Should I neuter my rabbit?

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This topic has 4sd replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 4 years, 5 months ago by LBJ10.

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- 10/05/2021 at 7:13 PM
  loryn
  Participant
  1 posts
  Hi,
  
  I recently adopted a 4-year-old Netherland Dwarf rabbit. For background, he was used for breeding. He is now a house bunny. He has an amazing temperament, loves affection, and uses his litter box.
  
  My previous rabbit was also a Netherland Dwarf, and we opted to neuter him when he was 1-year-old.
  
  I recently took my newly adopted rabbit to the vet. She said he looked healthy and her only recommendation was that we neuter him. I am not opposed to neutering at all. I am concerned about a few things though.
  
  1) I am concerned that he is a bit older. I read on one site that they usually won’t perform a neuter after 5-years-old(?). Is it cutting it close to have them procedure performed now?
  
  2) He has a great temperament, and I am afraid that the neuter might change that.
  
  Do any of you have experience with this or any advice? Feel free to ask me any more questions if it would help. I know the procedure is preventative for him. I would hate to not go through with him and then see him develop an illness later on.
  
  Thank you! 🙂
  
  (Sorry for any typos. I’m writing on my phone.)
- 10/05/2021 at 7:20 PM
  BZOO
  Participant
  331 posts
  I’m going to be in the minority here.
  
  If he’s an only bun, I would not.
  
  Just got my male neutered, in hopes to bond with my spayed female. He isn’t doing well. I’m am stressed and beating myself up, he’s probably going back to vet tomorrow.
  
  This is the first time I’ve altered a bun, female came spayed, and the stress is immense!
- 10/06/2021 at 1:40 AM
  Bam
  Moderator
  17029 posts
  4 years isn’t too old to neuter a male rabbit. Shelters do it all the time.
  
  @BZOO, I’m very sorry you are going through this.
  
  I had a bun who came to me at the age of 6 and who couldnt neutered for health reasons. He was wonderful, but he pee-marked extensively. I had to cover everything with pee pads and shower curtains and easy to wash blankets. He’d jump up in the air and do 360 degree pee sprays.
  
  Personality is partly influenced by genetics and epigenetics and partly learned. The behaviors that are linked to sexual drive will subside (but not go away 100%) after a neuter, but the personality is a lot more than sexual drive. You may even say that sex drive can overshadow the bun’s other personality traits, because rabbits do have a very strong sex drive (must make lots of babies asap before gets eaten by a predator).
  
  My first bun was an intact adult bun who after a year in my care suddenly became infatuated with my dog. This was stressful for the dog. I had the bun neutered and the obsession went away. The bun, Bam, was still Bam.
- 10/06/2021 at 2:47 PM
  DanaNM
  Moderator
  9064 posts
  If you aren’t experiencing any behavioral problems and you don’t plan to bond him, then there isn’t a real need to neuter (and you don’t need to rush into it), because male rabbits aren’t at risk for reproductive cancers like females are.
  
  4 is not too old, so as long as your vet is rabbit savvy you have some time to think about it. My old vet would neuter rabbits as old as 9!
  
  My newest bun Cooper was a total love bug before his neuter and that hasn’t changed a bit. So I don’t think you need to worry about personality changes.
  
  @BZOO sorry your bun isn’t recovering well. 🙁
  
  . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.
- 10/06/2021 at 5:06 PM
  LBJ10
  Moderator
  17225 posts
  I agree with the others. Neutering isn’t vital. It’s mostly to stop hormonal behaviors. Some bunnies just don’t exhibit a lot of hormonal behaviors… at least not ones that are bothersome. And if you don’t plan to ever bond him with another rabbit, then I think the decision really is up to you. As Bam pointed out though, there is always the possibility of new behaviors manifesting, so just keep that in mind.
  
  I don’t believe 4 years old is too old to be neutered. Rabbits of all ages are neutered all the time, especially at shelters. You would just need to make sure the vet doing the neuter is experienced.
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