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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

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Forum DIET & CARE So what is the real proper age to spay/neuter a rabbit?

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    • SamieLee
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        I planned on spaying and neutering all of my bunnies (by March I’ll have three total, two boys and a girl and they all are different ages) as soon as they each hit five months old. I was always told six months is technically the best age to do it, but I wanted to get it done ahead of time just to be on the safe side. However, another bunny owner recently said it was actually supposed to be done at three to four months? :/ I really do worry about this because I don’t really have the expirience or time to help nuture a pregnant bunny or her kit. And I won’t even get started on the topic of having to sell them. I want to do my best to prevent any unintentional breeding so that I can avoid all the trouble. And if what the lady told me is correct then one of my bunnies needs to be neutered ASAP! All the bunnies I owned in the past were never housed with other rabbits, the only ones that had a “buddy” belonged to my mother. So I never had to really worry about this issue until now and as you can see I’m pretty uncertain about what to do. I just really want to make sure I’m doing the right thing so that my bunnies and I don’t end up paying for it dearly later. Any help or advice would be appreciated! Thank you!


      • jerseygirl
        Moderator
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          So what are the current ages of your rabbits?

          Most vets are comfortable to do the surgery by 6 months of age. Many experienced vets will do it from 4 months, particularly male rabbits. The suggested age of 6 months for neuter (M&F) is more to do with the bunnies development and weight. It’s not to do with their breeding age.

          Female rabbits can breed from 3 months of age if they’ve been with a sexually mature male. If your male rabbit(s) testicles haven’t yet descended, you might have avoided the female becoming pregnant. You really need to house the rabbits separately now until they are neutered.


        • Beka27
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            Boys can be neutered when the testicles descend. It’s a simple procedure and you don’t have to wait until 6 months for that. I’m hearing more and more often of vets spaying girls sooner than 6 months and that worries me. Spaying is invasive, they have to be a good weight and “sturdy”, and by removing all of the hormone-producing organs too soon, you are running a risk at developmental problems later on. Reputable vets say “6 months” for a reason. I would go ahead and neuter the boys sooner, but for the girl, just wait until 6 months.

            Make sure that the girl is separated from the boys until she is spayed (and for a short time after for healing). Neutered males can retain viable sperm for 1-2 months after the procedure, so the real risk of pregnancy isn’t gone until after she is spayed.


          • peppypoo
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            1945 posts Send Private Message

              It really depends on both the breed and the individual, but girls can be spayed around 6 months and boys as soon as testicles descend (like Beka said). However, the best way to know for sure is to talk to your vet and schedule the procedures when the vet thinks it’s appropriate.


            • SamieLee
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                Oh wow. I now see how clueless I was going into this. Thank you so much for your advice! The good thing is that I am in the process of building a very large cage that I plan on housing all three rabbits in so that they have enough leg room. When it’s done I will move the boys in there and then I’ll keep the girl in the smaller cage until she is ready and can join the other two. Again thank you all so much for the advice. And also, thank you for being understanding and not making any condescending remarks. The concept of housing rabbits together is still relatively new to me so I’m still learning. I did some research on the subject beforehand but clearly that wasn’t enough so I guess now it’s back to doing research for me!


              • peppypoo
                Participant
                1945 posts Send Private Message

                  It’s alright, we all learn by asking questions . Do let us know if there is anything else you’re not sure about…also, the “BUNNY INFO” link on the menu on the top of the page has some great basic information.


                • jerseygirl
                  Moderator
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                    http://www.rabbit.org is also a fantastic resource


                  • Beka27
                    Participant
                    16016 posts Send Private Message

                      We’re happy to help! There’s a lot of “mis-information” out there, or info that’s correct, but not fully explained. If there’s anything else you need, please ask!


                    • SamieLee
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                      20 posts Send Private Message

                        Thank you all so much! It means a lot to me to know I can go somewhere for help when it comes to many little furry little friends!

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                    Forum DIET & CARE So what is the real proper age to spay/neuter a rabbit?