Vaccines & Spay/Nutered

[Oatmeals_Mama]

So I adopted this bunny from a friend of an exroommate. I want to know how I can tell if my baby boy has been fixed or if he’s been vaccinated. I can’t ask the people from whom I adopted Oatmeal or my exroommates because they want nothing to do with me since I moved out and they lost their money I was giving them.

[Sirius&Luna]

You can’t tell if he’s been vaccinated. A vet may be able to tell if the bunny has been spayed or neutered. How were his previous owners? Were they responsible? Did they spend money on looking after him? If the answers are no, then he’s probably not been neutered or vaccinated. Did they get him from a breeder or a rescue? Rescues normally vaccinate and neuter, but top up vaccinations are needed every year anyway.

[Bam]

You could start by looking for testicles, but no testicles doesn’t absolutely mean he’s been neutered, because rabbits can draw their testicles up into their belly if they for example feel stressed. A vet can tell though.

With a girl it’s more difficult but if she’s a baby she’s probably not spayed, most vets want to wait until the bun is 6 mo ths old. There would be some scarring after a spay, often non-dissolvable sutures are used on the inside wound and the thread can be felt with the fingertips but not seen.

If you are in Europe or Australia, vaccinations are absolutely necessary. You cant tell if he’s had any unless you know what vet hes been to (vets keep charts). Its best to assume he hasn’t been vaccinated if you dont know.

[Oatmeals_Mama]

He’s a boy. I adopted him from people who basically just got tired of him and we’re going to put him down or release him to then wild. I couldn’t let that happen. I don’t know anything honestly. I can’t find out because the only people I have to get in contact with the people I adopted him from are @$$#°(€$ and have shut me out.

[Oatmeals_Mama]

Honestly i dont know how the other people were. When I adopted him he looked like he had t been brushed or nails clipped in a while. He was fat but that was because of fur that hadn’t been brushed off i what seemed like forever. He also hardly ate at first and seemed confused when I always had his bowl full….

I dont know I just wish I could get his records (if he has any).

[Sirius&Luna]

He doesn’t sound like he was well looked after, so I would assume he hasn’t been neutered or vaccinated.

If you’re in a country that needs vaccinations, that’s the most important thing to organise. You can check with the vet if there would be any risk to him being possibly vaccinated twice, but I think as long as they weren’t right next to each other, which obviously they wouldn’t be, it should be fine.

Neutering isn’t essential for boys, so you can hold off on that for a bit. It generally calms them down and improves litter habits, but it’s not essential for preventing cancer like it is with girl buns.

What’s his current diet like? I just ask because you say his bowl is always full! Bunnies should always have access to hay, but pellets should be given in limited portions

[Oatmeals_Mama]

Tbh I don’t think he was well taken care of. He always has hay and I fill his bowl and let it go up until empty but always make sure he has something in there. I’ve heard that boy bunnies can get testicular cancer if not neutered. I feed him oxbow pellets and hay along with romaine lettuce and celery and carrots occasionally (3-ish times a week).

How much does neutering typically cost? At what point should I consider it? I live in the US. Is it required for my bunbun to be vaccinated?

[Bam]

Thank you for taking this bun in! ❤

I agree with everything S&L has said. Sort the vaccinations first of all, but if you are in the USA or Canada, there are no vaccinations for rabbits. Neutering can wait. Diet is important, so we’d be happy to go over that with you. Hay is the most important part of a bun’s diet, it keeps both the teeth and the tummy in good order. It also helps the bun keep a healthy weight.

[Asriel and Bombur]

Do you know how old he is? He should never be getting unlimited pellets. If he’s over 6 months old, he should be given about 2 tbsp a day for a bunny that weighs under 6 pounds. Pellets are only meant to supplement a diet. Giving him access to pellets at all times can teach him to only eat pellets and not eat his hay. A good rule of thumb is to do non-hay feedings every 10-14 hours that way it encourages the bun to eat hay.

Depending on your location, and where you do it, some places are as cheap as $100 and some are up to $350. My boys were each $350, as I live in Boston and the only exotics vet is an ASPCA vet, so they unfortunately charge more. Research a good bunny-savvy vet, as normal vets are very knowledgeable on bunny care.

Here in the US we do not need to vaccinate our buns.

[Oatmeals_Mama]

He pretty much only eats hay and I a,ways make sure he has a supply of it. The pellets just sit there and he nibbles as he wants, he mostly just eats hay and the fruits/veggies I give him.

I believe he is roughly 2years old? Not positive though.

[Asriel and Bombur]

Then I’d just cut them out all together. There’s also no point of leaving them in there as a temptation for him. You never know, one day he just may gobble them all up! My boy Asriel used to hate treats of any kind, then one day I found him munching on an apple I had left out. So you never know, especially as he becomes more comfortable and familiar with you and the environment. You can try just giving him that 2tbsp in either the morning or the evening (without greens or other treats) and see if he eats them then, then just feed his greens 10-14 hours later.

[Oatmeals_Mama]

I’ll cut them down to a few tabs a day. Thank you so much for this input!

[LBJ10]

I would go with the assumption that he hasn’t be neutered or received vaccines. Do you like in North America? If you do, then there are not vaccines available. In Europe and Australia, vaccines are a must. I agree with Bam, neutering him does not need to be a priority. That is… as long as you are positive he is a boy. Rabbits are misidentified all the time. And if the people you got him from weren’t taking the best care of him, then it’s possible they never verified gender. Testicular cancer is rare. Neutering is mostly done for behavioral reasons. Spaying a female, however, is highly recommended because the risk of uterine cancer is high.

[Oatmeals_Mama]

I was told he was a boy when I rescued him from some idiots who didn’t really care for him. So i dont know for sure tbh…

[LBJ10]

I would definitely have a vet take a look then. He should be old enough to be identified with a high degree of certainty.

[Oatmeals_Mama]

My problem is finding the time, I work full time and my mother doesn’t think taking a rabbit to the vet is worth spending money so I’m likely to get yelled at for it…

[Bunny House]

I always have to add, I agree with the others. Since you work full time, I am guessing you are financially responsible for the little guy? Your mom wouldn’t have any input in the care you give him, but if she is financially responsible for him, you may end up having some strains in the relationship as sick buns can be very costly very fast and it seems like she doesn’t think of him a a dog or cat who goes to the vet.

Many vets can let you drop them off the night before and then they will look at them the next day, even though it isn’t recommended for buns as they can get stasis, it may be an option for you or see if they can do an early morning drop-off, that’s what I do since in in school.

[Oatmeals_Mama]

I still live at home but don’t have many bills so I have the money. My mom doesn’t understand preventative care…

Like if he was visible sick she would probably let me take him but i dont know…. I may just take him and say screw what she thinks. He’s my rabbit, I pay for all his stuff..

[LBJ10]

It’s always a good idea to have a new animal checked out when you bring them home anyway. Just to make sure they are healthy. Plus you have some real questions to ask.

[Oatmeals_Mama]

Exactly. My mom doesn’t understand that….

[Sirius&Luna]

If it’s your money, surely your mum doesn’t need to be involved.

[Bunny House]

If you’re over 18, then I would assume you have a car that you can drive? Your mom wouldn’t have any say in the care you give your bun if you don’t need anything from her to help in his care.

What exactly is your mom preventing you to do? You have your own income. And I suppose your own car. So she is only holding you back mentally, it would be abusive to the animal if you did what she tells you to do even though you are independent from her

[Oatmeals_Mama]

She’s very controlling and believes she knows what is the best thing even if she clearly doesn’t.

I’ll probably take him next paycheck

[Author]

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