Female rabbit in trio annoying the others...

[SuthSeaxe]

We have 12 days to go until our youngest Enya is old enough to be spayed. But today she has been getting on the others' nerves humping and being territorial. She has been chased off a few times. Any tips on keeping the peace until she can go in for her operation? (and hopefully we can benefit from the inevitable stress bonding of the whole experience as they are going in with her!)

We don't really have the space to separate and re-bond them, so we would like to avoid that if possible.

 

[Omi]

You might find this difficult to resolve completely as Enya will probably be quite insistent.

I think your best option would be to use things as a distraction for all three of them. If none of them eat cardboard, you could give them a large box, with entry and exit holes cut in, with maybe some hay or forage at the bottom. If the box isn't an option, then maybe occasional large piles of hay or forage. Anything new for them to get involved with would be useful as a distraction.

Is it a weight issue why Enya can't be spayed a bit earlier ie is does the vet consider her not heavy enough? Or is it that the vet just can't fit her in beforehand. If there isn't any reason why she can't be spayed earlier, then this would be something to consider too.

Best of luck for the next few days and I hope that her spay goes well.

 

[SuthSeaxe]

You might find this difficult to resolve completely as Enya will probably be quite insistent.

I think your best option would be to use things as a distraction for all three of them. If none of them eat cardboard, you could give them a large box, with entry and exit holes cut in, with maybe some hay or forage at the bottom. If the box isn't an option, then maybe occasional large piles of hay or forage. Anything new for them to get involved with would be useful as a distraction.

Is it a weight issue why Enya can't be spayed a bit earlier ie is does the vet consider her not heavy enough? Or is it that the vet just can't fit her in beforehand. If there isn't any reason why she can't be spayed earlier, then this would be something to consider too.

Best of luck for the next few days and I hope that her spay goes well.

That's a good idea! Distraction distraction distraction. New toys and tasty hay. She is being relaxed with the others for now at least so it's not relentless all the time.

There is no particular reason, it's just that is when it is booked. I asked them a while ago how old is old enough for spaying and they said 5 months, so I booked it in for the first date I could get off work after her 5-months had passed (1st July).

But you're right: I have been considering that there is a closer rabbit-experienced vet (meaning I don't have to take time off) who perhaps might be able and willing to do it earlier.

 

[Omi]

If it were me I would try to balance how much of a problem this is and whether I can manage it, with how much confidence I have in the alternative vet. With any rabbit spay operation I would be wanting to know how experienced the vet was in this type of operation, whether they routinely give pain relief post op and when she would be seen afterwards for a review.

 

[SuthSeaxe]

If it were me I would try to balance how much of a problem this is and whether I can manage it, with how much confidence I have in the alternative vet. With any rabbit spay operation I would be wanting to know how experienced the vet was in this type of operation, whether they routinely give pain relief post op and when she would be seen afterwards for a review.

I have checked their website and they are registered as a rabbit specialist vet with the RWAF. They even have special rabbit waiting areas so they don't have to be around dogs and completely understood and encouraged my request for Merlin and Halloumi to go with her, too.

 

[Omi]

The vet sounds excellent I hope they can fit Enya in for her surgery.

 

[SuthSeaxe]

They didn't want to do it until she's definitely 5 months old, so 3rd July it is! It's not too bad; the other vet is a 40min drive away. This one is only 20mins. Less stress for all of us! (and the check-in time means my wife should be home to help me box them all up)

Poor Merlin has been sulking since she got stressy. Though it probably doesn't help the fur is coming off of him in clouds. I always find moulting rabbits are generally in bad moods.