Neuter Question

[Lightchick]

Now, don’t get mad at me, I’m just asking and honestly want to know…not trying to shirk my responsibilities at all! 

I know the health benefits to getting a girl-bun spayed (less chance of several sorts of cancer), and that getting a boy-bun neutered will fix a lot of behavioral/hormonal issues.  But I was wondering what the benefit is for getting Thumper neutered?  He has perfect litter box habits, is not territorial or aggressive, and seems pretty happy-go-lucky.  Now, we’ve only had him for a couple weeks, so he may reveal his true-self to be a terror at any moment, but currently, he seems great!

Of course, I agree that overpopulation is a severe problem, and while we don’t plan on letting him escape to ravage the does of San Diego anytime soon, that it is still a concern.

But are there other benefits of neutering this specific rabbit?  He can be a little hyper at times…would the decrease in hormones calm him down a bit?

Thanks for your patience with a newbie!

[OllieBunnysMamma]

Well the thing I hear is about marking the territory. I talked to someone who is urgently looking for a bunny vet today! Her bunny is spraying all over!My bunny is 4 months and not spraying yet. I am crossng my fingers he doesnt have the opportunity and that he will hold off praying for a month. How old is your bun?

[Lightchick]

I have no idea how old he is…He’s definitely not a baby, but he’s very active and runs around/hops a lot, so I don’t think he’s a senior, either. My girl, Lizzy, is 1 year, so that’s how I think of Thumper, but he could be anything… My BF’s family got him at least 4 months ago, and he looked full-grown then, so I doubt that he’s just too young for the homrones to have kicked in… Looking full-grown plus 4 months is 8 months minimum, right?

[Beka27]

en.allexperts.com/q/Rabbits-703/question-neutering-behavioral-changes-1.htm

here’s a Dana Krempels answer on this topic, sort of…

the most important thing she says is that the male would not be able to have a bunny friend (even an altered one) b/c there will be too much fighting and territorial behavior due to the hormones.  there’s not a great reduction of health risk, that we can tell just yet, but i would hate to risk it anyways.  he will remain sexually frustrated, which i think is not a great way to live, esp. when a neuter is such a simple, uninvasive procedure.

no one here is going to fault you for asking the question, but is there a specific reason why you (or your BF) are considering not doing it?  money, unavailability of rabbit-savvy vet, time?

[kimberleyanddarren]

i think its just best to get it done, the older it gets the more difficult it will be and you may consider getting another bunny and whatever plus health aspects, if you get it out of the way while he is still young its better for him and you as you wont have to worry

[Cassi&Charlie]

Sexual frusteration…the poor little thing will always be frusterated and never be able to do anything about it.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

^^ Dito C&C …Can you imagine being the only one of your species, a sexual being, with no one to …you know…That would be hard.

Also you can’t bond an unneutered male.
Also litter habits.
Also-SPRAYING-a male can spray (pee) six feet away -or so I’ve heard

ALSO CANCER although I haven’t seen stats as staggering as those for females, Sexual hormones (ie. progesterone, testosterone, estrogen-which actually are found in both females and males) are all CARCINOGENS.. Females get breast, ovarian, uterine cancer. Males can of course get prostate cancer or testicular cancer as well!!!!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

and excuse my spelling im super tired!!

[Lightchick]

Hey, all

No worries about the spelling K&K! I understand!

Beka, it’s not that we’re ACTIVELY considering not neutering him, it’s more like we were passively wondering why…

Picture this…BF and I hanging out in his tiny studio, with Thumper curled up tight next to me enjoying a pet.

BF, “So, why do we need to get Thumper fixed if Lizzy already is and they don’t come out at the same time, anyway?”

Me, “Well, its supposed to keep males from marking and peeing everywhere…”

[Note–we were sitting on the bare mattress of his bed because Lizzy had decided to be opinionated, via urine. Thumper is now allowed on the bed, while Lizzy is not.]

BF, “Huh…ok…is that it?”

Me, “Well, getting girls fixed keeps them from getting 3 or 4 different kinds of cancer..”

BF, “And boys?”

Me, “…I guess I haven’t heard that about boys…”

[At this moment, Thumper decides to jump off the bed and see if the refigerator door has magically opened since he last looked at it. In doing so, he crosses by Lizzy’s cage. She leaps out of her litter-box and lunges toward him, ears pinned back, growling, and seems disappointed when he ignores her and continues on about his way…]

Me, “…also, it reduces hormones so he won’t be aggressive or territorial or try to hump everything in sight…”

[Pregnant pause]

BF, “….Do you think we can get LIZZY fixed again, instead?”

Thus my query.

I’m sure we’ll do it, if for no other reason than we may want to bond Thumper with Lizzy-Monster at some point… (What a nightmare that will be!)

But it’s sort of on the bottom of the to-do-list, after finding BF a bigger apartment, and then constructing a bigger home for Thumper, and fixing BF’s broke-down car, and paying for the speeding ticket I just got today….Grrr… But yes, it’s still on the list.

Thanks for your insight!

[Cassi&Charlie]

I’m sitting at my desk roaring with laughter and everyone else is staring at me, knowing that I’m not actually working. That’s a conversation I want to be a fly on the wall for Lighchick, sounds hilarious. Thumper sounds great, Lizzy sounds like my Charlie!

[Lightchick]

C&C, ALWAYS happy to help distract others from useful pursuits!

Thumper is a big floppy lurpey lovey-dove!

And Lizzy’s my little Diva of the Dramatic! She’s actually gotten to be quite friendly and floppy at home, and she hasn’t pounced at me in a couple of weeks… She is just of the firm opinion that Thumper is stealing her spotlight, which is obviously UNACCEPTABLE! LOL.

Imagine putting Lizzy and Charlie in the same room… Eeek! They’d have no fur left by the time they got done with each other!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Can we get her fixed again?-LOL toooo funny!!!

[Sarita]

LOL :~) I can see why you would wonder about neutering. Lizzy is quite the Drama Queen isn’t she.

I would ask the rescue that you got Lizzy at if they can recommend a reasonably price vet to neuter him when you are able to.

[PeppersMama]

sounds kinda like the bf doesnt want to take thumpers “manhood” away from him! lol! thats what i get from it anyway!

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