on an individual basis. Go with a vet who is recommended as being rabbit savvy. Obviously boys can't be neutered until plums are on show but this is often earlier than 4 months :D

Once they've been separated, don't let them interact together until you're are ready to fully bond again. The swapping about will confuse them, could cause a fight which will make bonding more difficult. If you are able to have them living side by side this would be ideal :thumb:

Well, all three said speying at 6 months, but two said neutering at 6 months and one said 4-ish (and they're nearly twice the price of the others). Not sure if any of them are 'rabbit savvy' (so if anyone knows of one in the Lincolnshire area please let me know :thumb:) however.

I feel a bit hopeless- just using the forum for advice as I am pretty clueless >.< Thank you for your advice, I very much appreciate it :thumb:
 
Well, all three said speying at 6 months, but two said neutering at 6 months and one said 4-ish (and they're nearly twice the price of the others). Not sure if any of them are 'rabbit savvy' (so if anyone knows of one in the Lincolnshire area please let me know :thumb:) however.

I feel a bit hopeless- just using the forum for advice as I am pretty clueless >.< Thank you for your advice, I very much appreciate it :thumb:

I would start a new thread and put in the title: Rabbit savvy vet recommendations needed in Lincolnshire :thumb:

As per my previous post, speying depends on the bun but certainly no earlier than 4 months.
Neutering boys can't be done until the testicles have descended and again, they must be a good weight & healthy.

If your two rabbits are the same age then I would separate them and then get the male neutered asap (as soon as he's mature enough). He will still be fertile after the neuter though and for up to 8 weeks and so mustn't have access to the female.

No need to feel hopeless. You're doing the right thing by asking for advice :wave:
 
I would start a new thread and put in the title: Rabbit savvy vet recommendations needed in Lincolnshire :thumb:

As per my previous post, speying depends on the bun but certainly no earlier than 4 months.
Neutering boys can't be done until the testicals have decended and again, they must be a good weight & healthy.

If your two rabbits are the same age then I would separate them and then get the male neutered asap (as soon as he's mature enough). He will still be fertile after the neuter though and for up to 8 weeks and so mustn't have access to the female.

Excellent, thanks :thumb: I've emailed Rabbit Welfare Association too to see if they can give any reqs. The vet we have been using has told us info that is so different to everyone elses, I question if they know anything about bunnies at all :(

The plan is to have Nibbles (the boy) neutered as soon as he can be. :) They're both the same age, came from the same litter. I just worry about them getting a bit lonely on their own.
 
Excellent, thanks :thumb: I've emailed Rabbit Welfare Association too to see if they can give any reqs. The vet we have been using has told us info that is so different to everyone elses, I question if they know anything about bunnies at all :(

The plan is to have Nibbles (the boy) neutered as soon as he can be. :) They're both the same age, came from the same litter. I just worry about them getting a bit lonely on their own.

I can understand this but it is short term and for their own good ;) The last thing you want is an accidental litter :(

If you can have them living side by side that would be ideal - with maybe time in a run which is divided in some way so they can still sniff & see each other?
 
I can understand this but it is short term and for their own good ;) The last thing you want is an accidental litter :(

If you can have them living side by side that would be ideal - with maybe time in a run which is divided in some way so they can still sniff & see each other?

Yep, no I totally agree. The lady we bought them from has already had another litter! I don't know how people do it - my two are a handful as it is :lol:

We don't have side by side hutches at the moment but I think the run is a great idea, shouldn't be too difficult to make one :thumb:
 
Well, all three said speying at 6 months, but two said neutering at 6 months and one said 4-ish (and they're nearly twice the price of the others). Not sure if any of them are 'rabbit savvy' (so if anyone knows of one in the Lincolnshire area please let me know :thumb:) however.

I feel a bit hopeless- just using the forum for advice as I am pretty clueless >.< Thank you for your advice, I very much appreciate it :thumb:

Where in Lincolnshire are you? I'd recommend Animates in Thurlby, been there for 6+ years, theyre fab IMO! Not sure where you are though so it may be too far for you!
 
If they can see each other they won't get too lonely.

You said you'll let them see each other 'with supervision'. Does this mean come into contact? It takes SECONDS for them to get the job done. Don't take any risks. That's where a lot of accidental litters come from, people not ensuring the enclosures are secure enough or by letting them play together when neither are neutered.
 
I'd say one second! I wait nowadays until a female is 6 months old before spay just to give her more time to develop properly. I know it's a pain. I had to split a brother and sister up who absolutely adored one another and it was quite heartbreaking. I had them both neutered on the same day when she was 5.3/4 months and two weeks later put them together and after 1/2 hr or so they were back to being a lovely couple. Perhaps I was lucky. The girl really missed her brother but what else could I have done.
 
I had Toby neutered at 14 weeks with no problems, he's a slightly bigger breed though. That vets would castrate early when the bunny weighed 1.2kg min. I wouldn't let them have supervised time together because the chances are if they mate you won't be quick enough to stop it. They need to be fully separated but it will be good if they can still see each other, as others have said.
 
Where in Lincolnshire are you? I'd recommend Animates in Thurlby, been there for 6+ years, theyre fab IMO! Not sure where you are though so it may be too far for you!

Hey, thanks :) I'm in Grantham and RWA have given me an address for a vet in Casterton which is near to where I work. Whereabouts is Thurlby? I know of it but can't think where it is! x
 
I had Toby neutered at 14 weeks with no problems, he's a slightly bigger breed though. That vets would castrate early when the bunny weighed 1.2kg min. I wouldn't let them have supervised time together because the chances are if they mate you won't be quick enough to stop it. They need to be fully separated but it will be good if they can still see each other, as others have said.

Yes, mine are quite small I think so it will be a little while.

Thank you for your advice :) I think it's a case of having to be cruel to be kind isn't it? :(
 
I'd say one second! I wait nowadays until a female is 6 months old before spay just to give her more time to develop properly. I know it's a pain. I had to split a brother and sister up who absolutely adored one another and it was quite heartbreaking. I had them both neutered on the same day when she was 5.3/4 months and two weeks later put them together and after 1/2 hr or so they were back to being a lovely couple. Perhaps I was lucky. The girl really missed her brother but what else could I have done.

That's lovely :) I hope separating them won't have too much of an effect on their relationship. After putting Buttons in the top tier this morning she started thumping and digging :shock: I was quite upset but I know it is for the best. Had a friend check on them and she said they seem fine so that's good.

If they can see each other they won't get too lonely.

You said you'll let them see each other 'with supervision'. Does this mean come into contact? It takes SECONDS for them to get the job done. Don't take any risks. That's where a lot of accidental litters come from, people not ensuring the enclosures are secure enough or by letting them play together when neither are neutered.

Thank you :)
 
Whereabouts in Lincolnshire are you?
I use Foxhall vets in Ruskington, and they are wonderful there.
 
Whereabouts in Lincolnshire are you?
I use Foxhall vets in Ruskington, and they are wonderful there.

I'm in Grantham - so not too far away. I feel my vets haven't given any useful advice to us really (if anything it conflicts with everyone elses!). So I may give Foxhall Vets a try. :) Is there a particular vet you'd recommend?
 
Hey, thanks :) I'm in Grantham and RWA have given me an address for a vet in Casterton which is near to where I work. Whereabouts is Thurlby? I know of it but can't think where it is! x

Oohh I know Grantham! And Casterton, I can picture the vets you've been recommended, the one on the main road isn't it I think? Thurlby is near bourne ish, we're close to Stamford and it takes us 20 mins to get there, they have a website with directions :) x
 
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