RattiesSix
Active Member
Can two unspayed females be bonded?
And how would you do that?
And how would you do that?
Bonding unspayed bunnies?
- Thread starter RattiesSix
- Start date
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paul2641
Well-Known Member
Just give a read through this thread it will help you understand that you shouldn't bond unspayed females because once the hormones kick in they could kill each other.
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=42943&forum_id=48
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=42943&forum_id=48
Leaf
Well-Known Member
Long term, successfully? In many, many cases - no.
RattiesSix
Active Member
I have no problems getting them spayed.
I have an unspayed Holland Lop, and a friend needs to rehome his Lop who is also unspayed.
If it was ok, we were going to try to bond them without spaying, and if that didn't work, I'm going to get them spayed.
The rabbit I have I just recently got, and don't want her to be alone, but need to find a vet I'm comfortable taking her to to get spayed.
How much, generally, does a spay cost?
I have an unspayed Holland Lop, and a friend needs to rehome his Lop who is also unspayed.
If it was ok, we were going to try to bond them without spaying, and if that didn't work, I'm going to get them spayed.
The rabbit I have I just recently got, and don't want her to be alone, but need to find a vet I'm comfortable taking her to to get spayed.
How much, generally, does a spay cost?
RattiesSix
Active Member
Also, they are both adults, if that makes any difference.
One is approx. 4 years old. The other is over a year.
One is approx. 4 years old. The other is over a year.
naturestee
Well-Known Member
How old are they? If they're younger than 6 months, definitely no. They often become much more aggressive when they reach puberty. Rabbits look gentle but they can seriously injure or even kill each other.
Older rabbits long term? Sometimes. I adopted a 1.5 year old pair of sisters. They chased and humped and nipped a little and weren't snuggly at all. They were better after their spay but they didn't really "bond" until an accident caused them to be separated for medical reasons and rebonded later. I've also seen a number of unspayed girl pairs come in through the local shelter. It can work but they do get snippy.
Also I highly recommend spaying rabbits. It makes them less cage aggressive, easier to litter train, and eliminates uterine cancer which is rather common. A lot of the rabbits that come in to my shelter for "aggression" really just need a spay and a bigger cage.
Older rabbits long term? Sometimes. I adopted a 1.5 year old pair of sisters. They chased and humped and nipped a little and weren't snuggly at all. They were better after their spay but they didn't really "bond" until an accident caused them to be separated for medical reasons and rebonded later. I've also seen a number of unspayed girl pairs come in through the local shelter. It can work but they do get snippy.
Also I highly recommend spaying rabbits. It makes them less cage aggressive, easier to litter train, and eliminates uterine cancer which is rather common. A lot of the rabbits that come in to my shelter for "aggression" really just need a spay and a bigger cage.
naturestee
Well-Known Member
Please spay them before trying to bond them. If they fight during bonding- much more likely if unspayed- they will remember that and it might ruin any chances of bonding them.
Depending on the area you live in, a rabbit spay could be from $70-300. I pay about $120 plus optional bloodwork (really recommend it for adults getting spayed) and laser incision (not available everywhere). I live in a medium sized city in Wisconsin, just for reference. Big city vets cost more.
What is your general location? We have a list of rabbit-savvy vets that we know here:
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_forum.php?id=9
Depending on the area you live in, a rabbit spay could be from $70-300. I pay about $120 plus optional bloodwork (really recommend it for adults getting spayed) and laser incision (not available everywhere). I live in a medium sized city in Wisconsin, just for reference. Big city vets cost more.
What is your general location? We have a list of rabbit-savvy vets that we know here:
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_forum.php?id=9
RattiesSix
Active Member
Around Dayton, Ohio.
naturestee
Well-Known Member
Sweet, that's easy. There's one listed in Dayton right at the top of Ohio's thread:
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=11625&forum_id=9
Do check to make sure that vet is still there. You can also contact the Columbus House Rabbit Society to ask if they have any other recommendations for your area too. If cost is an issue, don't be afraid to shop around a little. Sometimes it pays to drive a little out of your way as long as the vet is good.
http://www.columbusrabbit.org/
:biggrin2:
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=11625&forum_id=9
Do check to make sure that vet is still there. You can also contact the Columbus House Rabbit Society to ask if they have any other recommendations for your area too. If cost is an issue, don't be afraid to shop around a little. Sometimes it pays to drive a little out of your way as long as the vet is good.
http://www.columbusrabbit.org/
:biggrin2:
Zee
Well-Known Member
Hello There
I would have your females spayed, just to be on the safe side.
Bonding without spaying does work in some cases but not all.
I have been very lucky. I have had success in bonding unspayed females.
Please read the thread that naturestee has put up for you.
She is very experienced with rabbits.
btw
Welcome to the Forum
Zee
I would have your females spayed, just to be on the safe side.
Bonding without spaying does work in some cases but not all.
I have been very lucky. I have had success in bonding unspayed females.
Please read the thread that naturestee has put up for you.
She is very experienced with rabbits.
btw
Welcome to the Forum
Zee
RattiesSix
Active Member
We've found that the Humane Society spays their buns in a mobile unit, for 50 dollars apiece. With three days of pain meds after.
So we're probably going to go that route.
I'm really nervous for them, though.
I've lost a rat in the past to a spay gone wrong, hence my hesitation to do this to her. But she's alsob at high risk for cancer, since she's older and a past breeder.
So we're probably going to go that route.
I'm really nervous for them, though.
I've lost a rat in the past to a spay gone wrong, hence my hesitation to do this to her. But she's alsob at high risk for cancer, since she's older and a past breeder.
naturestee
Well-Known Member
Talk to the vet about their success rate with rabbit spays. It's very rare to loose a rabbit to anesthesia if the vet is experienced with them and most will have success rates of 99% or so. Usually it's caused by undiagnosed problems with the heart, liver, or kidneys. You can have avet check for this beforehand, and many will do bloodwork for just liver and kidney values which costs less than a full blood panel. I really recommend this for an older bun because sometimes you never know.
I know it's scary, but vets are much better with rabbits than they were just 10 years ago. So sometimes when you read books or articles that say rabbits don't do well with surgery, it's outdated information. And with all the rabbits owned by forum members, I remember less than a handful of them dying during spay/neuter in all my years here and it was always due to some unusual internal problem. The shelter I volunteer at spays/neuters every rabbit and has only had one problem in the last few years. And that was a bad response to an injection, not the anesthesia and the rabbit lived.
I know it's scary, but vets are much better with rabbits than they were just 10 years ago. So sometimes when you read books or articles that say rabbits don't do well with surgery, it's outdated information. And with all the rabbits owned by forum members, I remember less than a handful of them dying during spay/neuter in all my years here and it was always due to some unusual internal problem. The shelter I volunteer at spays/neuters every rabbit and has only had one problem in the last few years. And that was a bad response to an injection, not the anesthesia and the rabbit lived.
RattiesSix
Active Member
Thank you for the assurance.
I've never had to have a rabbit spayed before. I've actually never owned a female rabbit before. They were always my mothers rabbits when I was younger, and they were usually male.
The more I read on the site, and the more I've talked to the Humane Society, the better I feel about it.
So in approx. a month, my female is going to be spayed by the Humane Society's mobile unit. :]
I've never had to have a rabbit spayed before. I've actually never owned a female rabbit before. They were always my mothers rabbits when I was younger, and they were usually male.
The more I read on the site, and the more I've talked to the Humane Society, the better I feel about it.
So in approx. a month, my female is going to be spayed by the Humane Society's mobile unit. :]
PixieStixxxx
Well-Known Member
Just ensure that the Humane Society mobile unit vet is rabbit savvy - and as mentioned earlier, please ask what their success rate is.
I had Savannah spayed with a laser at a very good vet - it was $160. When Spank was neutered by an apparent rabbit savvy vet through the shelter, he came home very sick and I learned that it was from a possible contaminated neuter tool. Labrador was neutered there too, and Precious was spayed there as well - she came back sick too. Precious went with another female who died two days after. They were all fixed before I officially adopted them, and so I had no say in where they could get fixed. Even though my SPCA trusted this vet, and he was known to be rabbit savvy, he just didn't care and treated shelter bunnies differently than client bunnies.
I had Savannah spayed with a laser at a very good vet - it was $160. When Spank was neutered by an apparent rabbit savvy vet through the shelter, he came home very sick and I learned that it was from a possible contaminated neuter tool. Labrador was neutered there too, and Precious was spayed there as well - she came back sick too. Precious went with another female who died two days after. They were all fixed before I officially adopted them, and so I had no say in where they could get fixed. Even though my SPCA trusted this vet, and he was known to be rabbit savvy, he just didn't care and treated shelter bunnies differently than client bunnies.
naturestee
Well-Known Member
That's awful! I may not like my shelter vet (and I can outdiagnose him for just about any rabbit problem), but at least there's no problem with the surgeries. I know the vet tech. Although he has changed to using staples for spays now, poor bunners.
PixieStixxxx
Well-Known Member
I just looked on the British Columbia list of rabbit savvy vets on RO and found the vet that I am not impressed with listed on there.
I've heard greats things about him from his clients but not from shelters.
I've heard greats things about him from his clients but not from shelters.
RattiesSix
Active Member
I did check in with the shelter about the mobile unit's success rate.
They've never lost a rabbit save for one, and they spay and nueter a lot. The one who did pass was a complication due to an allergic reaction to the anesthesia, not the nueter itself.
They've never lost a rabbit save for one, and they spay and nueter a lot. The one who did pass was a complication due to an allergic reaction to the anesthesia, not the nueter itself.
PixieStixxxx
Well-Known Member
That's great! Good luck on spaying your buns! Savannah gave me the stink eye for a day.
bunnylover66
Member
yes it is OK. if one of your bunnies is picky about its space it might not be a good idea. if your bunnies are nice they will proboley get along:rabbithop
