Bunny Changed after Neutering

[Sugarbunny]

Hi,

New member to the forum with a question if anyone can help me!

I've just had my 3 year old female mini lops Merry and Pippin neutered, as they were mounting each other a lot and having the occasional skirmish. Also wanted to prevent cancer as they are getting older now. For severaL months now, and especially since the operations, Merry (previously very friendly) has become very withdrawn and often runs away when you try to touch her. She never goes for us, but she often looks 'depressed'. She used to be the more dominant of the 2, but now Pippin seems to have become more dominant. The vet didn't say anything else was wrong with her, as we've taken her to them before for 'not being herself' and they can't find anything wrong with her. It's very upsetting as she used to be so friendly and would run to the hutch door to greet you! They have a lovely big hutch/run and are allowed into the garden sometimes.

Can anyone offer any suggestions as to what might be the problem and how we can help her? would getting a neutered male aswell help?

Thanks.

 

[FriskyClover]

How long ago did you have them neutered?

It is quite a major(although very beneficial) operation and it takes a little while to get back to normal. Certainly, it took my Smokey a good few weeks before she was back to her bonkers self.

I assume that your vet checked her teeth and everything? If a rabbit's in pain, they're very withdrawn. Is she eating OK?

Did the change in her behaviour start to happen around the time she started to mount etc? If so, it is likely to be hormonal and may well settle as her hormones do.

 

[Sugarbunny]

behaviour problem

They were neutered about a month ago, so not that long really. The mounting seemed to have increased the older they got, so I guess it did coincide with her behaviour change a bit. It also seem to get worse after we moved house about 15 months ago (although this home is better, they have a better garden, outlook etc).

The Vet didn't say anything about her teeth and she seems to be eating okay, although less than Pippin.

Thanks for replying!

 

[chloaster]

This is just an opinion but maybe as they were slightly older their characters were partly made up by their hormones and some of their confidence might have been based on that. Now they have been spayed and the hormones reduced maybe she just feels a bit more nervous and might need time to just build her confidence up again?