Rabbit advice please

clutterydrawer

ClareEmily wrote: »

Having female rabbits (does) spayed is even more important. Most females become territorial and aggressive from sexual maturity onwards (4-6 months). They have repeated false pregnancies, and may growl at, scratch and

bite their owners as well as attacking other rabbits. Keeping two females together - even if they are sisters - can make things worse.

I tried pairing my two females once and it was uitter chaos, fur flying everywhere, if I hadn't split them up with a water spray there would have been some serious injuries.

ClareEmily

Hi Clutterydrawer are you on rabbits united? your name rings a bell I have recently joined I'm Biscuit Bunny (original ...not)

clutterydrawer

ClareEmily wrote: »

Hi Clutterydrawer are you on rabbits united? your name rings a bell I have recently joined I'm Biscuit Bunny (original ...not)

I am yes I wondered who you were haha!

moggylover

ClareEmily wrote: »

I think we were trying to also point out to the orginal poster that neuturing in the long term is important, especially for females, just reading the bit in bold is why my bunny is neutured. It also sounds like you have been extremely lucky I have witnessed a bunny fight and it is not nice.

Sorry to keep quoting from the RWAF but they explain it better than me.


Having female rabbits (does) spayed is even more important. Most females become territorial and aggressive from sexual maturity onwards (4-6 months). They have repeated false pregnancies, and may growl at, scratch and

bite their owners as well as attacking other rabbits. Keeping two females together - even if they are sisters - can make things worse.

Spaying reduces and sometimes eliminates these behavioural problems. Spayed females are likely to live longer then their unspayed sisters. Up to 80% of unspayed female rabbits develop uterine cancer by 5 years of age.

Females who are not spayed when young and in good health may have to undergo the operation in later life if a pyometra (uterine infection) or cancer develops, although usually it is too late and the cancer has already spread. Spaying is a bigger operation than castration. It's usually performed when the rabbit is at least 4 or 5 months old. The uterus and both ovaries are removed via the abdomen.

Well, tbh, I have been keeping rabbits for most of my 50 years: I cannot state categorically that none of them ever developed cancer when I was a child, but I have NEVER had a female develop it in my adulthood, and the majority of my rabbits have lived at least 8 to 10 years with the record going to two dutch males who lived 14 years and 15 years (although not together at the same time, iyswim).

I also found neutering totally useless with the two aggressive females I have had - they are STILL aggressive after the op and not sweet little bunnies.:rolleyes:

Furthermore, I was twice unfortunate enough to have a rabbit expire under aneasthetic and whilst I am aware that new aneasthetics are slightly better I have one rabbit who grows dreadful teeth who nearly expired under aneasthetic two years ago when her two bottom teeth were extracted, and had to be brought around quickly before the top ones could be attended to!

I do work in rescue and I do understand the concerns however, I feel strongly that sometimes we put too much emphasis on adding unnecessarily to the "possible" expenses of animals and too many "what ifs" are thrown up and it almost seems that many want to discourage pet ownership that does not fall into their own "very tight" criteria for perfection.

There is a MAJOR difference between not wasting money on unneccesary procedures and affording the cost of necessary veterinary care for the majority of people, and I think many people are rather harsh in their judgements of people who do not do things entirely their way.

Personally I would go with two girls and try them and neuter ONLY if they appear to be fighting, but I would factor that cost in as a possibility and also that even after neutering they might still not be willing to share (although that is a situation I have only come across ONCE in 50 years so I do seriously question how common it is).

ClareEmily

moggylover wrote: »

Well, tbh, I have been keeping rabbits for most of my 50 years: I cannot state categorically that none of them ever developed cancer when I was a child, but I have NEVER had a female develop it in my adulthood, and the majority of my rabbits have lived at least 8 to 10 years with the record going to two dutch males who lived 14 years and 15 years (although not together at the same time, iyswim).

I also found neutering totally useless with the two aggressive females I have had - they are STILL aggressive after the op and not sweet little bunnies.:rolleyes:

Furthermore, I was twice unfortunate enough to have a rabbit expire under aneasthetic and whilst I am aware that new aneasthetics are slightly better I have one rabbit who grows dreadful teeth who nearly expired under aneasthetic two years ago when her two bottom teeth were extracted, and had to be brought around quickly before the top ones could be attended to!

I do work in rescue and I do understand the concerns however, I feel strongly that sometimes we put too much emphasis on adding unnecessarily to the "possible" expenses of animals and too many "what ifs" are thrown up and it almost seems that many want to discourage pet ownership that does not fall into their own "very tight" criteria for perfection.

There is a MAJOR difference between not wasting money on unneccesary procedures and affording the cost of necessary veterinary care for the majority of people, and I think many people are rather harsh in their judgements of people who do not do things entirely their way.

Personally I would go with two girls and try them and neuter ONLY if they appear to be fighting, but I would factor that cost in as a possibility and also that even after neutering they might still not be willing to share (although that is a situation I have only come across ONCE in 50 years so I do seriously question how common it is).

If you work in rescue, then every rescue centre I know of neuters all their rabbits before rehoming, for example Delia at Bobtails has had hundreds of bunnies neutured as a routine procedure.

By posting about possibly losing bunnies under aneasthetic you will frighten people into not getting this done. If you go to a rabbit savvy vets their methods have MUCH improved and the risks are slim.

Found this a bit rude: "their own "very tight" criteria for perfection" this is not the case at all, perhaps you need to educate yourself on updates in rabbit welfare and care RWAF is a very good site. I have made mistakes and by posting my experience I hope that other bunny owners do not have to go through the same heartache.

If you read the posts in the rabbits united forum you will see female bunnies have died young due to cancer.
Here you go: http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=175586
If any people have concerns about neutering look here:
http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/resources/content/leaflet_pdfs/neutering28.8.07.pdf

I don't want to discourage pet ownership but just make people understand the costs involved, if people are moaning about spending £60 then quite frankly perhaps a bunny isn't for them.

I don't think we are going to agree and I am also allowed my opinion and I do not feel like I am being harsh just that bunnies have a rough time of it.

dolally_2

The point I was making was simply that if the OP can't afford to have a bunny neutered then they can't afford a rabbit.

Personally I agree with neutering but even if I didn't I would still advise against getting a rabbit if you can't afford a £60 operation that is a predicted cost. Basically if you can't afford a planned for cost then what will happen in an emergency?


I know that these are "what if's?" but they still need to be taken into account.

Lastly, my bun regularly has ga's (his first was at 8weeks & weighing 250g) and I have never experienced problems with him or any other bun I have had. I don't think it is a risk free procedure but with the right vet then the risks are minimal and the benefits far outweigh any risk.

gerad_way

Thanks to all that replied.
I own 2 male guinea pigs who aren't neuted and live happily together.I have owned single rabbits since I was a child, but realise now that it is better to keep them with company.
Emergency vets bills are not a problem as I have had to use the service several time over the years for my gp. I would never see an animal suffer they are part of the family. I do think neutering is expensive and i'm not too keen on causing stress to animals. I just thought if I could give 2 rabbits a loving home, and get then out of the pets shop I would. Unfortunatly I do not have any rescue centres near to me.

ClareEmily

"I do think neutering is expensive and i'm not too keen on causing stress to animals".

So I take it you aren't going to take the majority advise then?

Also by taking out of the pet shop you are just causing a demand, and two more bunnies will be bred to replace them, hey ho.

Don't think I am a complete !!!!!, I just have bunnies best interest at heart.

Sure you will give them a brill home though

Me xx

foreign_correspondent

gerad_way wrote: »

I just thought if I could give 2 rabbits a loving home, and get then out of the pets shop I would. Unfortunatly I do not have any rescue centres near to me.

If you dont feel the pet shop is a good place for them to be, then please dont buy from them. If everyone boycotted these places they would soon stop selling animals, by buying from them you encourage them to keep trading in animals.

Where abouts are you - someone may know of a local rabbit rescue?

clutterydrawer

gerad_way wrote: »

Thanks to all that replied.
I own 2 male guinea pigs who aren't neuted and live happily together.I have owned single rabbits since I was a child, but realise now that it is better to keep them with company.
Emergency vets bills are not a problem as I have had to use the service several time over the years for my gp. I would never see an animal suffer they are part of the family. I do think neutering is expensive and i'm not too keen on causing stress to animals. I just thought if I could give 2 rabbits a loving home, and get then out of the pets shop I would. Unfortunatly I do not have any rescue centres near to me.

that's nice that you want to give them a home but what about the ones that replace them? the more people buy animals from a pet shop, the more they will bread to replace them.

A lot of rescues will arrange transport to get an animal to its new home so it might be worth getting in touch with your nearest one and discussing it.

Animals from rescue will almost certainly be neutered already so the stressful bit will be over by the time you get them.

I agree that it's hard seeing them go through a major operation but all my rabbits have been much happier for it afterwards. And I will reiterate that the one time I tried to pair two females, all hell broke loose.

good luck anyway with whatever you decide