Posted By jerseygirl on 12/11/2016 5:12 AM
Welcome! Sorry you are having such an ordeal with him. It is no fun at all.

I want to say it’s still due to hormones post neuter and more time is needed for those to deplete…but 3 months post neuter seems long enough.

How certain are you he was fully desexed? Was there any complications with his surgery.

How was your relationship with him prior to the pair bonding?

I wonder if he reacting to your hormones at all?

It’s odd, Ive usually found that it’s the girls that are somewhat stubborn marking.  (And unneutered boys!!)

Thanks for the welcome!

I know it’s such a shame because I really love them, but it’s meaning that the female has to stay in her cage more because he keeps being confined. It’s not fair in any of us really and I want him to have space and be happy!

Now, I’m actually not sure about the neutering. They told me all went fine and that was the end of it… I’m wondering if I should get them to re look? Will it be obvious to them if they have a quick look? Or would he need to go under?

Prior to the op, he was just the same. I would say he was marked more poo wise, but the wee is about the same. He doesn’t spray anymore but marks all the time and that’s the worst bit. He was just as affectionate (he is very sweet, and gives lots of kisses). I would says he’s made a 20% improvement. I was pregnant before I bought him, so I can’t compare his behaviour in regards to my hormones etc. Our dog is acting totally different t so I’m sure he had noticed something.

I know, all the boys I’ve ever had have been so good and he is totally crazy!! He managed to climb about a foot up the Christmas tree today

Posted By Mikey on 12/11/2016 1:42 PM
For the possible missed neuter, you should be able to tell pretty easily: does he still have his testicles? A quick look should be able to tell you. How did the vet do his neuter?

Does he mark all over their shared cage as well, or only the room that they are allowed to roam? What bonding sessions were held in the room they share?

I just laid him on his back to look – I can see no testicles (I’ve never looked before though) so I think that’s right? I don’t know, he just went in for the day – but I’m there with the dog tomorrow so I could ask for more detail if you think it’s relevant?

He doesn’t mark his shared cage (only the occasional poo) at all.

Bonding sessions were carried out in a mixture of rooms (they were quite a tricky pair to start with and I had to try different approaches but they did that room, bathroom and kitchen). The biggest scrap they had was in this room but that was 5 months ago now.

After I checked his testicles he hopped off me and weed right next to me – I feel it’s quite purposeful if that makes sense?

After that fight, I moved them to the kitchen and bonded them there until the end. I then re brought them in to the main room. I industrial cleaned the carpet with a machine and they’ve never fought since. Interestingly, it’s the female that mounts him when she believes there is food coming.

Would you put them back into a pen and start again? Or is he a lost cause?

I actually posted on another board that I also visit a load to read in and everybody said they should go outdoors after the cold is gone if he can’t sort it out,but I’ve never not had a rabbit in the house and I’m scared they’ll be unhappy.

Posted By jerseygirl on 12/11/2016 7:53 PM

After I checked his testicles he hopped off me and weed right next to me – I feel it’s quite purposeful if that makes sense?

Oh yes, perfect sense. I had a rabbit who I swear was communicating with her purposeful peeing.

Mikey brings up a point I was also wondering, could he be wanting more attention? Im reminded of Binky Bunny’s rabbit Bailey which she mentions here:

https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/tabid/53/CategoryID/5/PID/940/Default.aspx (scroll down to Bailey the Persistant Marker)

Regarding the neuter, I was thinking if perhaps one of the testicles hadn’t descended, he may have had only one removed. But surely they would tell you that!!

For your own sanity, I would stick with the restricted access to the room by using the pen. 

So the vet said that if he had had an undescended testicle then it would be in his notes and there was nothing in there about that.

He’s just done it again, come straight out and within 2 minutes lifted his tail and sent it right down the sofa. I’ve out him away and had to leave our female out instead.

Attention wise…. He comes up for attention a lot, but he’s more nosey, so he doesn’t want petted but rather just to see what you’re up to. I sat in the floor earlier with them (while he urinated twice and pooed 28 times) and he was just the same. He didn’t want to sit by me like the female but rather patrol around….

So if you went back to restricted space, would you just out one litter box in that space and hope he figures it out?

I just wanted to update that for now I’ve put them back into the restricted space using the puppy pen. He is marking all over this space but I’m just continually putting back into one of his three litter trays. Hopefully if I stick to this for long enough he might stop!

Interestingly, I have NEVER seen the male mount the female. The female always mounts him in the presence of food so I assumed she was the boss. Anyway, yesterday I found him mounting her – I’m not to sure why – he did this 4 times in quick succession.

I’m wondering if they have t yet figured out who’s in charge yet and that might have something to do with the marking……?