Bunny Puberty, or Something Else?

[13Tskhmaster]

Is my rabbit, Hunny Nugget, experiencing “bunny puberty?” She is in the three-to-six-month age range, and she sometimes becomes aggressive towards anyone who cleans her litter box or tries to hand-feed her. Hunny is normally very sweet; she loves playtime and licks me after our snuggles. However, her newfound aggression has me worried. It has only been a problem for the past couple weeks, but I would hate to think my mother and I (her primary caregivers) can no longer go near her…

“Bunny puberty” is a diagnosis I have reached on my own, and it seems likely. However, I also worry Hunny’s aggression could be stress-related due to lack of exercise. I just got a new job in retail. My shifts tend to be nine hours long, which means I cannot play with Hunny as often as I used to. While she used to get exercise in her corral each day, she now has to spend a lot of time in her cage because no one is around during the day to take her out. This leaves me feeling quite guilty…

Either way, if it is indeed time for Hunny to be spayed, I worry her disposition will change and our bond will disappear. I have read rabbits can hold grudges post-operation, and I REALLY do not want this to happen to me. Is there anything I can do to ensure this process goes smoothly? I have not had to deal with getting a rabbit spayed since my first two (who have since passed away), Lily and Lucy, were very young. That was over 10 years ago… 

[Deleted User]

It does sound like she’s reached puberty and should be spayed soon. You won’t lose your bond with her over it. She might be lethargic for a few days and be a little fussy at you, but that’s it. She’ll go through a post spay craze for a few months as her body adjusts, so she could get worse before she gets better. But overall she’ll be a much happier bun

[sarahthegemini]

It’s not really fair that she has to spend the majority of her time in a cage. Can you get a large pen and attach it so she has more room? She’s probably extra territorial because that’s pretty much the only space she has…

As for losing your bond when she’s spayed, it’s doubtful. She’ll probably be a bit miffed for a few days but she’s not going to be mad at you forever. My Buttercup was back to normal with me after a couple of days. She might not have a post spay hormonal craze either, Buttercup didn’t

[BrittanyA]

I made the mistake of introducing a new rabbit right when mine hit the spay age. She was a mess. My normally cuddle loving, kiss giving, snuggle bunny was gone, and was replaced with a nipping little jerk. I read online about losing the bond after they get spayed, but I also was told about cervical cancer in female rabbits by our vet, so I knew she needed it done eventually anyway. I was SO worried I lost her, between the new rabbit and needing to get her spayed, but I scheduled it anyway, kicking myself the entire time and being an emotional roller coaster.
It took her 3 full days to come around after her spay, and another trip to the vet for an anti-ulcer type medicine, but she came back 100% to how she was. She is still full of herself, curious,cuddly, kiss-giving, binky bunny that I had before. Bunny puberty can be a real pain in the neck, but getting her spayed should calm her down entirely. Think of her as a teenage girl right now, and a mid-20’s girl after her spay lol

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