Hello,
I’m new here. And I have a Mini Rex named Felix. Last week we had Felix’s brother with us also Rocky(my son’s bun). But due to a unsuccessful neuter he didn’t make it though the night. Felix is sad along with my son. Felix’s surgery was canceled because we were scared to lose him too. We are looking to rescue a bun who needs a new home and that is already spayed/neutered. My question is this…since Felix is not desexed which would be a better new friend? Female or Male? Worried if we adopt a female he will hump her. Worried if we get a boy will they fight? Any help is greatly appreciated.
Hi, I am so sorry to hear about your Rocky, unfortunately it happens sometimes during neutering, in most cases I've heard of the dose of anestetics was too great for rabbits since vets had little experience with rabbits, so always check if your vet had previous experience with rabbits and won't overdose.
I totally understand your fears now but I would still suggest to look for an experienced vet and get Felix neutered, the surgery on males itself isn't that difficult and anestetics is the worst part of it to be honest. If you get a vet who is familiar with neutering rabbits there's a very little risk.
For an unneutered rabbit, most rescues will ask you if your rabbit is neutered and some of them will not rehome their rabbits to be a partner with an unneutered rabbit. If you can still find a rescue where they will, here's your options.
I have to say first that it depends on your Felix's personality, I will give you a few cases from my own experience.
I had a young male rabbit he was 7 months then and was extremely sweet and friendly, he was a son of my own rabbits and he was separated from his brothers at 3,5 months because they kept humping him, he is submissive and didn't fight back but it was unfair and I've just separated him, since he was super mellow and needed my attention so badly I thought I will get him a neutered female and it will solve the problem and he will not feel alone anymore.
So I adopted a spayed lady and they liked each other immediately, just after a few hours in a neutral playpen I was confident I can house them together. He did a little humping but she tolerated it and even took it as a complement. After a couple days together he was humping more and more and he started spraying her, walls and everything around to mark it with his urine, it was horrible. He'd never do it before and I didn't think he'd start doing it but honestly it was worst experience in my life.
I've added a little shelf so she could hide from his humping and it worked, but he just kept spraying non stop and everything around was so sticky and stinky! She was spayed more than 6 months ago btw but her presence still triggered his instincts.
I thought maybe he will stop it after some time but then understood I was wrong and so I've got him neutered in May. Because they were very attached to each other I've decided not to separate them and he kept humping and spraying for another 7 weeks after his surgery, but after week 4 it was just occasionally and by the end of week 7 it just stopped. Success! But lots of cleaning and it was really gross. You practically can't let them out because he'd spray on everything around, your walls, your TV and on you, they can spray like 2 mtr around and as high as your eyes.
At least I learned something.
If you want to keep unneutered male, just keep him as a single and don't show him another rabbit. If another rabbit is a female he will try to impress her with spraying and humping and if she is fine with that they might bond but you'll have lots of cleaning, and if she gets annoyed of it she can start going after him wanting to castrate him with her own teeth and claws, and it is not uncommon that males get injured seriously while humping on a female's head.
If you get another male (neutered 8+ weeks ago), if he is super submissive, they won't fight but your unneutered male will still feel need in marking territory with urine so don't get surprised if he stops using his toilet and pee everywhere around. He will be still hormonal and will hump the other male if he will tolerate it, otherwise they will fight. Again, depending on your rabbit's and anther rabbit's personalities.
I have successfully bonded neutered males, but after 2-3 months after they were neutered.
In your case I would try finding a rabbit-savvy vet and would neuter Felix, then would wait 2-3 months and would try to find him a friend from a rescue but based on his and that other rabbits personalities and maybe they will allow you to bring Felix in to see if they are compatible. Just ask if they do bunny dates, have a few rabbits in mind from their photos and try do pre-bonding sessions with them.
Best combination they say is neutered male and neutered female, as I said two neutered males can bond with excellent results as well. It all depends on personalities.
We have a list of rabbit-savvy vets here maybe try contacting a few of them in your area
>>
Vet List | House Rabbit Society
Of course it's your rabbit and you decide just wanted to share my own experience.
Anyway, I wish you best of luck and please keep us updated
