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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Recovering from spay

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    • sarahthegemini
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        My sweet Buttercup is being spayed on Friday and I’m wondering what to expect in terms of her recovery – how long does it take roughly to get back to normal?  Will she eat and drink as normal right away or will it take a few days? If she’s not keen on eating, how can I encourage her? If she is quite active, do I stop her or allow her to do what she feels comfortable doing? Should I keep her shut in her hutch for the first night? And then do i allow access to her side of the lounge or just have her in a pen?

        Are there any practical tips you could give me too to aid her recovery? I’m also worried sick about her upcoming surgery so any reassurance would be great ! 


      • Mikey
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          Ive never had a girl bunny, so ill just be repeating what ive read here for spay recovery

          Dont let her be too active to avoid her wound from getting infected or opening. Like wise, dont let her groom the wound or try to pull out her stitches. A pen would be better than free roaming. You will need critical care on hand if possible, and if not use a water+pellet mash in a feeding syringe to help her keep up her diet. If she wont eat, youll need to feed her the pellet mash/critical care every few hours. Females take it harder than males, so she will likely be in pain for a few days; make sure the vet gives you pain killers to take home, or sets you up an appointment for the next day or two to inject her with pain killers.


        • Hex
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            When I brought Pudge home from her spay, she was tired and groggy.

            Pudge was back to normal in about a week and a half. Generally, two weeks and she’ll likely be back to her old self.

            She may not have much of an appetite. Monitor how much she eats, drinks, and eliminates. During this time, it’s essential that you keep her cage and (especially!) her litter box as clean as possible. Not only will this help prevent infection, but it’s easier to see what her digestive tract is up to. If she won’t eat, offer her favorites. Sometimes you’ll have to patiently entice her with food, holding it in front of her nose, and hope she takes it. I put unsweetened / unprocessed apple juice in Pudge’s water. Cranberry juice can also be used. Just 3-5 drops is enough to add interest in their water. Pudge began eating, slowly at first. You can expect their first trips to the litter box to be abnormal. Sometimes it’s squishier than usual and the poops are likely to be smaller than average.

            Try to eliminate any need for her to jump. Keep her on flat ground, and if she has a multi-level enclosure, restrict it to one level for the first few days. Don’t give her enough space to run around and binky like crazy. While she knows what hurts, some rabbits get a hyper flash, and if the painkillers are working she may not be aware of her immediate condition. Keep her environment quiet and restful. It’s very likely she’ll be grouchy, so forgive her if she becomes a little rain cloud. Don’t smother her too much, be diligent in your checks, but don’t pester her unnecessarily.

            You can get a fairly good idea of her temperature by softly petting her ears. Provide a warm and cozy area for her so she can curl up and snooze. She may be feeling a bit cold afterwards.

            She will likely be curious about her stitches. Pudge was, but other than casual grooming, she left them alone. It’s not wise to pick up female rabbits after a spay, so I avoided this during Pudge’s recovery. I found that my best method of checking her stitches was to wait until she sat up on her hind feet to clean her face. (Keep in mind, Pudge was not socialized whatsoever when I adopted her. This made handling much more difficult, so I avoided doing so. This may be easier for you if your rabbit is calmer.) As long as she’s not licking incessantly, and her stitches aren’t red and inflamed, they should be okay.

            Metacam was the painkiller we used. At first, Pudge was very irritated by having a syringe held out to her. I could not get her to take the painkiller, and there was no way I was going to wrangle her fresh after surgery. Instead, I squeezed a small drop of Metacam out so that it was a bead on the end of the syringe. I gently wiped this across Pudge’s lips. She immediately flicked her tongue out and began cleaning the area…and realized how good Metacam tastes! Using this trick, administering painkiller was a breeze. Pudge would hop over as soon as she saw me grab a syringe, and would lap happily at the tip.

            You’re asking all of the right questions, and you obviously care about your little Buttercup a lot. You’ll do wonderfully.

            Best of luck to you both!


          • sarahthegemini
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              Posted By Mikey on 11/30/2016 11:55 AM

              Ive never had a girl bunny, so ill just be repeating what ive read here for spay recovery

              Dont let her be too active to avoid her wound from getting infected or opening. Like wise, dont let her groom the wound or try to pull out her stitches. A pen would be better than free roaming. You will need critical care on hand if possible, and if not use a water+pellet mash in a feeding syringe to help her keep up her diet. If she wont eat, youll need to feed her the pellet mash/critical care every few hours. Females take it harder than males, so she will likely be in pain for a few days; make sure the vet gives you pain killers to take home, or sets you up an appointment for the next day or two to inject her with pain killers.

              Thanks Is critical care something the vets could prescribe? I’ve seen it on thehayexperts.co.uk but don’t think it would turn up in time 


            • Mikey
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                Posted By sarahthegemini on 11/30/2016 12:29 PM

                Posted By Mikey on 11/30/2016 11:55 AM

                Ive never had a girl bunny, so ill just be repeating what ive read here for spay recovery

                Dont let her be too active to avoid her wound from getting infected or opening. Like wise, dont let her groom the wound or try to pull out her stitches. A pen would be better than free roaming. You will need critical care on hand if possible, and if not use a water+pellet mash in a feeding syringe to help her keep up her diet. If she wont eat, youll need to feed her the pellet mash/critical care every few hours. Females take it harder than males, so she will likely be in pain for a few days; make sure the vet gives you pain killers to take home, or sets you up an appointment for the next day or two to inject her with pain killers.

                Thanks Is critical care something the vets could prescribe? I’ve seen it on thehayexperts.co.uk but don’t think it would turn up in time 

                Possibly. I know my current vets office carries a few types and flavors of critical care, but my older vets office did not. Pellet mash works just as well. Ive helped a couple bunnies in stasis using pellet mash You can buy feeding syringes at some pet stores, or near/in the baby aisle at places like Walmart


              • sarahthegemini
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                  Posted By Hex on 11/30/2016 12:27 PM

                  When I brought Pudge home from her spay, she was tired and groggy.

                  Pudge was back to normal in about a week and a half. Generally, two weeks and she’ll likely be back to her old self.

                  She may not have much of an appetite. Monitor how much she eats, drinks, and eliminates. During this time, it’s essential that you keep her cage and (especially!) her litter box as clean as possible. Not only will this help prevent infection, but it’s easier to see what her digestive tract is up to. If she won’t eat, offer her favorites. Sometimes you’ll have to patiently entice her with food, holding it in front of her nose, and hope she takes it. I put unsweetened / unprocessed apple juice in Pudge’s water. Cranberry juice can also be used. Just 3-5 drops is enough to add interest in their water. Pudge began eating, slowly at first. You can expect their first trips to the litter box to be abnormal. Sometimes it’s squishier than usual and the poops are likely to be smaller than average.

                  Try to eliminate any need for her to jump. Keep her on flat ground, and if she has a multi-level enclosure, restrict it to one level for the first few days. Don’t give her enough space to run around and binky like crazy. While she knows what hurts, some rabbits get a hyper flash, and if the painkillers are working she may not be aware of her immediate condition. Keep her environment quiet and restful. It’s very likely she’ll be grouchy, so forgive her if she becomes a little rain cloud. Don’t smother her too much, be diligent in your checks, but don’t pester her unnecessarily.

                  You can get a fairly good idea of her temperature by softly petting her ears. Provide a warm and cozy area for her so she can curl up and snooze. She may be feeling a bit cold afterwards.

                  She will likely be curious about her stitches. Pudge was, but other than casual grooming, she left them alone. It’s not wise to pick up female rabbits after a spay, so I avoided this during Pudge’s recovery. I found that my best method of checking her stitches was to wait until she sat up on her hind feet to clean her face. (Keep in mind, Pudge was not socialized whatsoever when I adopted her. This made handling much more difficult, so I avoided doing so. This may be easier for you if your rabbit is calmer.) As long as she’s not licking incessantly, and her stitches aren’t red and inflamed, they should be okay.

                  Metacam was the painkiller we used. At first, Pudge was very irritated by having a syringe held out to her. I could not get her to take the painkiller, and there was no way I was going to wrangle her fresh after surgery. Instead, I squeezed a small drop of Metacam out so that it was a bead on the end of the syringe. I gently wiped this across Pudge’s lips. She immediately flicked her tongue out and began cleaning the area…and realized how good Metacam tastes! Using this trick, administering painkiller was a breeze. Pudge would hop over as soon as she saw me grab a syringe, and would lap happily at the tip.

                  You’re asking all of the right questions, and you obviously care about your little Buttercup a lot. You’ll do wonderfully.

                  Best of luck to you both!

                  Thank you ever so much! I always inspect the litter trays anyway as I change them daily so I will continue with that I should expect some dodgy poops then? She really likes romaine lettuce (it’s a new introduction – well its been about a week and no tummy troubles so I’ll continue with that too) and she goes crazy for her pellets so hopefully I can keep her eating that. I could try hand feeding her hay too if she won’t eat it on her own.

                  I was going to ask about the hutch set up! The cage she has requires a ramp to get in (she can jump straight in but the door is a fold down wire door so I put the ramp to eliminate the chance of her feet getting caught) Peanut’s cage is a dog crate so it’s just a walk right in type of thing. Should I swap them? I don’t want to cause extra stress but then she usually copes well with changes, plus it’ll be a good opportunity to swap their scents if I just switch them over I guess.

                  For warm and cozy, what do you suggest? Anything soft usually means she’ll pee so I’m reluctant to use blankets as I don’t want her lying on soiled blankies. Obviously I would change them regularly but overnight she might be lying in it. Ooh just thought! I’ve got a couple of sea grass mats that haven’t been used (Peanut liked to tear them up and then pee on them lol so I confiscated the new ones so they’ve been so at in the cupboard) but Buttercup never did so I could put a large one of those under her hidey log home. I could put a big blanket over the entire cage, over the top to seal in some warmth. I’ll make sure the heating is on too (I’m perpetuallycold anyway!) She does love rolling around in her litter tray so she might end up lying in that so I’ll just be extra vigilant about cleanliness, I use quite a lot of Carefresh anyway so it would be nice and soft and super absorbant. 

                  It’s handy that Buttercup is white because it’d be easier to spot if anything isn’t looking as it should, so I’ll get a good look at her every time she cleans her face and ears. And I’ll keep and eye on her grooming. She’s a very clean bunny, how do I tell if she’s overdoing it? 

                  I’m not too worried about administering pain meds administers she loved the taste of her worming medicine lol I just squirter it on my hand and she’d lick it right off!

                  Thank you again for all your advice xx


                • sarahthegemini
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                    Posted By Mikey on 11/30/2016 12:35 PM

                    Posted By sarahthegemini on 11/30/2016 12:29 PM

                    Posted By Mikey on 11/30/2016 11:55 AM

                    Ive never had a girl bunny, so ill just be repeating what ive read here for spay recovery

                    Dont let her be too active to avoid her wound from getting infected or opening. Like wise, dont let her groom the wound or try to pull out her stitches. A pen would be better than free roaming. You will need critical care on hand if possible, and if not use a water+pellet mash in a feeding syringe to help her keep up her diet. If she wont eat, youll need to feed her the pellet mash/critical care every few hours. Females take it harder than males, so she will likely be in pain for a few days; make sure the vet gives you pain killers to take home, or sets you up an appointment for the next day or two to inject her with pain killers.

                    Thanks Is critical care something the vets could prescribe? I’ve seen it on thehayexperts.co.uk but don’t think it would turn up in time 

                    Possibly. I know my current vets office carries a few types and flavors of critical care, but my older vets office did not. Pellet mash works just as well. Ive helped a couple bunnies in stasis using pellet mash You can buy feeding syringes at some pet stores, or near/in the baby aisle at places like Walmart

                    I’ll give the pellet mash a go then if the vets don’t carry critical care, thank you


                  • Jessica
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                      Following along on this thread because Amelia goes in on Monday for her spay. I’m such a ball of nerves over it, but I know it’s best for her


                    • sarahthegemini
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                        Posted By Jessica on 11/30/2016 1:53 PM

                        Following along on this thread because Amelia goes in on Monday for her spay. I’m such a ball of nerves over it, but I know it’s best for her

                        I’ll be crossing my fingers that all goes well on Monday! I know I’m gunna be a wreck on Friday, got my bf to have the day off work to keep me company and keep me calm. At least I can concentrate solely on Peanut for the day without Buttercup demanding attention I will miss her though!


                      • Bam
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                          To keep the bun warm after surgery you might need a hot water bottle, a snuggle safe or a couple of plastic hand warmers. Buns have a tendency to become hypothermic after full anesthesia. Pain meds lower their body temp too, so that’s another factor. Metabolism slows when a bun gets cold, then the cold makes the metabolism drop even more so you get a vicious cycle. Pain meds are really really important after a spay though, it makes them more interested in food and less interested in their stitches.

                          Many safe-spay-vibes for ((((((Buttercup)))))


                        • sarahthegemini
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                            Posted By bam on 11/30/2016 2:45 PM

                            To keep the bun warm after surgery you might need a hot water bottle, a snuggle safe or a couple of plastic hand warmers. Buns have a tendency to become hypothermic after full anesthesia. Pain meds lower their body temp too, so that’s another factor. Metabolism slows when a bun gets cold, then the cold makes the metabolism drop even more so you get a vicious cycle. Pain meds are really really important after a spay though, it makes them more interested in food and less interested in their stitches.

                            Many safe-spay-vibes for ((((((Buttercup)))))

                            Thank you. Looking into heat pads/snuggle safes now! 


                          • Jessica
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                              Posted By sarahthegemini on 11/30/2016 2:34 PM

                              Posted By Jessica on 11/30/2016 1:53 PM

                              Following along on this thread because Amelia goes in on Monday for her spay. I’m such a ball of nerves over it, but I know it’s best for her

                              I’ll be crossing my fingers that all goes well on Monday! I know I’m gunna be a wreck on Friday, got my bf to have the day off work to keep me company and keep me calm. At least I can concentrate solely on Peanut for the day without Buttercup demanding attention I will miss her though!

                              I have dr appointment just down the street so I can’t linger at the vet forever. Then I’ll likely go bug my mom, or spend the rest of the day cuddling my pup

                              I’m just nervous about anesthesia an then getting her to heat after. I mean she is a total piglet so I expect she will want to eat again pretty quick


                            • sarahthegemini
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                                Posted By Jessica on 11/30/2016 3:26 PM

                                Posted By sarahthegemini on 11/30/2016 2:34 PM

                                Posted By Jessica on 11/30/2016 1:53 PM

                                Following along on this thread because Amelia goes in on Monday for her spay. I’m such a ball of nerves over it, but I know it’s best for her

                                I’ll be crossing my fingers that all goes well on Monday! I know I’m gunna be a wreck on Friday, got my bf to have the day off work to keep me company and keep me calm. At least I can concentrate solely on Peanut for the day without Buttercup demanding attention I will miss her though!

                                I have dr appointment just down the street so I can’t linger at the vet forever. Then I’ll likely go bug my mom, or spend the rest of the day cuddling my pup

                                I’m just nervous about anesthesia an then getting her to heat after. I mean she is a total piglet so I expect she will want to eat again pretty quick

                                It’s the anaesthetic that worries me too. And the thought of her not eating or drinking.


                              • sarahthegemini
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                                  Posted By Jessica on 11/30/2016 3:26 PM

                                  Posted By sarahthegemini on 11/30/2016 2:34 PM

                                  Posted By Jessica on 11/30/2016 1:53 PM

                                  Following along on this thread because Amelia goes in on Monday for her spay. I’m such a ball of nerves over it, but I know it’s best for her

                                  I’ll be crossing my fingers that all goes well on Monday! I know I’m gunna be a wreck on Friday, got my bf to have the day off work to keep me company and keep me calm. At least I can concentrate solely on Peanut for the day without Buttercup demanding attention I will miss her though!

                                  I have dr appointment just down the street so I can’t linger at the vet forever. Then I’ll likely go bug my mom, or spend the rest of the day cuddling my pup

                                  I’m just nervous about anesthesia an then getting her to heat after. I mean she is a total piglet so I expect she will want to eat again pretty quick

                                  It’s the anaesthetic that worries me too. And the thought of her not eating or drinking.


                                • Hex
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                                    Yeah, it’s good to expect odd poops. That way you don’t become too nervous / paranoid when encountering them for the first time. As long as they gradually improve, there’s nothing to worry about. This typically occurs within the first few days, as eating habits resume. What type of hay are you feeding Buttercup? Hay is very important for proper gut motility. I’m happy to hear she likes romaine, as that helped entice Pudge to eat after her spay!

                                    If she’s not used to Peanut’s scent, or the dog crate, it may be better to keep her in her own cage. She will likely go into her cage and stay put if she figures her ramp is too much of a hassle.

                                    Do not use a heat pad. Rabbits can easily chew through the wires in them and be electrocuted. Heat pads can also become uncomfortably hot for rabbits. A hot water bottle wrapped in a blanket / towel will do the trick. Much safer. Pudge is the same way with blankets, she will happily drench them with pee.  I’ve taken to getting her crate mats and these seem to work. See crate mat here. I test them in the store by pinching the fabric and tugging hard to see if any fibers come loose, basically simulating rabbit teeth. Some mats are notorious for their fall out, and Pudge used to love to chew, so I’d always test prior to purchase. If only a few stray hairs come loose, it should be okay. Grass mats should be fine, too, but they won’t necessarily provide warmth. I’d suggest leaving the blanket off to make sure the cage maintains quality ventilation.

                                    If she’s overdoing it, it will look as though she’s trying to lick or nibble her stitches right off. She will consistently keep her head down to groom the area (or continuously go back to it), and it will become red and irritated. Ask your vet about subcuticular (beneath the skin) sutures. These can’t be chewed at and, as an added measure, some vets will superglue the incision site. 

                                    Wow, how lucky!  Rosie, my other bun, is currently being dewormed…and the medication must taste like paint because she hates it! 

                                    No problem, anytime.  Feel free to message me if you have any concerns, and I’ll try to help you out as much as possible.


                                  • sarahthegemini
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                                      Posted By Hex on 11/30/2016 4:37 PM

                                      Yeah, it’s good to expect odd poops. That way you don’t become too nervous / paranoid when encountering them for the first time. As long as they gradually improve, there’s nothing to worry about. This typically occurs within the first few days, as eating habits resume. What type of hay are you feeding Buttercup? Hay is very important for proper gut motility. I’m happy to hear she likes romaine, as that helped entice Pudge to eat after her spay!

                                      If she’s not used to Peanut’s scent, or the dog crate, it may be better to keep her in her own cage. She will likely go into her cage and stay put if she figures her ramp is too much of a hassle.

                                      Do not use a heat pad. Rabbits can easily chew through the wires in them and be electrocuted. Heat pads can also become uncomfortably hot for rabbits. A hot water bottle wrapped in a blanket / towel will do the trick. Much safer. Pudge is the same way with blankets, she will happily drench them with pee.  I’ve taken to getting her crate mats and these seem to work. See crate mat here. I test them in the store by pinching the fabric and tugging hard to see if any fibers come loose, basically simulating rabbit teeth. Some mats are notorious for their fall out, and Pudge used to love to chew, so I’d always test prior to purchase. If only a few stray hairs come loose, it should be okay. Grass mats should be fine, too, but they won’t necessarily provide warmth. I’d suggest leaving the blanket off to make sure the cage maintains quality ventilation.

                                      If she’s overdoing it, it will look as though she’s trying to lick or nibble her stitches right off. She will consistently keep her head down to groom the area (or continuously go back to it), and it will become red and irritated. Ask your vet about subcuticular (beneath the skin) sutures. These can’t be chewed at and, as an added measure, some vets will superglue the incision site. 

                                      Wow, how lucky!  Rosie, my other bun, is currently being dewormed…and the medication must taste like paint because she hates it! 

                                      No problem, anytime.  Feel free to message me if you have any concerns, and I’ll try to help you out as much as possible.

                                      Okey dokey I’ll try not to panic if her poops are a little unusual. She has Timothy Hay by Alfalfa King, both buns love that stuff! And I’ll give her romaine lettuce as normal. She has pellets in the morning and honestly she gobbles them so quickly as though she’s never eaten before!

                                      She is very accustomed to Peanut’s scent as they’ve only been separated for a week and I’ve been putting some of his soiled litter in her tray (and vice versa) as well as swapping toys over. They can see/smell eachother too through the partition we made. They were sharing the dog crate prior to the separation so I think she’ll be okay in it. I’ll swap them back when it’s time for Peanut’s surgery (in a week and a half) She’ll still need to jump slightly to get into the litter box as it’s fairly deep but she loves laying in it anyway so I suspect she’ll get cozy in there. At least her food and water will be right there for her.

                                      I ended up getting a snuggle safe heat pad as Bam suggested, it’s wireless and you just heat it up in the microwave and then put a fleece cover over it so I’ll give that a go. I figured I could put it under the sea grass mat, I wonder if the heat will penetratell through? it’s being delivered tomorrow before lunch time so I’ve got plenty of time to test it out before we pick her up. I’ll take your advice and will leave the blanket off the top of the cage – I might need it anyway as I’ll be sleeping downstairs 

                                      I’ll keep an eye on her grooming habits, she’s a determined little bunny so I’ll  be sure to ask the vets about under the skin sutures

                                      Peanut loved the taste of the wormer medication too by the way, perhaps I got lucky  Thank you again, I’m sure there will be something I’ll be concerned about so do expect me to take you up on that offer! 


                                    • LittlePuffyTail
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                                        (((((Speedy Recovery Vibes)))))) for Buttercup!!!


                                      • Bam
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                                          Please keep us updated! There are practically always new questions that pop up when you are caring for a recovering bunny.


                                        • sarahthegemini
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                                            Thank you guys Buttercup has been at the vets now for a few hours, they’ve said to call at 2pm to see how she is doing but if all goes well we should be able to pick her up between 4 and 5pm. I miss her! They’ve said her stitches will be under the skin (yay) and that they’ll give her a 24 hour pain killer injection and that usually ‘that’s enough’ but I’m going to request oral pain killers when I pick her up.

                                            We’ve swapped her and Peanut around so she has the walk in cage now, and Peanut doesn’t seem to mind!


                                          • Jessica
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                                              Hope you are able to have an adequately distracted day to the day flies by, and its time to pick up your little girl. And im hoping you guys have an uneventful weekend as she heals up


                                            • sarahthegemini
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                                                Posted By Jessica on 12/02/2016 8:08 AM

                                                Hope you are able to have an adequately distracted day to the day flies by, and its time to pick up your little girl. And im hoping you guys have an uneventful weekend as she heals up

                                                Thank you. We spent most of the morning rearranging the cages. I’ve spoken to the vets and they’ve said she’s doing well, she’s a little sleepy so I’ll be picking her up at 4:45pm, to give her a chance to wake properly and hopefully eat and drink. I can’t wait!


                                              • SeeShmemilyPlay
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                                                  This is all from my own personal experience:

                                                  1. The vet assistant may tell you to not feed your bunny for a few hours before the surgery.  Don’t do that!  Those are the requirements for a dog or cat spay, and the vet assistant may not be aware that buns NEED to constantly have something processing in their digestive system constantly, and that buns can’t throw up, so that isn’t a concern during surgery.  I personally didn’t tell the vet assistant, “you’re dumb, I’m not gonna do that!”  I just kinda let it slide and said, “okay, alright.”

                                                  2. Make sure you can get pain medication for after the surgery.  It helps a bunch.  If your vet you’re taking it to doesn’t offer it, then I’d call around town to different vets asking if they have bunny pain meds they could prescribe.

                                                  3. My Eve was definitely not herself after the surgery.  She didn’t want to eat, not even papaya bits.  Just make sure in the first 12 hours home she eats SOMEthing.  It got a lot better after the first day back.

                                                  4. Use a water dish instead of a water bottle.  Eve wouldn’t drink if she had to work for it at all.

                                                  5. Get a water bottle with warm water and put it under fluffy sheets for her to lay next to.  Eve got really cold after coming home, and needed heat, heat, heat.

                                                  6. Don’t separate her from any bunnies she’s bonded to when she gets home unless you notice they’re being too rough with her.  My Theo, although typically active, seemed to know she needed some resting and just left her alone until she started perking up.  But it’s very important that they’re still in the same living space.

                                                  7. Offer her lots of treats.  She deserves it.

                                                  8. It took about 3 weeks for Eve to go back to 100% normal again.  After a few days she seemed alright, and I kind of got used to having a lethargic bun, but after 3 weeks was up she was up and bouncing around again!

                                                  Edit: just saw that she’s already been! Ignore the first part of my lil list!  I’m glad she made it through okay


                                                • MrBun&Daisy
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                                                    “6. Don’t separate her from any bunnies she’s bonded to when she gets home unless you notice they’re being too rough with her.  My Theo, although typically active, seemed to know she needed some resting and just left her alone until she started perking up.  But it’s very important that they’re still in the same living space.”

                                                    I’m glad you’ve had a good experience with this- I will be having daisy spayed soon and I’ve been wondering how to go about bringing her home since she is bonded with MrBun. I’ve had people tell me to entirely separate them but then other people say that will break their bond. after her waking up and eating that’s my biggest concern


                                                  • sarahthegemini
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                                                      Posted By SeeShmemilyPlay on 12/02/2016 9:50 AM

                                                      This is all from my own personal experience:

                                                      1. The vet assistant may tell you to not feed your bunny for a few hours before the surgery.  Don’t do that!  Those are the requirements for a dog or cat spay, and the vet assistant may not be aware that buns NEED to constantly have something processing in their digestive system constantly, and that buns can’t throw up, so that isn’t a concern during surgery.  I personally didn’t tell the vet assistant, “you’re dumb, I’m not gonna do that!”  I just kinda let it slide and said, “okay, alright.”

                                                      2. Make sure you can get pain medication for after the surgery.  It helps a bunch.  If your vet you’re taking it to doesn’t offer it, then I’d call around town to different vets asking if they have bunny pain meds they could prescribe.

                                                      3. My Eve was definitely not herself after the surgery.  She didn’t want to eat, not even papaya bits.  Just make sure in the first 12 hours home she eats SOMEthing.  It got a lot better after the first day back.

                                                      4. Use a water dish instead of a water bottle.  Eve wouldn’t drink if she had to work for it at all.

                                                      5. Get a water bottle with warm water and put it under fluffy sheets for her to lay next to.  Eve got really cold after coming home, and needed heat, heat, heat.

                                                      6. Don’t separate her from any bunnies she’s bonded to when she gets home unless you notice they’re being too rough with her.  My Theo, although typically active, seemed to know she needed some resting and just left her alone until she started perking up.  But it’s very important that they’re still in the same living space.

                                                      7. Offer her lots of treats.  She deserves it.

                                                      8. It took about 3 weeks for Eve to go back to 100% normal again.  After a few days she seemed alright, and I kind of got used to having a lethargic bun, but after 3 weeks was up she was up and bouncing around again!

                                                      Edit: just saw that she’s already been! Ignore the first part of my lil list!  I’m glad she made it through okay

                                                      Thank you for your post – it’ll help others waiting for their bunny to be spayed My Buttercup is home now, she’s definitely not herself but that’s to be expected. She’s quite groggy but she’s moving around and hopping in her litter trays (her fav place lol) She’s not eating yet though, I’ve put romaine lettuce in a bowl after soaking in water, a few pellets on her play pen mat and of course hay in the usual places. I’ve also given her a water bowl as well as her bottle. I’m just hoping she eats something tonight but I’m not gunna bug her too much just yet!

                                                      I have a heating pad but she’s not sitting on it at the moment :p She’s separated from her brother til they’re both neutered and whatnot but they can see eachother through the bars and Peanut has already nipped her littleface and then proceeded to lick her face (I think?) As for treats, I’m gunna offer her a small piece of carrot and hope she takes that! 

                                                      She’s already moving around quite a bit so I’m hopeful she’ll be right as rain in a few days. Oh and we got some Metacam pain killer medicine!


                                                    • sarahthegemini
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                                                        I’ve got a cardboard box with a nice folded fleecey jumper as bedding, and a heat pad in her litter tray. Where does she lay? In her litter tray but AROUND the heat pad :-/


                                                      • sarahthegemini
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                                                          She’s hopping about!


                                                        • sarahthegemini
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                                                            She won’t sit on the heat pad or the fleecey bedding. She feels a little cold though, what can I do? I don’t want to pick her up as she hates that and obviously i don’t want to cause any discomfort. She’s moving about quite a bit and getting a bit more inquisitive. Is this a good sign?

                                                            I’ve got the heating on 23 degrees Celsius at the minute.


                                                          • SeeShmemilyPlay
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                                                              My plan with my buns was to at least try to see if they were okay together and then separate them if my boy bun was too rough with playing or tried to hump her, but he pretty much just let her be!  I would just put her in her typical living situation and see how they do together before trying to separate them.


                                                            • sarahthegemini
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                                                                Posted By SeeShmemilyPlay on 12/02/2016 12:48 PM

                                                                My plan with my buns was to at least try to see if they were okay together and then separate them if my boy bun was too rough with playing or tried to hump her, but he pretty much just let her be!  I would just put her in her typical living situation and see how they do together before trying to separate them.

                                                                They’ve already been separated for a week now.


                                                              • Bam
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                                                                  If she’s hopping about and being inquisitive she’s not suffgering from severe hypothermia. Both are great signs of course – a bunny in excruciating pain won’t hop about and check stuff out.

                                                                  It is however important that she eats something before you go to bed for the night. I’d sit up with her til she eats or sleep next to her and set the alarm at once per hour so you can check on her, just so she doesn’t fall into a state of lethargy. If she does become lethargic or “slow” – place her on the heating pad but make it possible for her to move away if she doesn’t want the heat. 

                                                                  Food is a must for keeping body temp up – keeping warm is a very energy-demanding process. She doesn’t have to gorge herself, of course, but if she’s willing to eat something, anything, it’s a big step towards recovery.


                                                                • SeeShmemilyPlay
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                                                                    Ah! I was tryna respond to the Mr Bunny reply!  Sorry:p


                                                                  • sarahthegemini
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                                                                      Posted By bam on 12/02/2016 12:59 PM

                                                                      If she’s hopping about and being inquisitive she’s not suffgering from severe hypothermia. Both are great signs of course – a bunny in excruciating pain won’t hop about and check stuff out.

                                                                      It is however important that she eats something before you go to bed for the night. I’d sit up with her til she eats or sleep next to her and set the alarm at once per hour so you can check on her, just so she doesn’t fall into a state of lethargy. If she does become lethargic or “slow” – place her on the heating pad but make it possible for her to move away if she doesn’t want the heat. 

                                                                      Food is a must for keeping body temp up – keeping warm is a very energy-demanding process. She doesn’t have to gorge herself, of course, but if she’s willing to eat something, anything, it’s a big step towards recovery.

                                                                      We’ve moved her cage so it’s close to the radiator now as she was just refusing to use the warm bedding and heat pad. And her ears were cold. We’ve also confined her to her cage now rather than her pen and cage just in the hopes that she’ll find a comfy spot and stay there long enough to warm up. She’s just laying in her litter tray at the moment. I tried wrapping her with a fleece jumper (I just draped it over her) and that lasted about 2 minutes before she relocated. So hoping the radiator keeps her warm enough – the cage isn’t pressed right up against it, there’s a little gap but she can always move towards the front of the cage if she gets too hot. I’ll check her ears in half an hour to see if they’ve warmed up.

                                                                      I am going to be sleeping on the sofa near her tonight and was already planning on checking on her every couple of hours but I wouldn’t feel right sleeping before she’s eaten – thankfully she’s just had a drink from her bowl so hoping the eating will come next!


                                                                    • Bam
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                                                                        Drinking is great! I’d not be surprised if she takes a bit to eat soon too =)

                                                                        Hopping about generates body heat, contracting muscles produce heat as a by-product. (Like when we shiver when we are really cold – that’s the body’s way of warming us up by muscular contractions). So if she likes to move around a little, that’s good for her. No binkies or climbs of course, just a bit of moving around. It helps the intestines move too.


                                                                      • Mikey
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                                                                          How is she doing today?


                                                                        • sarahthegemini
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                                                                            Posted By bam on 12/02/2016 1:40 PM

                                                                            Drinking is great! I’d not be surprised if she takes a bit to eat soon too =)

                                                                            Hopping about generates body heat, contracting muscles produce heat as a by-product. (Like when we shiver when we are really cold – that’s the body’s way of warming us up by muscular contractions). So if she likes to move around a little, that’s good for her. No binkies or climbs of course, just a bit of moving around. It helps the intestines move too.

                                                                            Fingers crossed she eats within the next couple of hours. Should I let her have access to her pen then if hopping about is good, would that be best? 


                                                                          • sarahthegemini
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                                                                              Posted By Mikey on 12/02/2016 1:43 PM

                                                                              How is she doing today?

                                                                              She’s not happy with me that’s for she! She has just began washing her face and drinking a little more …just waiting for her to eat and I’ll be happy!


                                                                            • Mikey
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                                                                                Posted By sarahthegemini on 12/02/2016 2:09 PM 
                                                                                She’s not happy with me that’s for she! She has just began washing her face and drinking a little more …just waiting for her to eat and I’ll be happy!

                                                                                Sorry to hear shes still a little upset. Has she eaten anything? My Badger was neutered yesterday, and i know neuters are easier, but he refused to eat anything but pellets for a few hours after his surgery, even though he had hay, treats, and greens in his cage too. Maybe your little lady is being a bit picky with what she wants to eat too?


                                                                              • sarahthegemini
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                                                                                  Posted By Mikey on 12/02/2016 2:15 PM

                                                                                  Posted By sarahthegemini on 12/02/2016 2:09 PM 
                                                                                  She’s not happy with me that’s for she! She has just began washing her face and drinking a little more …just waiting for her to eat and I’ll be happy!

                                                                                  Sorry to hear shes still a little upset. Has she eaten anything? My Badger was neutered yesterday, and i know neuters are easier, but he refused to eat anything but pellets for a few hours after his surgery, even though he had hay, treats, and greens in his cage too. Maybe your little lady is being a bit picky with what she wants to eat too?

                                                                                  She’s only been home for a few hours so I’m not surprised that she’s still upset with me. Apparently she stomped at the vet nurse  I’m lucky she hasn’t stomped/thumped at me! 

                                                                                  She usually eats pellets at lightening speed and her lettuce. She just had a cheeky nibble on a single piece of hay so that’s progress I guess. I’m hoping it’ll be easier on Peanut when it’s his turn to be neutered.


                                                                                • sarahthegemini
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                                                                                    Posted By SeeShmemilyPlay on 12/02/2016 1:08 PM

                                                                                    Ah! I was tryna respond to the Mr Bunny reply!  Sorry:p

                                                                                    Haha no worries!


                                                                                  • Bam
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                                                                                      She nibbled on a piece of hay? That IS progress! Then you’ll soon be able to go to bed yourself =)

                                                                                      A boy’s neuter is a s a rule a breeze compared to a girl’s spay. My Yohio started eating the second he came home and he acted like nothing had even happened. Bam had a rougher time the first 24 hours, but then he was fully adult (I don’t know his age since he was an adult when he was found).

                                                                                      Mikey, many kisses for Badger!


                                                                                    • sarahthegemini
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                                                                                        Posted By bam on 12/02/2016 3:08 PM

                                                                                        She nibbled on a piece of hay? That IS progress! Then you’ll soon be able to go to bed yourself =)

                                                                                        A boy’s neuter is a s a rule a breeze compared to a girl’s spay. My Yohio started eating the second he came home and he acted like nothing had even happened. Bam had a rougher time the first 24 hours, but then he was fully adult (I don’t know his age since he was an adult when he was found).

                                                                                        Mikey, many kisses for Badger!

                                                                                        Yeah, one singular piece and nothing else so far. But she does keep drinking! From her bowl … which she snubbed last week when I tried it out lol. Me and my bf are going to take it in turns supervising her and sleeping but I’m determined to be the one that sees her take her first bite! 

                                                                                        She is so angry at me though, she literally snubs me lol. Poor girl, can’t wait for her to feel better. 

                                                                                        I’m trying not to get my hopes up too much for Peanut, I’m going to go in expecting a long recovery and then it’ll be a nice surprise if it’s a speedy one!


                                                                                      • sarahthegemini
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                                                                                          Update: Me and my bf decided to take turns staying up with her so that there’d always be someone watching her. When my watch shift started (lol) I dozed off but woke to see her face near her food bowl and she was chewing a crunchy piece of lettuce, she’s nibbled another piece of hay and took a nibble of a hay cookie. As of yet, she won’t take her metacam.


                                                                                        • Bam
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                                                                                            Glad to hear she’s eating! Could you hide the metacam in something she likes, like f ex banana? It’s important she gets it, it helps healing and appetite.


                                                                                          • sarahthegemini
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                                                                                              Posted By bam on 12/03/2016 3:23 AM

                                                                                              Glad to hear she’s eating! Could you hide the metacam in something she likes, like f ex banana? It’s important she gets it, it helps healing and appetite.

                                                                                              She’s eating her lettuce!!!!  More than just one little piece! And she keeps going back to her hay cookie 


                                                                                            • Mikey
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                                                                                                Thank you Bam!

                                                                                                YAY!!! Im glad her appetite is starting to come back! I hope in the morning she feels even better, and eats even more


                                                                                              • sarahthegemini
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                                                                                                  Posted By Mikey on 12/03/2016 3:56 AM

                                                                                                  Thank you Bam!

                                                                                                  YAY!!! Im glad her appetite is starting to come back! I hope in the morning she feels even better, and eats even more

                                                                                                  It’s already 10am here but she’s got the whole day to hopefully gobble up some more Her poops were normal up until an hour ago,  now they are really small. I know to expect dodgy poops though but goodness me they smell foul 


                                                                                                • sarahthegemini
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                                                                                                    She took her Metacam – I put it on a bit of lettuce leaf and she ate the whole thing!

                                                                                                    Quick question – aside from today the most lettuce she’s had in a day is one whole leaf but today so far she’s gone through 3 – 4 leaves. I don’t want to mess with her tummy but she’s eating well so should I continue to give her lettuce? She is also eating hay which I hid a few dandelions in.


                                                                                                  • Bam
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                                                                                                      If lettuce is what she wants, I’d give her lettuce. You can of course offer other things, but as a rule after a spay/neuter, the bun should be allowed to eat what it wants because not eating is much worse. For some reson bunnies tend to prefer fresh greens or hay after a spay/neuter and snub sweet things and pellets.

                                                                                                      Hay with dandelion is great. Dandelion is really good for buns.


                                                                                                    • Mikey
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                                                                                                        Yea, the poop smells so bad after spays and neuters. My vet says its the the meds the buns are on that make the poops so bad for a while. I am still glad to hear she is eating more than before


                                                                                                      • sarahthegemini
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                                                                                                          Posted By bam on 12/03/2016 10:58 AM

                                                                                                          If lettuce is what she wants, I’d give her lettuce. You can of course offer other things, but as a rule after a spay/neuter, the bun should be allowed to eat what it wants because not eating is much worse. For some reson bunnies tend to prefer fresh greens or hay after a spay/neuter and snub sweet things and pellets.

                                                                                                          Hay with dandelion is great. Dandelion is really good for buns.

                                                                                                          Well it’s 6pm here and so far she’s eaten plenty of lettuce, a little cucumber, a decent amount of hay with the dandelion plus a few sunflower petals. She’s also had some pellets! In addition to her hay cookie so it’s safe to say her appetite is really good! I am so, so happy  


                                                                                                        • sarahthegemini
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                                                                                                            Posted By Mikey on 12/03/2016 12:13 PM

                                                                                                            Yea, the poop smells so bad after spays and neuters. My vet says its the the meds the buns are on that make the poops so bad for a while. I am still glad to hear she is eating more than before

                                                                                                            I’m really pleased too! I’ve been worried sick all week in the build up to this and aside from the anaesthetic, lack of appetite was my next biggest fear. 

                                                                                                            You’ve all been so, so helpful, me and Buttercup really appreciate it! 


                                                                                                          • Bam
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                                                                                                              Great news! A good appetite is the best thing after a spay!!! And poop irregularities are to be expected. It’s both the meds and the fact that they’ve eaten less than normal.

                                                                                                              Anaesthetics for bunnies are regarded as safe these days according to well-renowned British rabbit vet Molly Varga (http://mollyvargavet.co.uk/about/) But I do understand the worry. It’s bad enough when you have boy buns in for their procedures.


                                                                                                            • sarahthegemini
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                                                                                                                Buttercup is back to her cheeky self now! Her appetite is wonderful, she devoured her hay as soon as I put it in fresh this morning (I put dandelion on it again) and she also ate some of her pellets but then lost interest and went back to the hay. She did have a little bit of lettuce with metacam on it too. She drank normal throughout the night too. She’s moving around a lot and has already climbed and jumped all over me when I was feeding her pellets. Going to wait another day and then expand her pen a little.


                                                                                                              • Bam
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                                                                                                                  So good to hear! Continued healing-vibes (((((Buttercup)))))


                                                                                                                • sarahthegemini
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                                                                                                                    Thanks Bam! Even her poops are a lot more normal today.


                                                                                                                  • LittlePuffyTail
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                                                                                                                      Glad to hear she is doing so well


                                                                                                                    • Hex
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                                                                                                                        How is Buttercup today? Everything going well?


                                                                                                                      • sarahthegemini
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                                                                                                                          Posted By Hex on 12/05/2016 10:24 AM

                                                                                                                          How is Buttercup today? Everything going well?

                                                                                                                          She’s doing really well She is devouring hay likes there’s no tomorrow and she wasn’t as interested in her pellets this morning  (normally she gobbles them up as though she’s starving!) But aside from that she is being her cheeky self. She doesn’t appear to be in pain but I’m still giving her metacam each morning and will do for another couple of days to be sure. She has bounced back so quickly! At the moment she is limited to just her hutch and pen but in a few days (probably Wednesday after her vet check up) we’ll split the living room into two again so she can move around more. She’s desperate to go running!


                                                                                                                        • Hex
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                                                                                                                            She’s doing really well She is devouring hay likes there’s no tomorrow and she wasn’t as interested in her pellets this morning  (normally she gobbles them up as though she’s starving!) But aside from that she is being her cheeky self. She doesn’t appear to be in pain but I’m still giving her metacam each morning and will do for another couple of days to be sure. She has bounced back so quickly! At the moment she is limited to just her hutch and pen but in a few days (probably Wednesday after her vet check up) we’ll split the living room into two again so she can move around more. She’s desperate to go running!

                                                                                                                            I am so happy to hear that!  It’s such a good sign that she’s munching hay merrily! Good idea grabbing the Metacam; does Buttercup seem to like the way it tastes? (I know my bun did!) You obviously did a very good job keeping her comfy and cared for, way to go! 


                                                                                                                          • sarahthegemini
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                                                                                                                              Posted By Hex on 12/05/2016 11:27 AM

                                                                                                                              She’s doing really well She is devouring hay likes there’s no tomorrow and she wasn’t as interested in her pellets this morning  (normally she gobbles them up as though she’s starving!) But aside from that she is being her cheeky self. She doesn’t appear to be in pain but I’m still giving her metacam each morning and will do for another couple of days to be sure. She has bounced back so quickly! At the moment she is limited to just her hutch and pen but in a few days (probably Wednesday after her vet check up) we’ll split the living room into two again so she can move around more. She’s desperate to go running!

                                                                                                                              I am so happy to hear that!  It’s such a good sign that she’s munching hay merrily! Good idea grabbing the Metacam; does Buttercup seem to like the way it tastes? (I know my bun did!) You obviously did a very good job keeping her comfy and cared for, way to go! 

                                                                                                                              That’s so nice of you to say, I do try my best!

                                                                                                                              As for the metacam, well I put it on lettuce in a bowl and she munches it with such passion (lol) and often licks the bowl so she probably does like the taste  Silly bunny!


                                                                                                                            • New rabbit mom
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                                                                                                                                My little girl Paisley and my little boy Leo were just spayed and neutered yesterday. Leo seems fine but my little girl of course had a bigger surgery. She is eating tiny bits for me today. My vet said to keep them separated for 2 weeks. That seems so long. He has never tried to mount her and they dont rough house in the cage together. When they come out do play they get wild and do binkies galore but obviously they wont be running around like that for 2 weeks. But why must they be apart that long? The wildest they have ever gotten in their cage together was when I gave them each an empty toilet paper roll and they bonked each other on the heads back and forth.


                                                                                                                              • Kiki
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                                                                                                                                  The first reason is that they are supposed to take it easy, especially her because her surgery is more invasive. The other reasons is that with changing hormones they may fight more. Plus I would suggest reading some of the threads on bonding/bonded bunnies for it to make more sense. I only have a single bun, so I am going from what I have read and experienced.


                                                                                                                                • Asriel and Bombur
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                                                                                                                                    Your boy can also still spray semen. They shouldn’t have even been together in the first place.


                                                                                                                                  • Kiki
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                                                                                                                                      Posted By Asriel and Bombur on 3/06/2019 12:51 PM

                                                                                                                                      Your boy can also still spray semen. They shouldn’t have even been together in the first place.

                                                                                                                                      Thank you for clarifying that, I wasn’t sure if I had it right or not so I thought I’d leave it to the experts 


                                                                                                                                    • Asriel and Bombur
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                                                                                                                                        He can also cause her to have a false pregnancy, which can be very distressing.

                                                                                                                                        So reasons why they can’t be together and why you need to go through a proper bonding process (like please do not let them interact at all unless it’s in a neutral territory during a bonding session)
                                                                                                                                        1. He can still produce semen for up to one month after his neuter
                                                                                                                                        2. He can cause her to have a false pregnancy which is stressful on her
                                                                                                                                        3. Their scents change, making them not recognize each other
                                                                                                                                        4. They can fight viciously, and will only stop if one is severely injured or you separate them yourself.
                                                                                                                                        5. Their hormones need time to die down. Spaying and neutering doesn’t immediately solve the issues. It takes a good 1-2 some times 3 months for females, for their hormones to die down.
                                                                                                                                        6. Post spay/neuter craze. This will cause them to be extremely hormonal. (see #5)
                                                                                                                                        7. A spay is very invasive. She can severely injure herself even after a week after surgery.
                                                                                                                                        8. Bunnies are not cats and dogs, and can’t be simply put together. They have a complex bonding process and there’s a hierarchy. They need time to be able to sort through that. Bunnies that fight are deadly, not having a mere cat fight.


                                                                                                                                      • DanaNM
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                                                                                                                                          Hi New rabbit mom,

                                                                                                                                          In general it’s recommended to start a new thread on your topic, so as not to confuse things. But, since you’ve already gotten some replies, I’ll respond here. If you’d like more input feel free to start a new thread.

                                                                                                                                          I’m glad your girl is eating! That’s the most important thing after a spay!

                                                                                                                                          The most important consideration is her healing. My rescue has females confined for 27 days post spay to allow them to heal, as it is a very invasive surgery, and running around can cause serious complications. I know it seems cruel, but giving lots and lots of pets and boredom buster toys can help during this time period.

                                                                                                                                          How old are your bunnies? I’m a bit surprised at the timing of the spay and neuter. Usually boys are altered younger than females (3 months for males vs. 6-9 months for females). Of course if she had gotten pregnant, that would have been terminated with the spay, so no worries there, I’m just curious as to how old she is. I’m just slightly perplexed because they were old enough to be castrated, but there had not been a pregnancy… so it’s a bit surprising!

                                                                                                                                          In any case, some bunnies go back together quite easily after their spays/neuters, so you might have a very easy time when re-uniting them, especially since they were castrated before they started fighting with each other. Keep in mind that their scents will change as their hormones drain, so their interactions might be a bit variable over time. Females take longer for this to happen than males. So, once she is healed, you can test the waters and give them some supervised interaction in neutral space, and assess next steps from there.

                                                                                                                                          . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

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                                                                                                                                      Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Recovering from spay