Getting em Fixed

[warminwisco]

Our old rabbit Sammy passed to the billowy clouds in the sky. It has been 7 years since he was neutered and we got 2 more mini rex's. They are 9 weeks old now and the one we first brought home is humping his brother we felt sorry for and got a week later last night so they would have companions. I am thinking separate them and get them fixed next week? Good thoughts? How old is the earliest you can get them fixed? Cost 60-100 bucks in the midwest?

The breeder folks in the country said it is bad idea to take em from original home until 8 weeks, agree?

Thanks Bruce June Pictures to follow they are so cute we love them.

 

[warminwisco]

Both bucks, Snooopy and Bandit

 

[Watermelons]

I dont think 10 weeks is the best idea. Most vets wont touch them for surgery until their 6 months.
Some vets that are comfortable with it will do the procedure early depending on the comfort level of that vet, and the age/size/weight of the rabbit.
This isnt necessarily a question for here, you need to speak with the vet that will be preforming the procedure, not the assistants or techs on the phone, but ask to speak right to the vet. Costs could range from $20 - $500, again depending on the vet.
If their both bucks, why are you worried if their humping each other? Unless a fight breaks out, I wouldnt be 2 concerned over a pair of bunnies deciding who the dominant one was.

 

[missyscove]

Humping is normal and is how they work out who is in charge. If they're not fighting with eachother and they have plenty of space, it should be okay to keep them together. If you can get them neutered and keep them together then they should stay bonded and you won't have to go through the process of separating them and then bonding them again.
Most vets won't do a surgery until they're at least 2 lbs and won't neuter until the testicles have dropped but some might wait until they're older.
When they can be neutered and how much it will cost is definitely a question for the vet that will be performing the procedure.

 

[DUSTBUNNY-CLYDE]

I got the boys fixed at 4 mos. they did great!!!

 

[mochajoe]

The biggest factor in having a male bunny neutered is whether or not their testicles have dropped! My Reeses had the go ahead to be neutered at a little over 3 months...Cheerios on the other hand was over 5 months! The weight issue is more for females as spaying is more invasive. I felt very comfortable with the information I was given, as my vet has done a lot with/for House Rabbit Society and has been listed in ARBA.

 

[warminwisco]

I have had just the one buck so 2 is new to me. So the one who has been home a week longer is bigger he has had free roam versus a small cage. I should just let climb all over the new buck? How long will this go on, kind of wierd looking. I will check around with other vets on neutering.

 

[warminwisco]

Also whay does it mean when they are "bonded" sorry to sound dumb!

 

[minmelethuireb]

I'm sorry your older bun passed away.

"Bonded" is basically two rabbits who get along living together and don't fight. However, rabbits can't be considered bonded until they are fixed.

I agree with the comments above - basically you can't get them fixed until the testicles descend, which probably be between 3 and 6 months of age. You need to talk to the vet who will do the procedure and ask what their minimum required age is. Some vets might say 4 months, some might say 6.

In the meantime, you should determine if they are not getting along and are being upset by the mounting. They may begin to fight, which would be a very bad thing. What kind of living area do you have for them? If you have a cage or pen, you may need to get a second one and put them side by side so the rabbits can be near each other but not mount each other. If they have free range of a room, you could put up some kind of fence. After they're neutered and their hormones go away (which can take a month or two), you could try putting them together again.

As for the behavior being weird (lol), the thing is male rabbits are just so hormonally charged that they will hump anything. It doesn't matter if it's a girl rabbit, a boy rabbit, a cat, a ball - they'll basically go for anything vertical.

 

[warminwisco]

That was a very helpful post as they all have. The room is 27 x 17. We have a Fleet farm hutch it is 2 x 4 or 5 that locks one in. Then there is a screened in closure around and under the hutch, not that that matters they climb and jump over it like superman, about 4 x6 and a rubber carpeted mat is on the carpet this size for a feel of a nice lil area. One comes out of the locked 2 x 4 top elevated hutch and the other just roams both getting litter trained and we rotate em. Sometimes they get up on hind legs to go face against face thru the fenced hutch.

The hutch is sloped and roofed you see em at alot of stores it has a wooden play area that that clips in and a lil ramp up to the elevated hutch.

Thanks for the condolenses my wife said "he is going to pass tonight" she stayed up with him all night and sure enough like 5 am he fell asleep forever laying right next to her while she slept but she was up like all night with him.The old bun Sammy was spectacular he would run upstairs to greet me from work, was super tame as we loved him alot!!!.

 

[warminwisco]

Now this am out of the locked cage together no grinding and they are so cute. They have their own lil worlds and interact once and a while kissing and licking each other. I will keep an eye on em but I forgot how fast they are with their strong legs and lite bodys when young. They are like acrobats or snow boarders doing fakeys and twists mid air!!!! Cheers for bunnies!!!

 

[tonyshuman]

That is very sweet. I would check occasionally to make sure they are indeed both boys as many, even experienced vets and breeders, have been known to make mistakes with young bunnies. It should cost you around $150, depending on where you go. I used to live in Madison and we had the deluxe treatment for one of ours when neutered at the vet school. It was way too expensive, upwards of $200. The Humane Society there used to do low-cost spay/neuter for rabbits belonging got low income individuals for $75, but I don't think they do that anymore. I think they had to subsidize the cost too much as meds are expensive. I would be suspicious of a vet that only charged $50 but wouldn't go somewhere that charged more than $175.

 

[warminwisco]

Thanks for the regional input and pricing. They have stopped the humping all together. I will start calling next week on dates and pricing. You all have been so kind and helpful! They have been here now 1 and 2 weeks so we are starting to deal with the chewing and sprinting, it is so fun love the lil guys!!!

I will try to work on pics and an intro this weekend.

 

[warminwisco]

Got some prices, 280 dollars from a vet we have dealt with. They feel 40 dollrs for a check up and they have to do blood work to make sure he can have the procedure.

95 total dollars from a new vet started in 2011. My vet for my last rabbit has yet to get back to me. At 95 bucks how do you know the vet is qulified? I like 95 bucks how many have they done is a good start I imagine ask, recovery time, does that include pain meds etc? Thanks

 

[PaGal]

I would ask how many times they have done the procedure, ask if they send home pain meds (they should so the bun will keep eating, if not the pain may cause the bun to stop eating or not start up again after surgery). Ask if the buns should fast before surgery (the answer should be no as buns cannot vomit which is one reason fasting is often required before surgery). Ask if they keep them over night ( you really don't want to have them kept over night as they will be less stressed recovering at home). Those are just a few questions that could help give an idea on whether a vet is qualified to treat buns.

 

[Channahs]

I'm glad you asked about this warm! We have a 3.5 month old male bunny that we would like to have neutered as soon as possible. He's already starting to show his testosterone. I was a little confused as to what we'd be looking for when they "dropped", so I searched bunny testicles on Google. There's a lot of hilarious stuff out there, but I do know now what we're looking for. I've already located a rabbit savvy vet about 45 minutes away from us (thanks to this forum). I'm loving it here on RO. Bunny people are awesome.

 

[warminwisco]

Bandit and Snoopy are doing great! They don't mount each other any longer, and are so cute snuggling, pitting for each others water bottle and sitting by the window laying on each other. they actually liste when I shage em out of rooms. I am so glad I got 2 lil guys!

The 95 dollar vet said pain meds where 15 dollars more and he does 1-2 a month, sound OK I will prolly meet him this week and check him out. If you neuter cats and dogs prolly more regularly are bunnies that much more difficult?

They run jump sprint. I did have an instance where they peed like every 18 inches going down a hallway 5-6 times on the edge of the carpet. Is this prolly spraying and marking their territory? Pretty much blocked off the hallway.

How will the behavior change as far as activity when they are neutered. They are pretty much potty trained, don't like to be held and petted for too long but at this point prolly just south of 4 months old. They are easier to catch now 1/2 the time I can reach down and grab them. I love these lil guys, I can't wait to get home from work let em out and be entertained by their crazy antics!!!!