What should I know when spaying or neutering my rabbit? Health is always a top priority when caring for a pet bunny. These are fragile and highly sensitive animals that require a great deal of attention for them to thrive. This means a timely and well-balanced diet, maintaining a clean environment, as well as regular checks at the local vet clinic.
As it approaches a certain age, most especially around adolescence, it is advisable to start looking at spaying or neutering your pet bunny. Rabbits at this age are at full sexual maturity and therefore start to develop some peculiar traits.
Some of these traits are typical of rabbits during puberty and aren’t inherently a source of concern. There are some on the other hand that may require urgent attention which will be instrumental to the safety and good health of your pet rabbit.
Spaying or neutering helps in several ways to save your pet bunnies from ailments such as cancer or UTIs (urinary tract infection.) Also, a rabbit becomes generally calmer when spayed or neutered on time.
To better know about spaying and neutering your rabbit, we will be covering the following:
- Is it better to spay or neuter a rabbit?
- Is it cheaper to neuter or spay a rabbit?
- Will neutering a rabbit stop it from spraying?
- Is it okay to not neuter your rabbit?
Stick around now to learn all there is about spaying or neutering a pet rabbit.
Is It Better To Spay Or Neuter A Rabbit?
What are things to know when spaying or neutering a rabbit? Spaying is simply the process of removing the ovaries of a female rabbit. Neutering, or properly known as castration, is the process name for a male rabbit. Once your pet rabbits reach puberty, they start to exhibit sometimes strange habits that may involve any or all of the following:
- Spraying of urine as a sign of affection.
- Not observing proper litter habits
- Humping objects around the house include the feet of their humans
- Biting or nipping to mark territory
- Making growly sounds.
- Moving around circularly.
- Uncontrollable chewing, boxing, and digging (very common in female rabbits.)
When you observe any one of the above, it’s time to get your rabbit spayed or neutered. Spaying or neutering your pet bunny on time can save it from several health conditions. These include uterine or ovarian cancer, testicular cancer, and urinary tract infections, etc.
Spaying or neutering also promotes a healthy, longer life in a pet rabbit. It also makes them calm and easier to handle. So it’s an absolute no-brainer that it is always better to spray or neuter your pet bunny to reduce the risk of some of these medical conditions.
So Why Should I Spay or Neuter My Rabbit?
There are significant benefits of spaying or neutering a pet rabbit, the most important of which is protecting them from infections. Spaying or neutering also generally improves the life expectancy of your pet bunnies.
It has been studied that female rabbits are at a 65 percent risk of getting uterine cancer or adenocarcinoma at the age of 3 or 4. Getting them spayed on time reduces this risk and contributes positively to their general wellbeing.
Below are other great reasons why you should spay or neuter your pet rabbit:
- A spayed or neutered rabbit is typically more affectionate towards its owner.
- They are also easier to potty-train.
- Spaying or neutering helps to limit the display of certain odd behaviors such as spraying urine.
- It reduces strong sexual urges and the need to propagate.
- Bunnies bond better when spayed or neutered. This is common among male rabbits.
- Spaying or neutering also helps to reduce or manage the population.
Is It Cheaper To Neuter Or Spay A Rabbit?
Spaying or neutering is a very comprehensive surgery. Hence, it is usually a costly procedure that sets you back a couple of dollars. Nonetheless, it is a good investment considering the long-term benefits that come with it.
Are there scare things to know when spaying or neutering my rabbit? But before your pet rabbit goes under the knife, it needs to be verified thoroughly by a qualified vet if it is perfectly fit for surgery. All rabbits are unique and therefore have different personalities. Some rabbits do fine during surgery and make a full expected recovery within days. Some can develop complications if they undergo certain major operations.
However the case, rabbits are generally put under pain management medications such as anesthesia to reduce the risk of shock. A well-sedated rabbit will also need the proper surveillance by the right personnel before and after being operated on. This may include some blood work or checking pulse and heart rate. All these procedures contribute heavily to the cost of spaying or neutering a pet rabbit.
Is It a Long Process?
The process is practically divided into two phases: pre-surgery and post-surgery. Pre-surgery does not usually involve a lot of prep work so there isn’t much at this time. Post-surgery on the other hand may require an extra follow-up appointment.
Consequently, if the operation turns out to be more complicated, this can hike the cost by some extra hundred dollars.
However, it is always advised that you have a chat with your vet to know your options and what to expect from the procedure. Your doctor will give you a total rundown of the entire process and may even take you on a tour around the vet facility.
In summary, spaying or neutering will start at anywhere from $35 and could go as high as $250 to $300. All these depend on the age, breed, or your pet bunny’s health history.
Will Neutering A Rabbit Stop It From Spraying?
When a rabbit attains puberty, it starts to exhibit some behaviors or traits you may find odd. Some of these behaviors include observing poor hygiene, moving around erratically, or chewing on objects around the house. The most common of all behaviors typical of non-spayed or neutered rabbits is the spraying of urine.
The spraying of urine is an indication of sexual maturity. Another reason rabbits spray urine is to mark their territory and to attract mates. Rabbits will also spray their urine on the owners as a sign of affection. As a rabbit owner, you may not find this type of show of affection funny.
Getting a rabbit spayed or neutered is about the only way to curb the act. You may not entirely stop it from releasing urine, but spaying or neutering helps to manage it to a great extent.
One of the major reasons neutering is encouraged in rabbits is to maintain balanced hormonal behavior. Controlling all the traits associated with a sexually mature rabbit may be impossible, but it helps a long way for the general well-being of your pet bunny.
In summary, a spayed or neutered rabbit is a happier and well-behaved rabbit. They tend to bond better amongst themselves, observe better potty hygiene, and cohabit properly without adding to the existing population.
Is It Okay To Not Neuter Your Rabbit?
Spaying or neutering a rabbit is highly essential for several reasons as we have discussed earlier. A sexually mature rabbit will start developing hormonal changes once it attains puberty and continues until it reaches full adulthood. This is common among male and female rabbits of all sizes and species.
You can manage these hormonal changes by neutering or spaying your pet bunnies as soon as they reach adolescence. Neutering or spaying goes a long way to improving the life expectancy of your pet bunny.
The good thing now is with modern medical science is that the many health benefits of spaying or neutering a rabbit are well documented. This goes for both male and female rabbits. Statistics show that neutered rabbits perform better and live more proactively than their non-spayed or non-neutered pairs.
Is It a Guaranteed Problem Solver?
Still, many pet rabbit owners may express surprise when their spayed or neutered rabbits continually show strong hormonal signs. Some of these signs are most common during spring or early parts of summer.
As has been stated, spaying or neutering does not completely rid your pet bunny of strange hormonal behavior. It simply manages them to a reasonable extent.
Spaying or neutering a pet rabbit is also not an all-time mandated function for a rabbit owner. A rabbit will still do fine even if they are not spayed or neutered. Spaying or neutering should be done at the discretion of the pet rabbit owner.
However, most vet experts will advise that you go for this procedure for several reasons as outlined below:
- Spaying or neutering helps prevent the development of reproductive cancer in female rabbits.
- The risk of testicular cancer is also reduced in male rabbits.
- Spaying or neutering reduces erratic behaviors such as aggressiveness, burrowing, or indiscriminate spraying of urine.
- The procedure also limits excessive mounting by male rabbits and false pregnancies in females.