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To spay or not to spay

Rabbitnovice

Young Bun
Hi, I have a male and a female rabbit who are about 14 months old. I have had them a year now, they live indoors and are best friends. I had the male neutered as soon as he was old enough but left the female. My reasons for this were that I didn’t want to put her through the stress of an operation (she’s always been more timid than the male). I also didn’t want to keep them apart as i’d hate for them to fall out of love.
Anyway, the last month or so my female rabbit has become really naughty (hormonal?). She digs everywhere, spreads her litter all over, pulls her fur out to make little nests, mounts the male, won’t go back in her enclosure and thumps her feet when we try to put her back in.
I’m wondering now whether having her spayed would help. She’s happy enough, always leaping about and rolling around. Would spaying stop her crazy behaviour? Is it very stressful for them to be spayed. Would they remember each other when we put them back together?
Thanks for any advice x
 
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Definitely spay. It’s likely to get more and more difficult to keep them together if you don’t. PLUS the statistics for uterine cancer in unspayed females are horrific by the age of 4 or so. My almost four year old girl, who I was told was spayed when I got her but I always had my doubts, died of what the vet thinks was probably cancer, probably utterine, last year. I’ll never forgive myself for not pushing to confirm her spay when I got her and, personally, I’d never risk it again. The benefits totally outweigh the risks IMO. Plus all the behaviours you describe are known to improve, if not disappear, after spaying!
 
Thanks for replying. I will have to man up and have her done by the sound of it...but look what good friends they are...
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Oh that is soooo cute :love:

They look so happy. I don’t think it’s too difficult to rebond after spaying but I must admit I’ve not done it myself, only bonded spayed/ neutered buns that weren’t together before. There are a lot of people here who I’m sure can help you with that.

They are a gorgeous pair :love:
 
Definitely spay. It’s likely to get more and more difficult to keep them together if you don’t. PLUS the statistics for uterine cancer in unspayed females are horrific by the age of 4 or so. My almost four year old girl, who I was told was spayed when I got her but I always had my doubts, died of what the vet thinks was probably cancer, probably utterine, last year. I’ll never forgive myself for not pushing to confirm her spay when I got her and, personally, I’d never risk it again. The benefits totally outweigh the risks IMO. Plus all the behaviours you describe are known to improve, if not disappear, after spaying!


I agree :D

Info on spaying etc here:

https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/rabbit-health/neutering/

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/pdfs/neutering28807.pdf


Are they vaccinated with *both* vaccines? Ie Novibac/Myxo and RHD1/RHD2?
 
Maybe you wouldn't have to separate them if they are house buns and are able to keep close eye on them after the op. I've found my females recovered much quicker with their partner cuddling them.
I couldn't cope if any of my girls hadn't been spayed. You have been lucky that she is only just showing her hormones. Mine were little terrors and I couldn't wait to get them spayed.
 
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Yes but only with me staying awake through the night after the operation to make sure there was no chasing of humping. When a bun is vulnerable sometimes the strong one can try it on to show dominence. None of mine did but it can happen.
 
They are not vaccinated. I thought with them being house rabbits they wouldn’t need to be, is that wrong?


Yeah you need to get house rabbits done too. These wretched illnesses are no respecter of indoor and outdoor!

Info on RHD2 - Filavac vaccine:

https://www.harcourt-brown.co.uk/owners/frequently-asked-questions/FAQRHD

https://www.harcourt-brown.co.uk/articles/infectious-disease/rabbit-haemorrhagic-disease



And of course the one that's been around a good long while ... The Novibac combi vaccine.

It's advisable to have the two vaccinations at least week part from one another
 
Right, vaccinations and spaying it is.
My two live in the utility room and have a kind of playpen in there which they go in if we’re out (it’s a big one). Do you think my girl would be ok post-op if I kept her in the pen and let my boy have the run of the utility? That way they could still chat through the bars. Would she ever let him back in without a fight? How long before I could leave them alone together?
Sorry for all the questions. The thought of fighting rabbits scares me :shock:
 
Right, vaccinations and spaying it is.
My two live in the utility room and have a kind of playpen in there which they go in if we’re out (it’s a big one). Do you think my girl would be ok post-op if I kept her in the pen and let my boy have the run of the utility? That way they could still chat through the bars. Would she ever let him back in without a fight? How long before I could leave them alone together?
Sorry for all the questions. The thought of fighting rabbits scares me :shock:


Yes, chatting through bars is good :)

I am sure you could get them back together. I would leave her a couple of weeks and make sure she's all healed up. After that maybe move them to a new neutral area (kitchen? bathroom?) for a few hours or overnight. Then hopefully they will be loved up again x
 
Thanks. Will get them booked in for jabs and the op tomorrow xxx
We took both our buns to the vets when Pip got spayed. So they were only apart for her Op. We put them back in their pen when we got home and Archie looked after her. We did keep them both in their pen for a few days rather than letting have the whole room though.

We find they tend to only chase when they have more room or if one of them smells different. So if they both go to the vets they smell the same!

Good luck for tomorrow.

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Please please get her spayed, I know it's scary but it's very necessary. I always knew that females were very likely to get cancer as they got older, but I waited until one of my girls was 3 before I got her spayed, I thought she was still young. As soon as they shaved her ready for the operation they found a huge mass (I just thought my grandma had been over feeding her), she had ovarian cancer that had taken a kidney and was wrapped around her bowel. I had no idea anything was wrong but if I'd of waited any longer she'd probably be dead. The vet managed to get rid of all the cancerous tissue and it never came back luckily, but I'll never wait again to get a female spayed. Anyway that's the big reason, but yeah all those behaviours you described will probably settle once she has been spayed.

As others have said, house rabbits absolutely do need vaccinating. Insects that spread myxi can come in everytime you open a window or door, and VHD is spread in many ways, some people say house rabbits may be at an increased risk because they're more likely to come in contact with your shoes
 
I took Millie with Toby when she had her spay so they was together.

My bun Maple has just had her cancer removed and is recovering well. The first night she was a bit off then the next day she was back to her usual self.

We definitely worry more than they do. I'm glad she will be getting spayed. My vet said 80% of unspayed does over the age of three he has found cancer.

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