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Buck behaviour

M

minty

Young Bun
Minty is our second rabbit, but Mitzi was a little girl, so really haven't much idea what to expect in the way of behaviour. Is anything typical? Or is it down to the individual rabbit?

A friend of mine went out of her way to buy a buck because she'd heard they were gentler and he bites like hell! And someone told me our Mitzi would be aggresive when she matured cos females are but she was lovely, never ever bit at all.

So, are there any particular traits to watch for in boys? I've been told they spray when they mature - will he do it indoors round my furniture!?

Any hints, tips, advice or experience will be very welcome, thanks everyone x
 
God get him neutered before he matures if he lives indoors.....My carpet is ruined thanks to a certain little dutch boy marking his space from his indoor cage. :roll:

I love bucks....I really have found them to make nicer, calmer and more social pets but there are exceptions.
 
Sooz22 said:
God get him neutered before he matures if he lives indoors.....My carpet is ruined thanks to a certain little dutch boy marking his space from his indoor cage. :roll:

I love bucks....I really have found them to make nicer, calmer and more social pets but there are exceptions.
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I bought some 1001 carpet spray that shifted all of the little spray trails Charlie left in the study before he was neutered.
 
hiya.yes your little boy is likely to spray in your home-mine used to do it where ever they felt like it:roll: i have two boys and i have to say that they are the cuddlier out of my 4 house buns,but i do suspect that it depends on the individual.it is better for them to have them neutered which will also help reduce them spraying as well as calming their manly urges:lol;) that said my little girls have always been lovely,i have never really had any biting buns,my little girls just seem to be a bit aloof.
 
Loki turned from a sweet natured little rabbit to little monster overnight! I didn't get a moments peace and he not only sprayed the carpets, but me, my boyfriend and the sofa - not pleasant! It's all to do with hormones though, so a few weeks after he was neutered my little angel (;) ) returned!

I think that does also go through similar hormone effects so I would say that a happy rabbit is a neutered/speyed rabbit!
 
I've found I can't say that females are one temperment and males another cos i've had a variety. At the moment, Millie is the biggest softy, Billy is moody (even though he's been neutered), Kyhber and Oscar never sit still but love to be close to you and will chase you round and Pippa like to lay next to you but not to be handled. Each individual rabbit will have a totally different personallity.
 
Wow so many replies so quickly - thank you!

Minty lives outside in his hutch, but I am planning to bring him into the house as much as is possible. I was hoping not to have him done, just because I know of a couple of rabbits who had a heart attack under the anaesthetic. Is it straightforward? Anybody know of any statistics ie how often they don't make it? If he becomes bad natured and is spraying us all, then I guess I'll have to go down that route tho.

Anybody got an un-neutered buck who is not spraying everywhere and who is still affectionate? :roll:

I so appreciate your replies, thank you all :D
 
Rabbit anaesthetics are much safer than they used to be as rabbit medicine has evolved so much so quickly.

Healthy young rabbits tend to respond well and its a relativley minor procedure in bucks by comparison to does.....I find bucks are ususally bouncing about when I collect them whereas Does tend to take a couple of days (but not always).

Make sure you have a savvy vet who knows to be gentle and use painrelief and gut stimulant following the operation.

I have had nearly 50 rabbits neutered and only lost one who was found to have a heart murmur....she went into cardiac arrest on the table. She was 3 years old.

You can have blood tests done if you wish to put your mind at ease.
 
Sooz22 said:
Rabbit anaesthetics are much safer than they used to be as rabbit medicine has evolved so much so quickly.

Healthy young rabbits tend to respond well and its a relativley minor procedure in bucks by comparison to does.....I find bucks are ususally bouncing about when I collect them whereas Does tend to take a couple of days (but not always).

Make sure you have a savvy vet who knows to be gentle and use painrelief and gut stimulant following the operation.

I have had nearly 50 rabbits neutered and only lost one who was found to have a heart murmur....she went into cardiac arrest on the table. She was 3 years old.

You can have blood tests done if you wish to put your mind at ease.
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Thanks so much for such a detailed reply. Would a blood test show if he had anything wrong with his heart then?
 
I believe the blood tests pick up on problems that may cause an adverse reaction under anaesthetic such as liver/kidney function etc but that vets usually find heart problems listening to the chest. Chloes heart defect however could only have been picked up on an ECG scan.
 
Sooz22 said:
I believe the blood tests pick up on problems that may cause an adverse reaction under anaesthetic such as liver/kidney function etc but that vets usually find heart problems listening to the chest. Chloes heart defect however could only have been picked up on an ECG scan.
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Thank you :D
 
I have a 5 and a half month old who at the moment is showing no signs of agression or spraying. He is a house bunny and is at present as good as gold. So good in fact the vet won't castrate him because she feels it's unecessary at this moment in time.:D
 
I never said he wasn't affectionate - quite the contrary and that's the reason the neutering operation was brought forward by a few weeks ;)

Loki has a history of snuffles, but was healthy when he went for his operation and the nurses told me he was biting on the bars to get out within an hour of coming round! I was worried when he went for his op, but he has calmed down so much now it was definitley worth it!
 
id say definitely neuter. im my experience both Gus & Zeb remained good natured at maturity but both were obsessed with mounting me, nipping my toes and they sprayed everywhere :shock:
 
minty said:
Wow so many replies so quickly - thank you!

Minty lives outside in his hutch, but I am planning to bring him into the house as much as is possible. I was hoping not to have him done, just because I know of a couple of rabbits who had a heart attack under the anaesthetic. Is it straightforward? Anybody know of any statistics ie how often they don't make it? If he becomes bad natured and is spraying us all, then I guess I'll have to go down that route tho.

Anybody got an un-neutered buck who is not spraying everywhere and who is still affectionate? :roll:

I so appreciate your replies, thank you all :D
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Plenty! But then mine aren't in my house and I accept it as normal behaviour because I breed from them. If I was having a buck as a house bunny I'd definately neuter because they do spray occassionally and it also stops the mounting.
 
Kylie541 said:
I have a 5 and a half month old who at the moment is showing no signs of agression or spraying. He is a house bunny and is at present as good as gold. So good in fact the vet won't castrate him because she feels it's unecessary at this moment in time.:D
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Hi Kylie, so glad your bun is as good as gold! Is he mounting everything in sight? Thanks for your help.


thanks everyone else too x
 
ALI- LOKI

What age was he when he was spraying? I have two males at 4 months, they live outside but they are brought into the house most days for an hour and havent sprayed yet. Do you think this is yet to come?
 
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It started very suddenly (almost overnight :shock: ) at around 5 months and as he's a bit of a mischievious bunny anyway :roll: I spend a lot of time sitting on the floor with him. When the hormones began to surge he tried to hump me constantly and if he couldn't do that then he would partake in run-by spraying and my boyfriend used to sit there crying with laughter! He would also run round and round my feet grunting and I was so nervous that I would step on him by accident. The crunch came when he stayed at my mum's for the weekend and I crawled inside the dog crate to feed him and I was severely humped! With no quick escape from a very confined space all my Mum and boyfriend heard was a scream - by Monday he had an appointment to be neutered (and everyone in my family still laughs at me for screaming :lol: )!! I guess it depends on the bunny if/when they start spraying, but Loki was a little terror - he still circles my feet occasionally which I love, but I don't miss the other sex-crazed traits!:lol:
 
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