Post Spay Behavior Changes

[Annamatic]

Hi ya’ll, 

I have two content holland lops a boy (Tucker) who’s almost two and neutered when he was 6 months, and our new lady bun (Penelope) who just turned 6 months. Their hutches are next to each other until they can bond and live together.  We had her spayed last week and she’s developed a new ‘trick’ of running around Tucker’s hutch dropping poops like a Pez dispenser and then wherever he is resting she pees.We clean the spots up immediately with vinegar and put her back on her litter box, but its like she waits until we open her hutch for play time to let it all out. 
I have an idea that this is territorial behavior due to hormones, but wondered if anyone had come across the same problem and some ideas to a solution. We clean the spots up immediately with vinegar and put her back on her litter box, but its like she waits until we open her hutch for play time to let it all out. 

Thanks for the help.

[Rain]

That’s an interesting situation! Most hormonal things in rabbit still stay until after five to six weeks post slaying or neutering. Describe how you have set up her litter box please. Maybe there is an issue with it. Rabbits need their litter area perfect or they will hold it all in and do it somewhere else!

[Moo <3]

Like Rain said, it will take several more weeks for her hormones to completely be gone. Because she is marking territory by Tucker’s area, she most likely smells him and is upset with the roommate. If it continues, you might try housing her in a different room until the hormones are gone.

[sarahthegemini]

It’s probably hormones. After a spay, many buns go through a hormone surge. It can take up to 6 months for a does’ hormones to settle but 1 to 2 months is more common )

[Annamatic]

Didn’t notice the copy and paste duplication in the original post! Sorry for the lack of originality.

Her litter box is a standard corner set up with the grate on top and we use Yesterday’s News in the bottom. She probably uses it 85% of the time and the other 15% is either her new activities or right next to it.

I’ll wait it out and see if the behavior lessens. Fingers crossed she figures this out in less than 6 months.

Thanks!

[sarahthegemini]

I think 6 months is ‘worse case scenario’ sort of thing so chances are it won’t take that long.

[Moo <3]

If the problems aren’t gone by 6 months, I would definitely try to see if the litter box is the problem. Most corner-tray litter boxes and far too small, and the wire bottom can hurt their feet. If you want, you can try a large cat litter box (more bucket-like) and put the paper on the bottom and fill the top with hay, as rabbits enjoy eating while pooping.

[Rain]

Yes Lucy is right that’s what I do with my bunbun.

[Author]

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