Does a girl bunny’s behavior change after being spayed?

[Bambam]

I want to get my girls spayed and I was wondering if it will make them any more affectionate and calm? They’re fine if they come up to me for a stroke but if I go to them they run away, breaks my heart.
Will they be more relaxed if I get them spayed?

[peppypoo]

The spay will not make them immediately more affectionate, since a lot of what you’re describing is not due to hormones but rather just intrinsic to their personality. Try to spend some time on the floor with them just hanging out and letting them approach you…although some bunnies are naturally more skittish than others, most learn to relax a little with time and love.

However, I still encourage you to have your girls spayed – unspayed female rabbits run a very high risk of developing reproductive cancer as they grow older.

[Bambam]

What age would you suggest that I get them spayed at? Pebbles is 6 months and flin is 4 months. They do jump up onto my bed and run over me, it’s not that they’re scared of me, just not very affectionate. My old bunny was so loving and I wish these girls would love me too haha

[Deleted User]

Pebbles is at the age to get fixed. They normally start fixing for females at 6 months. I would double check to make sure that they’re both female so that you don’t have an opps litter.

[Bambam]

I have checked because I was told flin was a boy when I got her! Sorry just noticed the spelling mistake in the title, bunnys not Benny’s

[Sarita]

Altering an animal will never change their inherent personality so I would not count on that.

Spaying is recommended to prevent cancer. Neutering is recommended to help alter some behaviors (but not change personality).

I say just accept your rabbits the way they are and eventually too they may become more social and affectionate.

[LittlePuffyTail]

Spend lots of time with your buns at their level. Sitting on the floor and ignoring them until they come to you is the best way to bond with your bunnies. Trust takes time. They will calm down with age too, they are young and hyper at this age.

[Bam]

It took my rabbit a whole year before he felt comfortable enough to really befriend me. He spent almost all his time under the coffea-table in the living-room, he’d come to me for treats and then he ran away to eat the treat in peace, away from me. Now he can jump right up into my lap and cuddle for an hour, no problem (if I shut the dog out of the room, when she’s there he much prefer her as a cuddling-partner.)

So I’d say as the rest have said, give it time. Bunnies are naturally shy creatures. They need to learn that you are not a predator planning to eat them, and that will take time.

 

By this I don’t mean you shouldn’t have them spayed, but I very much doubt it would create “instant friendliness” in them. By having them spayed you’d avoid lots of other problems though.

[jerseygirl]

Spaying will be best for their long term health but it can also benefit behaviour. Many report a positive change in that. It’s not the cure-all in behaviour though.

I did see an immediate change in the pair of girls I have. I was surprised actually. Leading up to the spay they were mounting each other, having little scuffles, marking more, and the older girl more vocal and skittish like she was when pregnant.
All these behaviours stopped after spay in their case.

They do still startle at times but that’s just normal rabbit behaviour. They approach once recognizing there’s no threat. Getting down to their level on the floor helps.

[Author]

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