To Spay or not to Spay..

[FuzzBun]

So I have the most wonderful little girl bunny. But then maybe I’m a little bias 

She is almost 5months old and is the most loving, happy little bunny. She does all the typical bunny behavior. Chinning, binkies constantly  Loves loves loves getting rubbed, and oddly enough will even ask to get picked up (cause that’s she gets the most petting … lol…

Aside from not being extremely welcoming of people who don’t live in our house (she will immediately go up to them and give them a big old hard bite. She never is acting aggressive when she does it, she just hops up and bites. She doesn’t growl or show any other signs of hormonal aggression.

However last night during a little bonding session on the floor she sprayed me with impressive accuracy all down my arm 

So issue is there isn’t to my knowledge someone where I live that does a lot of rabbit procedures. And the lady I got my bun from even said that she doesn’t normally recommend Mini Rex’s get fixed cause she’s had lots get lost in the procedure. Plus I personally am terrified of the whole ordeal…I would be so upset if we lost our little bunny  I get the health benefits to getting them spayed…but what if she rips out her stitches…there are not a ton of vets around that would be able to easily help me…what about getting her pain meds after the fact…(like seriously it can’t be easy to feed meds to a bunny) 

She’s a small girl, is still only about 2.5lbs. I just worry she’s so small it would not work out but I also dont want her getting utrine cancer…and hope is she wouldn’t be doing this spraying thing and maybe she would be more welcoming of strangers. (she absolutely never bites us so its got to be a territory thing)

Anyways any insight would be welcome.

[Nature Nerd]

Hey Jo! I personally would get her spayed for several reasons. One, it will reduce the risk of ovarian cancer. Two, it will keep litter box habits (if she’s litter box trained) in order. And three, she will be a happier, kinder bun.

In order to get her spayed, you may need to do some research on your local vets. You also may need to drive quite a ways and spend quite a bit of money. For example, my vet, who works half an hour from where I live, charges $210! If you’re lucky it may be as low as $50. Perhaps you can find a clinic?

For the biting issue (if it’s even an issue), it is most likely her showing who’s boss. Spaying will help with this.

And the spraying issue…she’s marking you as her territory I guess. Again, spaying will help here.

Finally, for the not-making-it-through-spaying ordeal, if you find a vet who has been trained for this purpose, it shouldn’t be a problem.

Hope I helped!

[jerseygirl]

Hi Jo

She sounds like quite the character!

You have some very valid concerns. My advice is just to revisit spaying at a later date, perhaps after she is a year old. At 5 months old she’s only just reaching puberty and you may see some of those undesirable habits pop up. It can settle a little but when the hormones first come in, it can be challenging! Sometimes will start to see their adult personality more also. So don’t be surprised if she decides she no longer likes been picked up. That is quite normal. Some bunnies will remain a lot like when they are younger though. It really depends on the individual rabbit.

If you do decide to get her spayed, how about doing a road trip of sorts? I recall other members on here doing this in the past. They traveled a some distance from home to a vet with a lot of experience desexing rabbits. And arranged to stay overnight (or even longer) during the recovery period.

[FuzzBun]

A road trip may be a good idea…there is a vet to does say they do exotic animals here, and I have yet to talk to them…as I have talked to others with rabbits and they have said they haven’t found a good vet so I’m assuming even though they say they do exotic pets they aren’t very good or don’t do many of them. Sucks cause I live in a fairly big area…Edmonton Alberta is only 4 hours away and there’s sure to be someone there. 

I love her way too much to just take her to anyone. 

And yes she’s got quite the personality  Can get pretty vocal too sometimes which is adorable…chriping when extremely excited. haha I have to tippy toe through the house cause she’s always running circle 8’s around my feet. 

I am hopeful these small little hormone things that have popped up with just stay as they are and not get worst…or even out cause she’s got such a cool personality as is, I don’t want her to change too much…or not make it through surgery 

[Nature Nerd]

Jerseygirl, are you saying that after a year they settle down and go back to their normal behavior? I’m asking because as I previously mentioned my vet is too expensive so I worry that my bun’s sweet attitude will change when he’s older. Thanks

[Vienna Blue in France]

My female bun sprayed once (that I know of) at me when I said out out when she was chewing something she shouldnt I think… it was more like a teenager sticking her tongue out at me, rabbit fashion!!! Lol. She doesn’t do it anymore.

[lunavenus]

I got my bunnies spayed when they were a lil over 4 months and they are both dwarf breed rabbits (both are under 2lbs). They both made it out alive and well. One of my bunnies didn’t get pain meds for her spay… she was a lil grumpy for 2 days but bounced back half way thru the 2nd day. She started trying to run around because I guess the pain from the spay wasn’t as horrible anymore. I had to stop her from doing some crazy stuff like jumping on the 2nd floor cardboard castle I have for them so she doesn’t rip open her stitches by accident (YIKES). I realized bunnies bounce back quick from procedures compared to humans lol. Note that this bunny is also super skinny (I have no idea why when she eats like a freaking lawn mower) and she made it out alive.

My other bunny did get pain meds but that was only because she had a reproductive deformity that made my vet dig thru her tummy more extensively to find the uterus (turns out she didn’t have any reproductive organs…..) so I guess they gave her pain meds since she would’ve been sore from the extensive digging the vet had to do.

But I have to say I got them both done by a very rabbit savvy vet who has done COUNTLESS amounts of spays and neuters on rabbits, dogs, guinea pigs, cats, and etc. The procedure cost me U.S.$ 275 per bunny…

[Sleepy]

I have a mini-rex who was spayed at 6 months and she bounced back very well (we actually were going to wait till she was older but hormonal behaviors like spraying and territorial peeing were starting to become too much). However, the vet who did it handles a lot of exotic animals and buns.

If the lady you got yours from says she’s lost a lot of mini-rexes to spaying, I’d wonder who their vet is and avoid them for your bun. I also wouldn’t worry too-too much about a changing personality. I find their ‘core’ tends to remain the same but different aspects comes out once hormones and bun puberty get involved. In the case of Guinness, she was always very social and a bit of a cuddle bun before puberty but started becoming very demanding and beotchy once hormones hit. Post-spay, once hormones died down, she’s still a bit demanding but remains social and actually became more cuddly. So I could live with her more ‘adult’ personality despite changes 

[FuzzBun]

Anyone in Alberta Canada on this forum that know of a vet that does alot of female rabbits spays? The one I thought I found I don’t think she does too many And I don’t want to make the 4 hour trip to Edmonton. Its just too far. I live in GRande Prairie Area. Thanks!

[tobyluv]

Here is a list of vets in Canada. Alberta is at the top of the page. http://members.shaw.ca/cocoasun/CanadianRabbitVets.htm

[Author]

Messages