What age to spay females?

[maddogdodge]

Got my first two bunnies the other day Two female Flemish giants, Alice and Effie.

They are about 3.5 months old. I'm just wondering when is the best time to get them spayed?

I'm also curious, does spaying impact the development of a dewlap at all?

 

[Watermelons]

Whatever age the vet is comfortable doing them at.

The 2 girls I've had done were 3mts and 3.5mts. No issues.
If you're planning to keep them together, get them done ASAP, otherwise you will likely be separating them when hormones kick in which could be any time now.

Do you want them to have dewlaps or something? Its more about genetics, but yes spaying can prevent/help keep that flap of fat smaller.

 

[BlackRabbits]

Whatever age the vet is comfortable doing them at.

The 2 girls I've had done were 3mts and 3.5mts. No issues.
If you're planning to keep them together, get them done ASAP, otherwise you will likely be separating them when hormones kick in which could be any time now.

Do you want them to have dewlaps or something? Its more about genetics, but yes spaying can prevent/help keep that flap of fat smaller.

I'm glad I followed this thread because I'm about to have my Flemish girl spayed, she's about 4.5 months now. I was wondering about the dewlap as well. I'm not concerned about it, but it's nice to know that spaying could reduce the size of the flap. I wonder if a big dewlap is desirable at shows, or maybe it has to do with the size and body type of the rabbit?

I'm also getting a Giant Chinchilla male tomorrow, as a bonding partner for my Flemish girl. I was considering which of them to get fixed first. He's only 9 weeks old, so I'll get Saoirse done first. Giant Chin does get big dewlaps as well. Here's a pic the breeder sent me of one of her adult does.

 

[Watermelons]

Some males can have dewlaps but their generally just in females. Its just fat, grown from hormones. Females have it as an extra spot to pull fur from for nesting. So yes youll see females at shows with nice big dewlaps, because their not spayed. Obese rabbits will also have much bigger dewlaps as well.

 

[maddogdodge]

Thank you I'll get them done within the next two weeks then, I'll just let them settle in a bit first.

As for the dewlap, I don't really like the appearance of them and I know they're a female thing so wondered if the hormone changes with spaying would impact it at all. I'm not too fussed either way, was mostly just curious

 

[BlackRabbits]

Some males can have dewlaps but their generally just in females. Its just fat, grown from hormones. Females have it as an extra spot to pull fur from for nesting. So yes youll see females at shows with nice big dewlaps, because their not spayed. Obese rabbits will also have much bigger dewlaps as well.

That's interesting! But what I read about rabbit dewlaps was that the does use them to keep their kittens warm, they tuck them under the dewlap like a hen tucks her chicks under her wing. I wondered how 10 or more kits could fit under one dewlap... onder:

 

[missyscove]

That's interesting! But what I read about rabbit dewlaps was that the does use them to keep their kittens warm, they tuck them under the dewlap like a hen tucks her chicks under her wing. I wondered how 10 or more kits could fit under one dewlap... onder:

Does don't usually sit on the kits like a chicken might. They typically visit the nest just a few times a day to nurse.

 

[Preitler]

That's interesting! But what I read about rabbit dewlaps was that the does use them to keep their kittens warm, they tuck them under the dewlap like a hen tucks her chicks under her wing. I wondered how 10 or more kits could fit under one dewlap... onder:

That's defintly wrong, rabbits do not care for their litters in that way. They build a nest, and keep away from it most of the time, they don't warm kits, and they do not carry stray kits back to the nest.

They care about the nest, not the kits. And they nurse to get relieved of the milk, not to feed the young ( which is essentially the same, but they really don't care who relieves them of their milk, which makes fostering easy)

The dewlap is just a sign of hormones in action. Not good or bad, just something typical for rabbits.

 

[BlackRabbits]

That's defintly wrong, rabbits do not care for their litters in that way. They build a nest, and keep away from it most of the time, they don't warm kits, and they do not carry stray kits back to the nest.

They care about the nest, not the kits. And they nurse to get relieved of the milk, not to feed the young ( which is essentially the same, but they really don't care who relieves them of their milk, which makes fostering easy)

The dewlap is just a sign of hormones in action. Not good or bad, just something typical for rabbits.

I should have been more clear, I don't believe that they warm the kits with their dewlap because I know it's not physically possible to stuff all of them underneath. When I read about them keeping the kits warm with the dewlap, I pictured penguins in the Antarctic. They have a flap of skin on their lower bellies which they use to incubate their single egg, balanced on their feet to keep it off of the snow and ice. Once the chick hatches they keep it in the same place until it's big enough to keep itself warm.

Someone else here posted that the dewlap provides the doe with an extra source of fur to pluck and line her nest. Thus, the dewlap helps them to build, line and care for their nest. This strikes me as making more sense.

Either way, I plan to spay Saoirse as soon as possible, so she shouldn't develop much of a dewlap.