To Neuter or Not to Neuter?

[Sugar Plum]

I have been thinking about getting my rabbit neutered for a long time. I feel rather torn about the decision and I was hoping that some of your experiences could help me.

Some background on Herbert: he is young-ish (around 1 1/2) and generally healthy. He lives in our kitchen when we sleep and otherwise has the run of two large rooms for the entire day and most of the evening. Occasionally, he is allowed supervised visits upstairs to our guinea pigs (but they don't stay together for extended periods). There are no other rabbits in the house, but he is incredibly territorial and also very bonded to me, so it seems that he is happy being an only bun.

For various reasons, I am living at home, but the really big issues would be the same if I was living elsewhere; Herbert was nearly perfect in his litter training, but since puberty, he has regressed and more--the house is like a poop and pee war zone! He also sprays me and my things at least 3 times daily (I'm seriously lucky if it is only once, lately). To a lesser degree, but still a concern is that he can be quite aggressive if other people get to near me--he will charge, lunge, and even bite. He is also a little humping bean, but that is a minor annoyance, compared to his lost litter training. My parents are furious (and my father is threatening to limit the rabbit to the kitchen completely. I think he should have lots of space to run around) and even I am pretty frustrated sometimes when I have to change sprayed clothes before work or sweep up over 100 little poops before I can go to bed.

So, here are my dilemmas and questions for you:

1. If I neuter my rabbit, will he be certain to re-train to good litter habits and (i.e. always using his box only, with rare exceptions) and reduce or eliminate spraying behaviour? Is there a possibility that neutering will not correct or help him to re-litter train and stop spraying on a fairly consistent basis? If so, how likely is it that neutering won't help/ help much? I would feel terrible, risking his health and life for a pointless surgery.

2. Despite his negative behaviours, Herbert is a charming, affectionate, intelligent, energetic, playful, and curious bun right now. If he is neutered, I worry that his personality would be affected, such that he would lazily mope around all day and not be affectionate, etc. How is personality altered when a rabbit is neutered?

3. Are there any other benefits to neutering the rabbit that would help me make my decision?

I really hope to hear back from you all.

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

Well, I'm in the exact same situation. I've had all does till now. Ripley's just hit puberty very recently and I"m watching the litter habits go down the drain more and more each and every day.

I'm pretty sure I'll be getting him fixed come spring, but for now being and outside bunny, don't want to stress him with warm temps and then cold again.
I'm still looking for answers to some of the same questions you are.

I have haeard that neutering always does the trick for litter training, but being that i haven't had one fixed, I can't tell you for sure. Maybe someone else can help??

 

[Watermelons]

It's not a pointless surgery.
Yes he will retain good litter habbits, the first few weeks may be off/on as there will be a bit of pain in that region, however their not going to go back to square one just because you whacked their balls off.... But in your case his bad litter habbits should improve if you help him work on them! However some rabbits will ALWAYS poop on the floor.

Personality usually changes because people assume it will change and start treating their pets different. They will still be full of buzz, sas, attitude, just not as much bad attitude. And their going to stop spraying!

You will help prevent some kidney issues from arrising, cancers of the male region, hormonal behaviour problems, spraying, territorial issues, SOME destructive issues (who are we kidding here... bunnys will be bunnys)

Thres some good information in here in regards to why it should be done.
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12040&forum_id=10

 

[qtipthebun]

Sick of getting sprayed? I'd say do it.

 

[MiniLopHop]

Yes, time for the snip! Gary was spraying Becky, me, the walls, and would poop all over. As soon as he had the snip, it all stopped! He's now a perfect citizen of the warren. Before he would charge at my husband and had started to nip, now he just uses my husband as a speed bump.

The humping also stopped, thank goodness. Basically our house smelled like a bunny brothal for two weeks between when he found out what the boy bits were for and when they were removed. Now he is the best parts of himself. He's still super spunky, but without the mean streak. He still zooms all over the room, but now he doesn't spray urine while he runs.

 

[BertNErnie]

gosh! its hard to think i was in that situation before my little buggers were snoozing down the vet!

Bert and Ernie have now fully settled down and Bert is fully litter trained, we're still working on Ernie as he has a couple of accidents but gets majority of it in the right place and they seem to like their sleeping area alot more now its not laced with pee and poop, i kinda like it too!

 

[MandyK]

I don't know about any statistics, but in my experience
1. My rabbits got better litter behaviour after being spayed
2. Their personalities stayed the exact same (the happy rabbits are still happy, and the grumpy rabbits are still grumpy)
3. Neutering and spaying adds months/years onto their lives and decreases the likeliness of certain cancers

 

[MagPie]

Ooooh I'd say definitely get him neutered. Harvey was a pest before he had his bits taken off and he was an adult, probably same age as your bun. He'd pee on everything, including the cats (especially the cats), and hump the cats all the time.

Since the neuter he hasn't peed on anything and only goes in his box. Stopped humping the cats, thank god. But he is still a sweet, silly, slightly naughty bunny. He still have a ton of energy and I've also noticed he gives me a little more attention now too, since he's no longer so focused on the cats.

I don't know how your bun will do with the litter box, whether he'll need retraining or not. I think the problem with my bun was the people who had him before me didn't have any other animals so I'm sure he was better behaved with them. Or they just didn't want to tell me haha.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Made all of ours better "citizens".

 

[Sugar Plum]

Thanks for the advice, information, and humour! It is very appreciated. (Sorry I didn't reply sooner).

I forgot to ask--will Herbert still make the little goose noises, run around me in circles, and run back and forth with his favourite toy only to present it at my feet? Are these purely mating behaviours (it would be kind of sad if those went away)?

I'm pretty certain about getting Herbert fixed. I was hoping to get him in over Christmas break, so I would be able to have more time to look after him, but the surgeries were all booked up. I'm hoping to commit to sometime this month, but the delay has allowed me to waffle a bit about the decision. I did see the vet for the required check up, though, and he gave Herbert some detestable meds for itchy ears (but that's for another post).

With regard to the vet, I don't have very many options since I live in a small town and there are only two vet's offices (the next town is 40 minutes away and the biggest city is a ferry ride and quite a drive away. Herbert was quite traumatized going for just a 15 minute drive to the vet's this time around. The other office in our town is even more focused on cats and dogs.). I generally like the vet we saw and the vet has seen Herbert before. I don't think the vet is on the list, but he seemed to answer all the questions well about the neutering and seems fairly affectionate towards/ interested in Herbert. He is young-ish and says he has done 30 spays/ neuters on rabbits, half of which were in vet school, and he has never lost a bun before. Obviously not ever losing a bun before is a good thing, but do you think that the number of spays/ neuters he has done makes him experienced enough? Everyone has to start somewhere, I guess, but I would hate to put Herbert through a higher risk surgery.

As an aside, the surgery costs $200--yikes!...but it will definitely be made up for if we don't have to pull out the carpet... Is it usual to have to sign a "health plan" when having surgical procedures done on animals? Their "health plan" is like a contract that states the estimated price, but says that I understand that if they find other serious issues with Herbert it may be more, etc.

(P.S. Sorry it's long!)

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

Sugar Plum wrote:

I forgot to ask--will Herbert still make the little goose noises, run around me in circles, and run back and forth with his favourite toy only to present it at my feet? Are these purely mating behaviours (it would be kind of sad if those went away)?

That's my one question that still remains..I'm guessing no, but those little noises are sooooo adorable! I shall really miss them if my Ripley stops making them.

 

[MarisaAndToby]

Toby still grunts Just less frequently and perhaps less aggressively. It may not go away entirely, but it will likely lessen.

 

[holtzchick]

Awh. I say do it! Peter used to run circles around me like they were going out of style! I still see him do it once in a blue moon but it DEFINITELY calmed him down. He no longer chews like crazy and uses the litter box to the point where cleaning his cage just feels effortless and he's soo calm he comes to me for pets now, yet he still has lots of bun energy! I remember when I was thinking about getting him neutered, I was soo worried because of the fact that buns are sensitive to surgeries and thought well what if he doesn't make it, well, after being a nervous wreck he did considerably well and he was eating the same day. I wouldn't trade his good litter habits now for anything! I have him free roam most of the day and he's just perfect now!

Oh and to answer your question on the surgery "contract", my vet had me sign one. I think its just standard protocol. I would trust this vet if he's open to telling you how many he's done, he couldve lied and said he does them all the time right, and the fact that he hasn't lost one is a total bonus, but remember even the best surgeon can lose an animal, sometimes its just not in their control but they will certainly do everything in their power. It is definitely worth the investment

 

[MagPie]

Yeah Harvey stopped circling and he only really makes the honking noise when he's really excited. It's funny cause he'll be in the other room and I'll hear him coming when he runs into the room I am in. I love those little noises. But yes those went away a lot.

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

Awww, I'll really miss that noise. *sobs ok, its fine, but I find it soo adorable when he greets me 'honking'. Its too cute~I call it his roadrunner noise. As for litter habits, I'm ready to see him gain a few of those..

 

[MiniLopHop]

Gary still honks and circles Becky, he just stopped peeing when he does it. Now he will lick her face every couple of passes, I think it is even cuter now.

He's still a romantic boy

 

[1357rabbitlover]

Buckley got neutered just for the same reasons as yours, he would spray and once he reached puberty he stopped using his litter box. Now he is neutered this has all stopped, i have bonded him with my female rabbit and there getting well now, unlike before - he was really territorial.
The only negative sides about having him neutered is that he is now a bit more lazy, but he seems to be more affectionate towards me, he is a bit calmer which i kinda wanted cuz he was one hyper bunny, his personality is still the same though.