Changes after Spay?

[LittlePuffyTail]

 Olivia was spayed the second week of February. She has some behaviour issues that I’m hoping having her spayed will help eventually. She is VERY territorial. Sweet as pie when out of her cage but HATES me reaching in her home to pick her up or clean. She growls… a lot. It’s pretty funny when she growls, this little tiny bun trying to be scary, but I would still like it to stop. She also does the whole “I’m leaving a dozen poops everywhere I go so they will know I’ve been here” thing.

What changes, if any, have you noticed in your spayed bunny and how long after the spay did the behavioral issues start to change?

[mrmac]

When we got our girl she did the exact same thing, especially when reaching in. She was terrible! She growled and dug at my hand when it went into the cage and bit at me too. We got her spayed in June of 08 and she has been an angel ever since. She met and moved in with her brother and has never done it since. She doesnt mark as much as she did either. Now she cant get enough love and now loves to give kisses and quite regularly cleans my face.

[MooBunnay]

I have a bunny that really despises it when I put my hands in his cage too. While spaying can definitely help, you can also help her be a little less territorial and a little bit more trusting. I think that you can definitely help that with some trust building activites, for example sitting on the floor with your bunny and just letting her come up and sniff you and get to know you. Also, hand feeding treats at a regular time, for example before work or when you get home, will help your bunny get excited about you putting your hands in her cage to give a treat!

All my bunnies really hate being picked up, so it may also be that she is scared that you are going to pick her up each time you put your hands into her cage. For awhile, try to not pick her up too much unless it is necessary, and maybe she will feel better about you putting your hands in her cage

The territorial poops can also be triggered by other scents – is there another bunny or animal that is in “her” territory that she might be marking her territory against?

[jerseygirl]

I have a growler too. And it didn’t subside after her spay. She only does it sometimes, when I annoy her. It’s a communication tool and I’m ok with that. It did take quite a few months for Jersey to be really settled and content. I couldn’t say whether that was due to her spay/hormones settling or her age and time spent in the home. Am I to understand you haven’t been able to have Olivia fulltime at home prior to her spay? If so, her bonding to you and adjusting to new permanent home would factor into her behaviour too.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Well, I don’t know if that would change-it COULD though-don’t let me get you down.

The growling could be behaviorally addressed. For Tabitha and Baby-they attack hands in their cage-we talk quietly and softly and let them know what we’re doing. We go slow and pet them first and during the time any hand is in their cage (i.e. one hand gives pets one fills food). I’m not sure that you can change that behavior, just work with it-so they are more comfortable. Perhaps if you got to bonding her with another who isn’t territorial? I’m not sure..

I can only imagine little Olivia growling…How cute is it that a lesst then ten pound herbivore tries to boss us, hundred plus pound carnivores around??

Changes after spay-Kahlua just was mad at me for a few weeks. The only changes in behavior I’ve witnessed-and I’m far from the authority-is less humping/dominance and more laziness. For males it’s more dramatic for sure.

[KatnipCrzy]

Cotton was a growler at any “enemy” into her cage- my hands, any sweeping motion for cleaning, etc.  And it has gotten better, but not completely eliminated.  She never contacted my hands thoug- she growled and stomped her front feet, or growled and charged and headbutted whatever was making her mad, dog, cat, etc.

I look at is as communication also.  And since it does not happen as often it is actually kinda cute.  I have not heard any of my other 2 bunnies growl, and they certainly never charge me or the dogs and cats.  I have to admit I have even teased her a time or 2 after she displayed the behavior just to see how far she would escalate.  But ti hapens so rarely otherwise I would not “encourage” it.  The dogs are not even phased if she charges and head butts them- the cats get scared at the growl.

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’ve had Olivia for almost a year now. A year on April 1st. I have noticed one change though. Prior to the spay she would growl at my hands and try to bite (and actually drew blood a few times). Now, she doesn’t bite. When she growls she uses her hands sort of boxer style to scratch the crap out of my hands. Those little nails really hurt!!!

I do spend a lot of time on the ground at her level though and she is friendly out of her cage. When I open her cage, she initially growls but if I just stroke her nose for a bit she calms down. She adores having her nose stroked. She is absolutely terrified of being picked up despite the fact I’ve been picking her up (and loving her ) for a year. I have a hunch she was very badly treated before I got her and probably had some bad handling experiences.

[BinkyBunny]

Rucy used to be much more aggressive. Age has mellowed her more than anything, but one thing I did teach her was not to bite.

I used gloves at first in situations where she would bite (anytime I would reach into her cage – back in the time when she had a cage). She would bite my glove, and what I would do is just calmly keep it there or rest it there She quickly learned the biting didn’t work, but she did start to box and so for me that was okay, and I would quickly retreat when she boxed and she learned that growling and boxing would get my hand out of there quicker. It worked out for both of us. She was able to express and get her displeasure respected, and I didn’t get bit. Now she rarely does either, she just has become a much more mellow old lady – unless I reach into her cubby. Now she’ll give a little box if I don’t remember to pet her first before I invade her hiding spot, but that’s basically it. 

The boxing doesn’t hurt me as her nails are never really very sharp and she doesn’t ‘really box too hard.  She gives a little one-two punch and then stops. .  She’s also smaller (under 4 pounds).   If Jack did this, I’d have open wounds.

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