Should I Get My Bunny Fixed?
The Pros and Cons of Spaying and Neutering Pet Rabbits
By: Raechelle C.
of Fuzzy Buns Rabbits
As someone who both breeds and rescues rabbits, one of the most common questions I get asked is, “Should I get my bunny fixed?” Because there are many factors to consider when making the decision to spay or neuter a pet bunny, I normally say, “That is completely up to you. There is no wrong or right answer.” I will personally support any decision made by any of the families that adopt from me—whether they decide to keep little Thumper intact, or choose to get him “snipped.” If you are on the fence about what to do, I will go over some important facts for you to think about before coming up with a final answer.
A lot of people get their female rabbits spayed because they have heard the statistic being thrown around that 85% of female rabbits get uterine cancer, and they feel like doing so is a preventative measure against possible health problems that may come up in the future. This bit of information has been passed around the internet as “fact” by a number of organizations. However, it is only partially true and has been misinterpreted by many individuals and groups. Harry Greene, a researcher who studied rabbit colonies for 30 years, observed from a sample size of 849 rabbits of all ages that 79.1% of the rabbits aged 5 years and up developed Uterine Adenocarcinoma (otherwise known as malignant Uterine Cancer) (Greene, 1958a). Yet, only 28 of those rabbits were ages 5-7 years old. So when one thinks about how small the population of older rabbits was in Greene’s study, it is pretty tough to determine the true accuracy of his findings and if it is truly representative of all pet rabbits.
Will Spaying/Neutering Improve My Bunny’s Behavior?
It’s hard to say whether or not neutering or spaying your rabbit will change unwanted behaviors. Bunnies are quite similar to humans in the sense that some of their behavior may be deeply affected by hormonal fluctuations, while others might not change that much at all. Think of it this way, you probably have known some human boys going through puberty that have had a lot of changes that seem to have occurred overnight: a crackling voice, acne, and moodiness. This may be true for some boys, while others, not so much—except for maybe getting a few inches taller and the voice getting a little bit deeper, that might be the extent of it.
Rabbits are much the same way, personality types are very individual and behavior can be observed on a case by case basis. Not all sexually mature, intact bunnies are constantly randy, wanting to breed, and spray everywhere. For example, I have an adult unneutered male rabbit that is sweet as can be. He always runs to the front of his enclosure to get his head scratched and to nuzzle my hand when I walk up to give him his food. He has never sprayed, and when I have tried breeding him previously with an unspayed female, she was the one who ended up mounting him instead! I have fellow rabbit friends, both breeders and pet owners alike, that have said that they have very similar experiences with their bunnies. I've also encountered others who've reported that as soon as they had their bun become sexually mature, it turned into Bunzilla. So you never know!
You can ask a hundred rabbit owners with both fixed and "un-fixed" animals about behavior, and you most likely will get a huge variety of answers. I will be as neutral as possible and present to you both the pros and cons of spaying and neutering to help you decide what's best for you and your animal.
The Advantages of “Fixing” a Bunny
Many rabbit families have reported the following positive experiences after having their animals altered:
Note #2 Chewing, digging, and mounting are natural behaviors for bunnies whether or not they are intact. It is up to the owner to provide enough physical/mental stimulation, supervision, and take other proactive measures to prevent destruction to property or other undesirable behaviors.
The Disadvantages of Spaying or Neutering a Rabbit
Various bunny owners have reported the following negative experiences of having their pets fixed:
Important Things to Consider if You Decide to Get Your Bunny Fixed
If you do choose to alter your pet, here are some things to think about to ensure you get the best experience possible and the least amount of risk is taken (Fastert).
These are some other things to think about in order to prevent spay or neuter related complications or deaths.
In Conclusion
There are countless people who are completely for, and there will be just as many that will be as much against sterilizing rabbits. No matter what others’ opinions may be, remember that ultimately the decision to neuter or spay your animals is wholly up to you and you alone. I encourage every bunny owner to carefully weigh what is important to them so that they can come up with the decision that is best for themselves, their families, and their rabbits. Best of luck, and I support you in whatever you choose to do!
1. Adenocarcinoma of the Uterine Fundus In the Rabbit by Harry S. N.
Greene pg. 535-542, Annals New York Academy of Sciences.
2. Animed Veterinary Hospital & Equine Unit. http://www.animedvets.co.uk/neutering_rabbits.htm
3. The risk of death: the confidential enquiry into perioperative small animal fatalities. Brodbelt Dc, Blissitt KJ, Hammond RA, and 4 other authors.
4. Fastert, Samantha. Certified vet tech and owner of Fastert’s Fast Feet rabbitry.
5. Anonymous veterinarian. Due to the highly controversial nature of this opinion, this Southern California DVM has chosen to remain anonymous in order to avoid backlash from animal rights activists.
Property of Fuzzy Buns Rabbitry. Please do no reproduce or distribute without prior consent.
The Pros and Cons of Spaying and Neutering Pet Rabbits
By: Raechelle C.
of Fuzzy Buns Rabbits
As someone who both breeds and rescues rabbits, one of the most common questions I get asked is, “Should I get my bunny fixed?” Because there are many factors to consider when making the decision to spay or neuter a pet bunny, I normally say, “That is completely up to you. There is no wrong or right answer.” I will personally support any decision made by any of the families that adopt from me—whether they decide to keep little Thumper intact, or choose to get him “snipped.” If you are on the fence about what to do, I will go over some important facts for you to think about before coming up with a final answer.
A lot of people get their female rabbits spayed because they have heard the statistic being thrown around that 85% of female rabbits get uterine cancer, and they feel like doing so is a preventative measure against possible health problems that may come up in the future. This bit of information has been passed around the internet as “fact” by a number of organizations. However, it is only partially true and has been misinterpreted by many individuals and groups. Harry Greene, a researcher who studied rabbit colonies for 30 years, observed from a sample size of 849 rabbits of all ages that 79.1% of the rabbits aged 5 years and up developed Uterine Adenocarcinoma (otherwise known as malignant Uterine Cancer) (Greene, 1958a). Yet, only 28 of those rabbits were ages 5-7 years old. So when one thinks about how small the population of older rabbits was in Greene’s study, it is pretty tough to determine the true accuracy of his findings and if it is truly representative of all pet rabbits.
Will Spaying/Neutering Improve My Bunny’s Behavior?
It’s hard to say whether or not neutering or spaying your rabbit will change unwanted behaviors. Bunnies are quite similar to humans in the sense that some of their behavior may be deeply affected by hormonal fluctuations, while others might not change that much at all. Think of it this way, you probably have known some human boys going through puberty that have had a lot of changes that seem to have occurred overnight: a crackling voice, acne, and moodiness. This may be true for some boys, while others, not so much—except for maybe getting a few inches taller and the voice getting a little bit deeper, that might be the extent of it.
Rabbits are much the same way, personality types are very individual and behavior can be observed on a case by case basis. Not all sexually mature, intact bunnies are constantly randy, wanting to breed, and spray everywhere. For example, I have an adult unneutered male rabbit that is sweet as can be. He always runs to the front of his enclosure to get his head scratched and to nuzzle my hand when I walk up to give him his food. He has never sprayed, and when I have tried breeding him previously with an unspayed female, she was the one who ended up mounting him instead! I have fellow rabbit friends, both breeders and pet owners alike, that have said that they have very similar experiences with their bunnies. I've also encountered others who've reported that as soon as they had their bun become sexually mature, it turned into Bunzilla. So you never know!
You can ask a hundred rabbit owners with both fixed and "un-fixed" animals about behavior, and you most likely will get a huge variety of answers. I will be as neutral as possible and present to you both the pros and cons of spaying and neutering to help you decide what's best for you and your animal.
The Advantages of “Fixing” a Bunny
Many rabbit families have reported the following positive experiences after having their animals altered:
- A reduction of territorial and/or aggressive behavior.
- An improved ability to bond rabbits to other bunnies, pets, or humans in the household.
- Reduction of urine spraying or random ejaculation by males.
- Easier to litter train.
- More docile.
- Less worry about female rabbits having unexpected litters.
- It is easier and less of risk to house more than one rabbit together—especially if they are of the opposite sex.
- “Destructive” behavior decreases. (Such as less chewing on electric cords, baseboards, and furniture.)
Note #2 Chewing, digging, and mounting are natural behaviors for bunnies whether or not they are intact. It is up to the owner to provide enough physical/mental stimulation, supervision, and take other proactive measures to prevent destruction to property or other undesirable behaviors.
The Disadvantages of Spaying or Neutering a Rabbit
Various bunny owners have reported the following negative experiences of having their pets fixed:
- Death.
- Smaller breeds, younger rabbits, and elderly bunnies are at greater risk of surgery related fatality.
- Spaying and neutering can be expensive, and can be extremely cost prohibitive in some areas.
- Veterinarians with training and knowledge in small animals might not be available in some locations.
- Unwanted behaviors did not change (or the changes that were observed were very little) and not worth the cost to some owners.
- Male rabbits are still fertile for up to 3 weeks post sterilization.
- Little to no change in the ability to litter train.
- Bunnies did not become more docile as expected.
- The ability to bond a rabbit to others did not improve.
- Expectations were not met.
Important Things to Consider if You Decide to Get Your Bunny Fixed
If you do choose to alter your pet, here are some things to think about to ensure you get the best experience possible and the least amount of risk is taken (Fastert).
- Search for a bunny savvy veterinarian that has successfully performed many neuter and spay surgeries.
- If you are looking to neuter a male rabbit, ask the vet if she or he uses a pre-scrotal method.
- It is essential for rabbits that body heat is maintained. Check to see if heat sources are provided and checked often during and after the procedure.
- Inquire regarding what pain management practices are used at the veterinary clinic. There should be a protocol for before, during, and at least a few days after the surgery.
- A responsible vet should allow your bunny to drink water right before surgery and eat food up to several hours beforehand. Hay should be given immediately after the animal regains consciousness to ensure Gastro-Intestinal health.
- See if the clinic has a room that is kept as quiet as possible in order to keep your rabbit’s stress levels at a minimum, and to optimize his or her recovery.
These are some other things to think about in order to prevent spay or neuter related complications or deaths.
- If a bunny has a special medical condition.
- Rabbits under 3 lbs. Most small animal practitioners will not perform alterations on bunnies below this weight. Due to their very small sizes most Brittania Petite, Netherland Dwarf, Polish, and Dwarf Hotot breeds should not be fixed.
- It is best to wait until a rabbit has reached what's considered complete sexual maturity and full adult size for its breed. The following are general ages when most bunnies will reach full physical development based on size classifications: dwarf/small breeds (3-5 lbs.) at 6-7 months, medium to commercial (6-12 lbs.) at 8-10 months, large to giant breeds (13 lbs. and up) 12-18 months.
- While some organizations advise that males can be as young as 10-12 weeks old, and females 4 months old for spay/neuter surgery, many exotic vets advise against it at such young ages. Although an extremely controversial opinion in the pet community, there are animal science professionals that would go so far as to say delaying de-sexing to well after recommended minimum age--or even not at all--would be best for overall joint and bone health. This is particularly true for large to giant breeds. Larger breeds in general are more prone to arthritis (Anonymous veterinarian).*
- A middle aged to senior rabbit may not be able to recover well from surgery. It's generally agreed upon in the vet community that rabbits 5 years old and older should not be de-sexed.
In Conclusion
There are countless people who are completely for, and there will be just as many that will be as much against sterilizing rabbits. No matter what others’ opinions may be, remember that ultimately the decision to neuter or spay your animals is wholly up to you and you alone. I encourage every bunny owner to carefully weigh what is important to them so that they can come up with the decision that is best for themselves, their families, and their rabbits. Best of luck, and I support you in whatever you choose to do!
1. Adenocarcinoma of the Uterine Fundus In the Rabbit by Harry S. N.
Greene pg. 535-542, Annals New York Academy of Sciences.
2. Animed Veterinary Hospital & Equine Unit. http://www.animedvets.co.uk/neutering_rabbits.htm
3. The risk of death: the confidential enquiry into perioperative small animal fatalities. Brodbelt Dc, Blissitt KJ, Hammond RA, and 4 other authors.
4. Fastert, Samantha. Certified vet tech and owner of Fastert’s Fast Feet rabbitry.
5. Anonymous veterinarian. Due to the highly controversial nature of this opinion, this Southern California DVM has chosen to remain anonymous in order to avoid backlash from animal rights activists.
Property of Fuzzy Buns Rabbitry. Please do no reproduce or distribute without prior consent.