Store Locator
cms-item-icon
cms-item-icon
cms-item-icon
cms-item-icon
Home Neutering Your Rabbit

Neutering Your Rabbit

Rabbit Neutering Community Pet Clinic

Questions

  • What is Meant By Sexing Rabbits?
  • When Can You Get Your Rabbit Neutered?
  • Why Should You Neuter Your Rabbit?
  • What is The Procedure for Neutering Your Rabbit?
  • Are There any Complication Associated with Rabbit Neutering?
Neutering rabbits is a routine procedure your vet performs. It is recommended for all rabbits that are not going to be used for breeding.
Neutering a female rabbit is called 'Spaying' and involves the removal of the ovaries and uterus. Neutering a male rabbit is called 'Castration' and this involves the removal of the rabbit's testicles.
Neutering your rabbit prevents them from breeding, and it can also extend their life. This is because when your rabbit has been neutered, it eliminates the risk of them developing certain types of cancer. It can also improve relationships between rabbits housed together as they are less likely to fight and show aggressive behaviour if they have been neutered.

What is Meant By Sexing Rabbits?

It is recommended to keep pet rabbits in groups. They are very social animals by nature and they crave and thrive on companionship.
Wild rabbits are known to live in large groups of up to 30 in a warren. If pet rabbits are kept alone, it is thought to be detrimental to their health. Rabbits should be kept in pairs as pets. They tend to be happier and calmer when they have a housemate. They usually like to groom one another, sleep together, and play together each day.
It is important to sex your rabbits when you buy them as you need to know if you have two males, two females, or one of each.
Rabbits become sexually mature when they are around 3 months old. This means they are capable of having baby rabbits at this age, even if the two rabbits housed together are related. Each litter can have 5 - 8 lots and they can get pregnant again within hours of giving birth. The average gestation period is just over a month, so if an unneutered male and female are left together, very quickly there can be a lot of babies born!

When Can You Get Your Rabbit Neutered?

Male rabbits can be neutered from ten weeks of age. Female rabbits can be neutered from around five months old. If you have a giant breed of rabbit, they can take slightly longer to reach sexual maturity so they may need to be neutered slightly later. Your vet will be able to advise you on this.
After a female rabbit has been neutered, she is sterile immediately. Male rabbits remain fertile for up to six weeks after they have been neutered. This means that if rabbits of the opposite sex are housed together, they should be separated before they are three months old, until the female has been neutered, or until six weeks after the male has been neutered to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

Why Should You Neuter Your Rabbit?

Avoiding unwanted pregnancies


This is the main reason most owners get their rabbits neutered. Rabbits can have young from three months old and they can get pregnant again very soon after giving birth.

Health

 
Neutering your rabbit has lots of health benefits. Some cancers such as testicular or ovarian cancers will be eliminated by the removal of the organs involved.
 

Urine Spraying

 
Rabbits like to mark their territory by spraying urine to warn other rabbits away. If rabbits are neutered, they are less likely to spray urine.
 

Aggression Between Rabbits

 
Rabbits need to be kept in pairs. If there are two intact males or females living together, they are likely to fight over territorial things. If they are neutered, the chances of this are reduced.
 

Reduces Risk of False Pregnancies

 
Unneutered females can develop false pregnancies due to hormone imbalances. This can cause unwanted aggressive behaviour. Neutering prevents this.

What is The Procedure for Neutering Your Rabbit?

  1. Your vet will arrange for your rabbit to be admitted to the vet practice. Rabbits do not need starving like dogs and cats do so they can be brought in with some of their own food and water in their carry case.

  2. Your vet will perform a physical exam on your rabbit to ensure they are fit and healthy for the general anaesthetic.

  3. Your vet will give your rabbit a premedication sedative injection, pain relief, and some medication to encourage gut motility.

  4. When the sedative has taken effect, your rabbit will be put under general anaesthetic and the procedure will be performed while they are asleep.

  5. The fur around the surgical site is clipped away and the skin is prepared with a surgical scrub that cleans the skin. Your vet will perform the surgery, either removing the testicles or the ovary and the uterus, depending on the sex of your rabbit.

  6. If your rabbit is female, there will be a small incision in the middle of her stomach to allow for access to the ovaries and the uterus. If your rabbit is a male, incisions will be made over each testicle so that they can be removed. Your vet will suture the skin back together.

  7.  Your rabbit will be allowed to wake up and recover from the general anaesthetic while being closely monitored. They will be offered food soon after the operation. This is important to prevent gut stasis which is a common problem in rabbits, especially after surgery. Some rabbits require syringe feeding to help them get some vital nutrients on board. It is important to monitor your rabbit's faecal output post-surgery to make sure their guts are functioning as they should be.

  8.  Your rabbit will go home later that day with pain relief to be given at home. It is important to make sure they continue to eat well. A close eye must be kept on them for the next 48 hours to ensure they are producing faeces and eating and drinking properly.  They will be quieter than usual and sleep more initially.

  9. Ensure your rabbit has a quiet place to relax in away from loud unpredictable noises and any other potential stressors.

  10. In the days following your rabbit’s operation, it is important to keep their hutch clean and dry to make sure the surgical site is not contaminated with damp bedding or urine and faeces. Check on their wound twice daily to ensure it is clean and the sutures your vet placed are still where they should be. If you have any concerns, contact your vet immediately.

  11.  Your vet will usually arrange for two routine post-operative checkups, one 2-3 days after the operation and one 10-14 days later for suture removal (if dissolvable sutures were not used).

Are There any Complication Associated with Rabbit Neutering?

Neutering operations are generally safe, routine procedures although every single operation comes with risks. These will be discussed in detail with you before the surgery.

Risk of General Anaesthetic

Although the general anaesthetic is considered safe, there are still risks associated. Rabbits have a higher risk of complications under general anaesthetic than other animals such as dogs and cats. Your vet practice will have a strict protocol in place to minimize the risk of general anaesthetic for rabbits.

Wound Infection


Some rabbits will develop an infection at their wound site. This may be because they are trying to lick or scratch at the wound which will introduce bacteria, or it can be that the wound gets contaminated with soiled bedding or urine and faeces. Signs of wound infection to look out for include:

  1. Redness at the surgical site

  2. Swelling at the surgical site

  3. Pain at the surgical site

  4. Discharge or pus at the surgical site

  5. Opening of the wound

  6. Sutures missing

 

Gut Stasis

 

Rabbits are very prone to gut stasis. This is a condition where their guts slow down and stop working. Rabbits usually get gut stasis when they are stressed, it commonly occurs after an operation. There are medications your vet can prescribe and either you or the staff at your vet can syringe feed your rabbit to ensure they are getting nutrients. Ensuring they have an ample supply of hay, nuggets, and fresh greens, and minimizing stress are the best ways to prevent gut stasis. Signs of gut stasis to look out for include:

  1. Reduced appetite

  2. Reduced faecal output

  3. Bloating

  4. Abdominal discomfort

 
Neutering has many health and behavioural benefits for your rabbit. There are risks associated with the procedure, as with any surgery under general anaesthetic, however, the benefits of neutering greatly outweigh the risks of the procedure. Your vet will be happy to discuss the procedure with you and go over any concerns you have prior to booking your rabbit in for their operation. For more helpful information about your rabbit or if you’re shopping for your beloved bunnies, discover more online or in store.