Too old to spay?

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BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

This topic has 7sd replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 9 months ago by Elrohwen.

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- 06/12/2012 at 4:57 AM
  Jayne'n'Stu
  Participant
  4 posts
  Hi guys,
  
  We’ve had Clover, (Our 4yr old doe), as a house rabbit for a year now, (Since she fell out with her hutch buddy). She’s been absolutely fantastic, so affectionate to us, she’s even bonded and became friends with our cat. They share litter trays, groom each other, play chase and we’ve even caught them cuddled up sleeping.
  
  She’s been a godsend for Simba, he’s 4 and we’re sure he’s the feline equivalent of “Special Needs”. He hasn’t got an ounce of cat sense about him, can’t jump onto or off things. Can’t be let out by himself because he gets lost and can’t defend himself, everything else seems to go for him. He’s a right little sweetheart.
  
  These last couple of days things have turned.
  
  She’s started chasing poor Simba and nipping him. Several times over the last 3 days we’ve heard some bumping and found them locked together rolling around on the floor.
  
  Needless to say, we have ceased to give Clover a free run of the house and keep her in her indoor hutch. Letting her out to go to the litter tray or letting her have an hour while Simba is sleeping on our bed, (bedroom door closed of course).
  
  The question is; Will getting her done make her a nice bunny again?
  
  We really dont want to have to put her back outside. Up until now she has been brilliant beyond belief and such a great little friend for Simba.
  
  Any ideas?
  
  Thanks in advance!
  
  Jayne and Stuart.
- 06/12/2012 at 5:09 AM
  LittlePuffyTail
  Moderator
  18092 posts
  Getting her spayed might ease some of her hormonal behavior but dont expect it to be a cure all. I had my female spayed around the age of 1 and a half years and she didnt quit the dominance or aggression.
  
  However, getting her spayed is definitely a good idea for her health. Unspayed female bunnies have an extremely high rate of reproductive cancer (over 80%). Your vet would need to give her a pre-spay check up and possibly bloodwork to make sure she is healthy enough to go through the procedure.
  
  There are several past threads here about rabbits and cats co-existing. Just do a Forum Search for Cat. Also, I found this article from the House Rabbit Society you might like to read.
  
  http://www.rabbit.org/journal/2-11/…bbits.html
- 06/12/2012 at 9:30 AM
  Jayne'n'Stu
  Participant
  4 posts
  Thanks for your reply, your link made interesting reading.
  
  Her behavior does appear to coincide with her hormonal cycles, normally she’s quite sedate, friendly and exceptionally curious of anything were doing. She always has to be involved.
  
  Are there any risks involved with having a bunny undergo this procedure at 4 yrs of age?
- 06/12/2012 at 9:42 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  Rabbits don’t have hormone cycles – they are induced ovulators and can get pregnant at anytime – basically, they are always hormonal if not altered.
  
  She is not too old to get spayed but I would recommend that you have a blood test done prior to the procedure.
- 06/12/2012 at 10:48 AM
  Jayne'n'Stu
  Participant
  4 posts
  Thanks Sarita, do you think this may be the prob’………?
  We have another bunny in a hutch in the garden, when we have Simba outside (we have to sit with him) we also let the outside bunny have a run around in the garden.
  Maybe Clover can smell another bunny on him when he comes in…..
- 06/12/2012 at 11:03 AM
  Sarita
  Participant
  18851 posts
  I really don’t know. I do think alot of it is hormonal, but I also know rabbits think that this behavior may be due to fear and she is protecting herself. Who knows, maybe Simba started it too…
  
  Many times animals of different species especially, predator and prey, dynamics can change. Being that Clover is the prey and Simba is the “predator”, it’s possible that somehow their dynamics changed in a way that only they can know.
  
  It’s not always easy to know what goes on in the minds of our pets because no matter how hard we try, we just cannot see things their way all the time.
- 06/12/2012 at 12:50 PM
  Jayne'n'Stu
  Participant
  4 posts
  We’re having a supervised playtime for Clover, with Simba around. So far no probs.
  
  He’s not been out for the last day or two because of the bad weather, so probably no alien smells on him.
  
  Usually she’s on him the second he comes back in, sniffing and nipping.
  
  Kind of wish Simba wasnt quite so soft and give her a tiny nip back to assert himself.
  
  Definitely beginning to think that outdoor smells are getting her excited…….
- 06/14/2012 at 5:35 PM
  Elrohwen
  Participant
  7318 posts
  It’s certainly possible that she smells the other bunny on him when he comes back inside.
  
  Can I ask why the other bunny must live outside? If you got both him and Clover fixed, they could probably live together inside as a bonded pair.
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