What happens if you don’t spay or neuter your bunny?

[bunnynovice]

I’m getting my bunny from a farm, and none of their bunnies have been spayed or neutered. The procedure can be expensive, and my parents don’t know if they want to do it. What happens if I don’t get him/her neutered/spayed? What will female bunnies do specifically?

[bunnnnnnie!]

I highly HIGHLY suggest you do NOT get a rabbit. Bunnies can live 8+ years, so if you can only commit to 2 years, that is not fair to the rabbit at all. Please reconsider your idea of getting a rabbit.

[peppypoo]

When a bunny is around 6 months old, their hormones start kicking in. Most of the time these hormones cause unwanted behaviors for pet owners…the bunnies can become more aggressive, bite out of fear, start marking their territory, trying to mount everything, etc..and these behaviors can only be stopped by spaying/neutering. Particularly for female rabbits, spaying is also a health issue – female rabbits have a high chance of developing cancer if they are not spayed.

I agree with the member above me who suggested that perhaps you should wait to adopt a rabbit. Maybe in the future when you are able to make your own decisions about pets and their healthcare you can consider a rabbit; aside from being cute, they do require a lot of time (and money) which will be difficult to come by if your parents are not completely supportive of all the expenses involved.

[KytKattin]

Unfortunately owning a bunny in general can be expensive. The relatively low cost of a spay/neuter is nothing compared to the overall cost of feeding, and additional vet visits. What if your bunny needs regular teeth trims? That can cost $100 or more every couple of months.

Without a spay female rabbits are almost GUARANTEED to get some form of reproductive cancer. Not to mention that they will be hard to litter train, and can be very territorial and aggressive.

Check out this link, and show it to your parents: https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/tabid/53/CategoryID/4/PID/940/Default.aspx

What are you going to do with your bunny when you go off to college? Most dorms won’t let you have a rabbit, and it is unfair to expect your parents to take care of the pets you promised to be responsible for.

Consider that this is a living creature that has his or her own needs that are very different than your own. While owning any pet has selfish motivations, please remember that bunnies require very specific care and won’t act like a dog or cat. Ask yourself very seriously why you want a bunny, and what you hope to gain from having one.

[Stickerbunny]

Females have a high (80%+) chance to develop cancer if not spayed. They can also get very aggressive/territorial/hard to litter train/destructive as their hormones develop. Males can have the same behavioral issues, though not the cancer risk.

Not sure where the two years commitment is from (your other posts I am guessing) but if you cannot commit to 10-12 years of care do not get a rabbit.

Also, if your parents don’t want to pay for a spay/neuter, what happens if bunny gets hurt? Or sick? A spay/neuter is CHEAP compared to a lot of common medical problems a rabbit can develop. Would your parents pay $700 if your bunny became injured and needed surgery? How about $100 if it developed a URI? Regular 2 week office visits if it develops a tooth issue that requires frequent trimming (ranging from anywhere from $30-$70 a visit)? Bunnies can be pricey, because they are exotics it can be even more expensive than a dog/cat since it takes the vets extra schooling to treat them.

If any of the above is an issue, you may want to reconsider a rabbit.

[LBJ10]

I am not encouraging this, but I did want to say that not having a boy neutered is not as bad as not having a girl spayed. Reproductive-related cancers are much less common in boys. So for purely health reasons, for girls it is a must to have them spayed. There are other things to worry about when you don’t have your bunny spayed/neutered though. Like the others mentioned, there may be some unwanted behavior. For boys, this includes marking, being destructive, circling, humping, etc. Girls can do those things too, but they can also become very aggressive and have false pregnancies. Having a hormonal and sexually frustrated rabbit is no fun. Plus if you ever want to have a pair of bunnies, you must have them spayed/neutered otherwise they won’t get along.

I’m not sure where the 2 year commitment came from either. Healthy rabbits can live to be 10 years or more though. Like the others, I am concerned. If your parents don’t want to pay to have a rabbit spayed/neutered, then I am doubting they will let you seek medical care if the rabbit becomes ill or injured. I don’t think there is anyone here who hasn’t incurred a pretty pricey vet bill at least once.

[Bunnies4ever]

I think some people equate rabbits with hamsters or gerbils. You’ll be amazed how many people don’t realize that a bunny can live to be 8-10 years old. I’m involved in animal rescue and part of what we do is to educate people about rabbits and their needs. One woman I talked to thought rabbits only lived 2-3 years (like a hamster or gerbil). Once we told her that a rabbit’s live span is 8-10 years or longer, she was amazed! Needless to say, she didn’t adopt a rabbit! By all means, you don’t want an unaltered male or female. I am currently fostering a 6-mo male bunny that’s beginning to become highly aggressive. He will be getting neutered shortly. He almost took a chunk out of my hand one morning when I was feeding him.

[tobyluv]

I agree that you should not get a bunny unless you or other family members are prepared to care for it for 10+ years. If you think that it will be easy to find another home for your bunny in a couple of years, it won’t be. I volunteer at a rabbit sanctuary and we stay full and unfortunately have to turn away a large number of rabbits that we are asked to take. It is the same with all rescues. There are far more rabbits in search of a home then there are homes for them.

Everyday costs for rabbits can be high. Here is the Binky Bunny breakdown of costs for food, supplies and vet care: https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/tabid/53/CategoryID/4/PID/940/Default.aspx

[LoveChaCha]

If your parents won’t pay for the financial expenses for a rabbit, I would suggest you wait until you are older, have your own place and are able to take on the financial responsibility of having a rabbit. Rabbits are indeed a lot of work, and a lot of money.

[CinnabunMom]

Adding my two cents: you asked specifically about female bunnies. My Cinnabun was extra hormonal when those hormones kicked in. I thought humping/spraying/aggression/destrcution was limited to male bunnies. Boy was I wrong. They kicked in when she was about 6 months old. I was bit, scratched and grunted at. She tore up carpet, tried to chew on chords, and sprayed her urine everywhere (including me), not to mention that she left poop pellets everywhere because when their hormones kick in, they tend to forget their litter training. She also humped everything in sight: her stuffed fish, my leg, my arm. It was a nightmare for about a month until I got her spayed. Now’s she much calmer and back to being a well behaved bunny.

[RabbitPam]

Everyone has pretty much covered the reasons for a spay, the expenses, and what to expect long term when owning a bunny.
I would just like to suggest a slightly easier, less costly pet for you for now, since you live with your parents, and that’s a guinea pig. While they can live 5-8 years also, they do not require spay or neuter, stay happily in their cages for longer periods, cost less to feed and care for, and need fewer vet visits since they are basically less prone to assorted illnesses and chronic conditions. There are many exceptions, of course, but our family had a total of 4 at times while I was growing up and the were not a huge expense for my folks, plus were fun for kids – more so than rabbits. (Easier to hold for longer periods of time.) They are sweet, loving pets.

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