Is he spraying?

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 16sd replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 10 months ago by Nibbles_NZ.

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- 05/10/2010 at 9:05 PM
  Nibbles_NZ
  Participant
  751 posts
  I’ve been told that an unaltered male rabbit will spray. I didn’t think Baxter was old enough as he is around 3 1/2 months and is a bigger breed (isn’t SUPPOSED to be mature until atleast 6 months). I know he is young because he was tiny when I got him about 6 weeks ago. Anyway, I have been smelling something in my house lately. It’s an odd smell. Sort of skunk like. I live in the city so I don’t think there is a skunk spraying every day and night outside my house. I keep my bunnies cages extremely clean so it’s not the litter box. My bunnies don’t ever smell either and I haven’t noticed thier litter boxes smelling foul (I change them everyday). Could he be spraying this young? I’m taking him to the vet next week for a check up and to see when we can neuter him but if he is spraying I need to put something around his pen so nothing gets ruined.
- 05/10/2010 at 10:29 PM
  Monkeybun
  Participant
  10479 posts
  you’d be surprised.. we had skunks alot near our place in the middle of Edmonton Alberta, a decent sized city. They aren’t just in the country Check around, and see if there are any sprayed areas near his area, if so.. then yes he is spraying. If not, someone else is doing it.
- 05/11/2010 at 2:30 AM
  Lintini
  Participant
  3329 posts
  I noticed a change in the smell of my males urine when he was a bit over 3 months as well. It gave it away that he was male before his boy parts came to show. For a few months we all thought he was a she. The smell went away after he was neutered. It wasn’t spraying though, it was just him using the liter box. Now spraying…you can see them raise their tail different when they spray and it’s a small amount of urine, not a larger puddle like they do in their box. If his testicles are showing then he is probably older than you think and it’s time to neuter. But you said your bunny’s boxes don’t smell bad at all so maybe it’s just something funky going around your neighborhood. I know my neighbors actually cook outside so my neighborhood smells like dirty feet all the time.
- 05/11/2010 at 6:13 AM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  I could be a skunk – they’re very urban.
  
  Or it could be your bun. Otto was never stinky when he was unneutered, but I’ve noticed some stink lately when he and Hannah have had scuffles. It’s not pee, and the litter boxes don’t smell – it’s just a smell that comes from the bunny’s glands. Your boy might not be spraying – he could just be producing scent to show everyone he’s the big strong male around 😛
- 05/11/2010 at 6:36 AM
  Beka27
  Participant
  16016 posts
  Males buns smell very musky when they’re unneutered. But it’s a different smell than a real skunk. And it doesn’t mean that he is necessary spraying urine, it’s just the smell they have. You will see sprayed urine (yellow or orange on the walls about a foot off the ground.)
- 05/11/2010 at 8:23 AM
  KatnipCrzy
  Participant
  2981 posts
  Griffin’s urine was very stinky/musky before he was neutered and sometimes he gave off that odor also.
- 05/11/2010 at 10:02 AM
  Nibbles_NZ
  Participant
  751 posts
  Posted By Elrohwen on 05/11/2010 06:13 AM
  I could be a skunk – they’re very urban.
  
  Or it could be your bun. Otto was never stinky when he was unneutered, but I’ve noticed some stink lately when he and Hannah have had scuffles. It’s not pee, and the litter boxes don’t smell – it’s just a smell that comes from the bunny’s glands. Your boy might not be spraying – he could just be producing scent to show everyone he’s the big strong male around 😛
  
  That makes sense to me! I am really wanting to get him neutered so I check his area to see if he has started to descend. I can see them a little but not enough for him to be neutered. When I check there his scent gland stinks very badly! Maybe that is what I am smelling. Not to mention, Bella is in the pen right next to his so him producing that scent makes sense.
- 05/11/2010 at 10:06 AM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  If you can see his man bits at all, he’s probably ready to be snipped. They can pull them up into their body, so that’s probably why you’re only seeing them a little bit.
- 05/11/2010 at 10:06 AM
  Nibbles_NZ
  Participant
  751 posts
  Posted By Beka27 on 05/11/2010 06:36 AM
  Males buns smell very musky when they’re unneutered. But it’s a different smell than a real skunk. And it doesn’t mean that he is necessary spraying urine, it’s just the smell they have. You will see sprayed urine (yellow or orange on the walls about a foot off the ground.)
  
  It doesn’t smell exactly like a skunk. I just didn’t really know what to compare it to. I don’t think it is a skunk. I mean, I know it is possible but I didn’t start smelling it until lately and it has been every night for the last 4 or 5 nights. Sometimes during the day too but more at night.
- 05/11/2010 at 10:08 AM
  Nibbles_NZ
  Participant
  751 posts
  Posted By Elrohwen on 05/11/2010 10:06 AM
  If you can see his man bits at all, he’s probably ready to be snipped. They can pull them up into their body, so that’s probably why you’re only seeing them a little bit.
  
  Oh, okay. Maybe he is doing that then. It has been a little colder. I know they descend more when it’s hot. He is still only 3 1/2 months old. I don’t think they will do it until he is 6 months. Would be nice if they could do it sooner than that
- 05/11/2010 at 10:10 AM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  Well, they pull them up when they’re nervous or don’t want you poking around down there – not just based on temperature.
  
  Some vets will do it as early as 3 months, while others like to wait until the bunny weighs more. My vet did Otto some time between 4 and 5 months I think (his testicles were descended at 8 weeks).
- 05/11/2010 at 10:34 AM
  Nibbles_NZ
  Participant
  751 posts
  LOL yes, that makes sense too. I was violating his provacy. lol Wow Otto was descending at 8 weeks? What breed is he?
- 05/11/2010 at 10:36 AM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  Holland lop. Small breeds mature earlier than larger ones, so it’s not that unusual for a bunny his size. I took him to the vet at 8 weeks and asked if he was definitely a male (since we wanted a boy and I know mistakes can be made) and she said “Yep, definitely a boy. Here are his little boy bits!” Haha
- 05/11/2010 at 11:04 AM
  Nibbles_NZ
  Participant
  751 posts
  LOL. I took a chance on Bella. I wanted a girl and couldn’t find any buns at any shelters so sadly I went to the petstore. I checked all of them but they were so little is was hard to tell. Of course, no one the worked there had a clue either. lol. People were looking at me like I was nuts because I was checking all of the buns private parts! I was right! She is a girl Very sweet and rotten at times. lol
- 05/11/2010 at 11:14 AM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  It’s tough to tell girls from boys without the testicles! Good job. I’ve looked at pictures online and know the theory, but I would be hard pressed to do it, especially on a baby.
- 05/11/2010 at 11:19 AM
  Nibbles_NZ
  Participant
  751 posts
  I did hours of research trying to figure out if Baxter was really a boy. They look very similar. It’s hard when you are 2 babies that are the same sex lol. You question whether they look the same or not. It’s a lot easier when you are looking at a male and female lol. Sounds silly but that was the only way I could tell. Examining the same bunnies over and over again. She was the only one that looked different. Then again, she did have a very thin layer of skin barely blocking part of it but you could still see it.
- 05/11/2010 at 11:21 AM
  Nibbles_NZ
  Participant
  751 posts
  It is obvious now that they are male and female. One looks like a tube and the other is like a pyramid. lol
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