Was this a failed neuter?

[Lilsakli]

Hi all,

I have a fixed male rabbit (neutered on 1-21-21) and unspayed female rabbit that I have attempted to bond since a few days ago. I know, I know... both usually needs to be fixed for a successful bond but I wanted to test the waters as I am impatient with how far off the vet appointment is for my female rabbit.

During bonding session, my male has been excessively humping the female and the female would just run away. But the strangest thing happened the other day... as my male was humping my female for about 5 seconds, he let out a grunt, curled up, and then fell off to the side - not once but twice so far. Female did not move at all while this was happening. If I didn’t know better, it seemed like he was mating with my female and perhaps had climaxed. I thought with neutering him none of this should have happened. Now I am concerned that he had a failed neuter.

However, it’s hard to say because after his neuter, he did stop circling us humans as well as leaving territorial droppings under our bed or anywhere outside his xpen like he used to. I also don’t know if he stopped circling us because he now has a new rabbit to pay attention to now. Could it be that he is smelling her hormones that is causing him to behave in this manner?

I’ve heard of spring fever, but would it apply to a neutered rabbit?

Regardless, I have kept both rabbits separated since I have witnessed that scene and am currently awaiting a date to spay my female before reintroducing again.

 

[Janellek]

By the sounds of it she is pregnant a neutered male may do that but he won’t curl or grunt. I have never heard of them being able to curl when there infertile or neutered. Did he curl behind? To the side backwards? The grunt is pretty out there. I would be expecting babes in 31 days just by the sounds of it... I may not be right any one else’s thoughts?

 

[zuppa]

Hi, when did it happen? I mean falling off. What you described is normal and yes kind of curling and he can cry victory as well. They say male rabbits can stay fertile up to 4 weeks after neutering, so depending on when this happened, it could be possible that he managed to impregnate her. Failed neutering also happens sometimes when a small part of testicle was left, it is rarely happens but possible as well.
Another explanation would be that he just did it because he still remembered that he needs to do it, maybe he is no more fertile but humping still can occur. I've seen that my Fred did the same thing after he was neutered I also started bonding after 4 weeks, both rabbits are very calm and friendly and it worked, there was some humping but no one was annoyed, I monitored them 24/7 and everything went very well, they are still happily bonded and there's some humping happens sometimes but looks like both enjoy it.

 

[Lilsakli]

His mating behavior happened about 3 days ago. So that would mean it has been more than 2 months since his neuter.

Here is some backstory: I didn’t have great experience with my vet where I did his neuter. I had to bring him in the night before the neuter procedure (per their vet policy), and he did not poop the next day as I’m sure he was scared having to stay there overnight (he is a skittish one). They had to give him critical care. Then the vet doctor was sick on the day he needed to be neutered and had to reschedule his neuter for the next day. I had to keep him there overnight again. After his neuter, he wasn’t eating or pooping and he stayed at the vet for an additional two nights for SC fluids and critical care. I was not able to see him for 4 days due to covid (I was not allowed in the building). And what annoyed me from that time was that they do not have overnight staff but still insisted on keeping him overnight for 4 nights.

I also remembered his left testicle was significantly swollen from that time two days post op. I may be overthinking but I also worried that because the veterinarian was sick that she may have not done his neuter correctly.

My female rabbit will be seen at a different vet. If I have good experience there, I will def switch my male there too.