Neutered and doing well - thank you everyone!

So we have finally taken the decision to get Monty neutered - we were always planning to at some stage, but had thought it would be somewhat later on (at least another year). But he has sort of taken the decision for us; he's been acting lately like he's very lonely, and like he would quite like a bunny companion a bit sooner than we were planning on. So we have booked him to be "done" and then we're planning on starting a hunt for a new companion in a few weeks time.

I know this is the right decision for Monty, as it's time for him to have a friend, but I'm worrying and nervous and scared about him going through the operation (it's our 1 year wedding anniversary today, and all we can talk about is the rabbit's genitals :roll. There's no particular reason he should be at risk - he's young, healthy and active - and I've been trying to read up on statistics to calm myself down, but of course it always feels like it must be him who's going to succomb and never come home.

I'm trying to stay positive, so if anyone has stories of bunnies surviving their neutering operations, please do share and help me buck up! I'm also worrying about behaviour changes post-op - I'm hoping for some good ones (if he could stop eating me, that would be quite nice) but he's generally pretty well behaved, so there's definitely scope for his behaviour getting worse, as well.

I am also trying to think about how nice it will be once we are able to bring his companion-to-be to come and live with us to stay positive. I plan on doing full research over the next few weeks while we wait for his hormones to settle, but just to give me some things to think about, what should we expect on the finding a bunny front? I'm determined to use a rescue so we don't have to go through the worry of the operation again, but we've never adopted a rescue animal in our lives. Our only constraint is I think the bunny would have to be less than five years old to be added to the insurance we have for Monty (as it were), otherwise we would just like to take in a rabbit who likes Monty as much as we do. (One who is docile and enjoys human contact would be ideal, as Monty loathes it so the new bunny may be a good influence, but I'm going to try and let Monty guide us as to who he'd like!) Should we be contacting rescues now, or is it less hassle/admin for prospective owners to turn up and have a look around at first? Should we be taking Monty with us on a first visit, or trying to find a couple of potential bunnies and then doing introductions?

I'll be keeping my fingers crossed from now until he's home tomorrow, but I'm also really trying to stay calm and not have a good cry whilst convincing myself this is my last night with Monty.

I'm sure he will be fine, he is a healthy bunny and it's not such a big op for a buck.

You could look around at rescues to see if one suits you more, and they may offer help with bonding. I wouldn't think they'd want you to take him with you until you have a shortlist of bunnies to choose from and then you hopefully try him out on a speed date to see what he thinks :thumb:

Sending lots of vibes for the op tomorrow :thumb:

I'm sure Monty'll be fine. I put off Bracken's for 5 months and he was 2 years old. he was done on the 4th May. He's an albino dwarf of some description. Tiny. I was a total wreck and the vets knew I was really worried. They kept reassuring me and saying he was young and very healthy. I know we all worry about the anaesthetic. He was done first and they rang me at lunchtime. Bracken came through fine and was eating everything in sight after he'd woken up. he was supposed to be on cage rest for the rest of the day when he came home. But, the first chance he had...he was out of the door and up the stairs to the bedrooms. Naughty Boy. He got over it really fast. Good luck to Monty and sending you fast, healing vibes.

Thank you both! I know I'm probably worrying for no reason, but I don't think I'd feel like a good "mummy" if I wasn't in an endless worry :shock:. Fluffybunny, I'm glad Bracken got through so well - mischief is always a good sign Monty's booked in for 8.45, so hopefully he'll be first up too. We were warned it may not be until lunch time, or later if there's emergencies, but I hope he won't be there all day.

Zoobec said:

You could look around at rescues to see if one suits you more, and they may offer help with bonding. I wouldn't think they'd want you to take him with you until you have a shortlist of bunnies to choose from and then you hopefully try him out on a speed date to see what he thinks :thumb:

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That's useful, thank you! Any that help with bonding would be good. We don't have access to a car, so it probably works better for us to go first time without Monty - a friend has offered to help drive him for bonding purposes, but it's a four-hour round trip for her, so I don't feel we can ask her to do it more than once or twice. If we can make our own way to the rescues and narrow it down to begin with, that makes it slightly easier!

Lots of vibes for Monty's neuter tomorrow. xxx

Neuters and spays are always nerve wracking and it's impossible not to spend the whole time worrying. I believe a time honoured RU tradition is to spend the morning they're at the vets doing a really deep spring clean to take your mind off it!


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Sending vibes for Monty :wave:

Lots of vibes tomorrow for Monty sure he will be fine, when my boy was done he woke up and straight into his food lol

Good luck to all involved!

Sending lots of vibes for Monty tomorrow and some comforting hugs for you. I hope it goes well.

elective surgery is always a tough decision but I think absolutely the right one for Monty - it will be so lovely for him to have a friend. Little experience to impart but from what I know boys would worry me much less. i hope the hours fly by quick to that call " he's eating , the op went smoothly & you can collect him this evening" many vibes

Scrappy - don't you worry you won't here the phone over the sound of Henry?

joey&boo said:

Scrappy - don't you worry you won't here the phone over the sound of Henry?

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This is uncanny! How did you know I recently joined the Henry club?! Gawd I love that hoover! Actually I reckon I would hear the phone over Henry as he's so lovely and quiet compared to my previous hoovers


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All the best for tomorrow. This will be us soon, we recently took in another bun who we've called Spud, our first unneutered buck. He's our only single bun, so we will be looking for a friend for him too.

Hopefully your bun will be just fine. We've been through 5 spay ops with our girls and I think the boys op is supposed to be more straightforward.

I don't think there's any harm in looking into local rescues and finding out if they do bonding, dates, etc, although it will be around 6 weeks till he's ready.

Hope you had a nice anniversary x

Thank you again everyone. Your support is very comforting - it means a lot We just dropped Monty off at the vet, and I came straight on here to read all your messages. He was very well this morning, and even managed to get in a nip at one of us, so feeling on fine form. I think my partner is worse - he didn't enjoy the detailed description of how the castration's done so much...

I'll post again once he's safely through and feeling better - he looked so scared and small when we left him, I just wanted to give him a hug. But on the vet's advice we'd brought some of his favourite food - his daily pellets, some kale, and some locust bean treats (because if you can't indulge in treats at a time like this, when can you?) - so hopefully he'll get a big treat afterwards, and certainly there'll be lots of love when he comes home.

Looking at the flat, Scrappy, I can think of worse ideas to make the time fly!

Topping up the vibes for Monty :wave:

Sending loads of extra vibes for Monty. xxxx

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Also adding my vibes for little Monty xxx

I hope you're doing ok. The long wait for news can be pretty tortuous [emoji17]


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Thank you for all the vibes! Still no news I'm starting to properly worry now - it's been four and a bit hours, I was hoping they would at least call through to say it had been done and he was ok. I guess they're probably too busy to do that for every pet every day. But just waiting and holding on.

I can't wait to get him back - I keep wandering round then realising that as the rabbit isn't here as an excuse, I'm just talking to myself!

Monty's Human said:

Thank you for all the vibes! Still no news I'm starting to properly worry now - it's been four and a bit hours, I was hoping they would at least call through to say it had been done and he was ok. I guess they're probably too busy to do that for every pet every day. But just waiting and holding on.

I can't wait to get him back - I keep wandering round then realising that as the rabbit isn't here as an excuse, I'm just talking to myself!

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No news is good news, if there was a problem they would call straight away!
Lots of vibes for Monty
Xxx

Getting neutered tomorrow

I agree with Roxy. In my experience if there's bad news they usually contact you right away.

When I had Scrappy spayed it was almost 3pm when they phoned me. She was also done on a Monday and her op was put back as they had to deal with emergencies that had come in after the weekend. It might be that the same has happened with your vets and hence the delay in news.


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Finally got the call! All well so far, and we can pick him up in another hour and a half Waiting to see how he is before I fully relax, but I'm just so pleased he made it through. Now we can stop looking forwards at it and worrying and panicking - it's done and never has to be done again.

Thank you all for your support leading up to this. It has helped to keep me sane!