neutering

[cookie627]

My bunny is not neutered. So would it hurt him in any way?

[Lucy]

you mean to get him neutered? It’s a sugury, so it will hurt… but they put the bunny under during operation, and then he’s on painkillers. My bunny was up and running the day after I brought him home from the vet.

I would highly reccomend getting your bunny fixed. Mine was so hormonal, and aggressive before-hand.. and afterwards he was amazing! I don’t think you shoud think about it as “hurting” him. It’s the same thing as getting a cavity filled.. it might hurt during or a few hours later, but in the end it’s for the better

[cookie627]

But i mean when he is not neutered. Could it hurt him if he is not neutered?

[poopy]

If he is not neutered he is susceptible to cancer of the reproductive tract later on in life AND he will be constantly wired from the hormonal urge to mate. Imagine what a burden is lifted not feeling like you have to mate all the time.

[cookie627]

so its like i’ll be helping him hetting him neutered?

[Hedi]

I think you will be surprised what a difference you will see in your bun once you get him fixed. I have two girl buns and their demeanor is completely different. They are much  more settled, have perfect litter box habits and are much more loving.

[BinkyBunny]

Posted By cookie627 on 04/09/2007 3:57 PM
But i mean when he is not neutered. Could it hurt him if he is not neutered?

I ditto what everyone else says.   Though males have a much lower risk of getting cancer than females, it can still happen.   But it will most likely make him more calm. Each bunny is different, but it can usually take a month after surgery for his hormones to die down and to break old habits.

 He’s not out in the wild, he doesn’t have anyone to fight against or mate with, so it makes sense that these could frustrate a bunny. Some bunnies begin to show aggression too.  What fun is that for either one of you.    Especially if you would be able to appreciate him more, and offer him even more affection if he wasn’t peeing on you.  Their urine also becomes much less pungent.   This is the time that many people end up giving their bunny up because they get so frustrated and disheartened.   So a happy human makes for a safe loving home for their bunny. 

It is important to find a rabbit savvy vet though.   It’s not the same as neutering cats and dogs.    Do you have a vet that you know is experienced with rabbits?  If not, we can help direct you to links that help you find one either via a list, or with questions that you will need to ask a vet to make sure that s/he is rabbit savvy.

If you do decide to get him neutered, post it, and we’ll post Prue and post surgery tips.

Keep us updated.

[dmh426]

get him neutered!

[cookie627]

well i’m not sure if i should get him neutered because my dad says its crule getting rid of the organ that God made for animals.

[BinkyBunny]

 I do not agree at all with your father, but that is what is great about being independent thinkers and living in a country that allows us to be free to believe what we want. 

Here is my take on it:   Unless you plan on breeding (and boy, I sure hope you don’t as there are already too many bunnies in the world), then I think it can be cruel to have a bunny stay intact and deal with hormones that no longer have a place as a domestic companion. Rabbits have a relentness need to breed and a need to guard and mark their territory.   In the wild they need these hormones to survive, but in our homes it can make them  anxious, aggressive and frustrated.  Rabbits were modified via breeding through human interaction, and though many parts of them were made domestic, their instinctual part can still be there, and unless we change all rabbits through breeding to become wild rabbits again, then the domestic unbred domestic rabbit will be burdoned with hormones that can make him unsettled.

I can compare it to "wisdom teeth".  The jaws of humans have changed over time and though many people still get the wisdom teeth, they not only don’t need them, many times wisdom teeth can cause severe pain and infection and must be removed.

Also, as another example.   Unbred nonspayed female rabbits have a very very high cancer rate. 85% according to the House Rabbit Society.    Which is more cruel – to leave a bunny intact and risk a tragic death of cancer, or prevent the cancer altogether, offering a longer happy life by spaying?   Now I know your bunny is male, but if he was female would spaying still be considered cruel if it could save her life?

But ultimately  everyone has the right to their opinion and  if your father is set on this, then there’s not much you can do about it.  You just have to respect him and his decision.  I just hope your bunny eventually settles down on his own so that you will all be happy.  (including your bunny)

The behavior he is showing can possibly get worse,  and this is the time when many people get tired of it all, and give their bunny up, and that is the cruelest of all.   There are so many shelters overloaded with bunnies.  So I hope you and your father will be able to handle the spraying and any other hormonal behaviors that will show up. 

Good Luck!

Note: There are a few exceptions I have heard of where a unaltered bunny never has any major hormonal crazyness and they are just fine.

[Hedi]

To be honest, the worst thing you could do is to put off getting him fixed if you do decide thats what you want.

Rabbits generally (from what my vet told me) take longer and more care to actually fix than other animals and sometimes buns (not to scare you) dont do well with anesthesia.

I knew the statistics on cancer in buns. I knew I needed to have her fixed. But i was so scared that I would lose Carrera that I put off getting her fixed until my vet made me. She ended up getting fluid in her nipples and they all were getting huge and we had to have the fluid removed. It was awful. She was in pain and then when they did the surgery he said her ovaries were HUGE and ended up had a pretty rough week after surgery. By being selfish I ended up making my baby suffer and I still feel horrible about it. She was four years old at surgery time. (im a horrible bunny mom i know)

And, shes still mad at me. And she was fixed last November.

I know your bun is a boy but realize what could happen in the future. If you do it when he is young he will mature into a loving pet. If you wait he may not like you-just like my rabbit is with me.

And I agree with Binky. By all means I am a God fearing chick, but you have to look at this like a human appendix. At some point in life we may have used it but currently our bodies bypass it. And actually, most people dont know that whenever you have any bowel surgery if the surgeon is close to your appendix whether you like it or not they will push taking it out because it has no function.

Hopefully this helps some.

[cookie627]

But the other reason is that my dad does not want to is because of the money. He said it could cost a couple hundreds of dollars.

[Hedi]

Bunnies are considered exotic animals and generally can have very high vet bills if/when they get sick. Any type of GI/stasis problems can get extremely expensive.

Each of my buns cost about $120 to get fixed.

I dont know how old you are but is there any way you can do stuff for your family to raise $ to pay for the surgery?

AND….. something that no one has mentioned… I dont know where you got your new baby but if you got him at a petstore many times they are sexed incorrectly so your boy may really be a girl. So you may need to take him to the vet just for a first exam and make sure he is a boy.

[BinkyBunny]

He’s right, neutering can cost $200 dollars.  But there are also lower cost spay and neuter clinics.  I can’t remember which binkybunny member found one, but she got her bunny neutered for something like $50.  But you have to make sure that the spay and neuter clinics have experience with rabbits (extremely important!)

Also, rabbits in general can cost big bucks at the vet, so what will happen if your bunny gets sick?  When you bring an animal companion into your home, you become financially responsible for it and need to be sure you can care for their vet bills.   So even if you save up for neutering, be sure to save your $$ for any emergency.   I think many people think rabbits won’t be too expensive because they are relatively cheap to acquire, but a vets experience doesn’t come cheap and it doesn’t matter if a pet cost  $5 dollars or $500, you pay for the vet, not the pet. I have pet insurance  and it has saved me over a thousand dollars!  I pay about 11 dollars a month.   I use http://www.petinsurance.com/

Also, if your bunny becomes more messy and if destructive starts,  how much money will be spent on cleaning and on the replacement of things?

[poopy]

Another reason to adopt from a rescue group or shelter, where you can get one that is already neutered. Cookie, if you are in CA some us would probably be able to suggest a low cost vet for neuters.

[cookie627]

but the thing is i live in IL not CA

[poopy]

Here is a list of vet referrals in Illinois: http://www.hrschicago.org/articleslay1.html

[Lucy]

hi cookie- i’m in IL right now, actually in chicago. I’ve been told that if you go outside the city into the burbs that it’s cheaper.. and there’s a place up north in skokie that Red Door reccomends… you can go to their website and and ask them. http://www.reddoorshelter.org

The vet that I went to isn’t on the HRS list, but she was awesome and really helped me out with Fujoe’s aggression problems. I’m actually going to try to get her on the list.. the only thing is that she was really expensive.

just depends on where you are in IL

[x liddo bunny x]

i have a question…. do you get allowence? why dont you try saving up to neuter him/her? right now i am having a problem getting mine spaded buti just started up a savings jar. how about 5-10 dollars a week? personally i would save all of my allowence (i only got 10 dollars a week but i didnt eat lunch at school at all and i didnt get anything unnecessary and was able to save up to pay for my parent’s bills they couldnt aford to pay) but seriously, i believe if you love your bun enough you should get him/her neutered and if you continue making up excuses, i am very sorry to say but i think that someone out there may have a better home for your bun. not suggesting you give your bun away but what i am trying to say is your bun is like your child, if he/she needs an operation, you have to take them to see the doctor no matter the costs. it may be a little hard after but i truely think its worth it. think of how happy your bun will be. as for your dad, i also have a dad that is very up tight and i come from a pretty poor family (as i said i started a savings for my TWO buns) but i think that it is worth every penny to help my buns after all, my buns are my babies. =)

hope i wasnt too harsh. if so, forgive me

[cookie627]

Thats nice but i live in IL

[BinkyBunny]

Posted By cookie627 on 04/15/2007 8:06 AM
Thats nice but i live in IL

Hey Cookie627, I’m not sure if you understood, but both Fujoe and Poopy were giving you references for ILLINOIS.   Hope they help.   Good luck.

[cookie627]

oh but good news!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i told my mom and she said it seemed like a good thing so my dad will think about getting him neutered!!!!!

[x liddo bunny x]

yay!!!!! that a boy. i am on a waiting list to get mine neutered. we can do a journal together of the after process or something. yea?

[cookie627]

yeah!! that sound fun making a journal! but its not like cookie is aggressive or anything because i like the way he acts when he is happy but its just that i don’t like it when he squirts pee and his litter box behaver. So besides his litter box behaver and squirting pee thing changing will his cute activities change?and also xliddobunnyx  that reply was not harsh at all but i would do anything for my baby Cookie.

[Gravehearted]

you’ll likely notice that he’ll spray less and improve with using the litter box. his personality won’t change, but he’s likely to be a bit more mellow. bunnies that aren’t fixed tend to be a ball of hormones, which is frustrating for them. he will be happier and healthier once he’s been neutered.

[x liddo bunny x]

i am glad and that was basicaslly to help you think. i dont know you too well so i really couldnt say much for that. i am glad that you love your buns that much too. oh, my mochi is kinda like your cookie. both desserts. =P hehehe but she is super friendly and so smart and clever. she learned how to sit up when she wants a treat and when you dont look at her she nose pokes you till you do. she knows how to give kissies too. =P gives me a kiss hello and a kiss goodbye. hope our buns change for their habits and not their personalities. i want my emo to be less agressive but she is also sweet and calm sometimes and the way she looks at you when u brush her is and give her attention is a blessing but i want my buns to get along and i definately dont want the biting and the fighting cuz boy did that scare the bagesus out of me. =P we’ll start a journal. did u get an appointment for yours yet? e-mail me when you do and if urs is before mine u can start it. keep me updated and keep in touch. ^ ^

[x liddo bunny x]

oh, and to add, dont tell my parents that i am fixing my buns. when i told them the first time they didnt like the idea. my dad said to replace emo even thought i am very attached to them both. so i am not telling them and i am doing it anyways. pretty weird for being brought up in an asian house but it is sure a good way to get your point across aint it? not tellign anyone to defy their parents or anything but i am gunna do it. buahahahaha!!!! parents lub their hamsters, i love my buns. =P

[BinkyBunny]

So just out of curiousity, why wouldn’t they like the idea of them getting neutered? Even if you came up with the $$ yourself?  What do you think they will say if they find out you went behind their backs.  Would they be angry or ???  Are they very strict?

One of my best friends is Taiwanese and my sister-in-law is also Taiwanese, and I know things can be a little different as far as rebellion goes (depending on age).  Not much room for rebellion at least with their families.   But maybe you could reason with yours somehow? No?

[cookie627]

wow so youre saving up money. Same with me!!!!!! but i told my parents

[BinkyBunny]

Posted By cookie627 on 04/16/2007 2:33 PM
oh but good news!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i told my mom and she said it seemed like a good thing so my dad will think about getting him neutered!!!!!

Sounds like your mom is what smart reasonable lady.   Hope your dad comes around.  And good for you for talking to them about it and educating them.  

[x liddo bunny x]

i wish my parents were more understanding to listen to my reasoning. the only way they will understand or even agree with me is if they have seen it first hand (usually after ive done it and i was correct) – -” ::sigh:: well my parents said do whatever i want so hopefully they will be pleased with the result.

[cookie627]

well i hope they are pleased too.

[BinkyBunny]

Well, spaying/neutering is a responsible thing to do and I can offer praise for you wanting to do the right thing! Kudos to you for that, so though I can’t advocate sneaking behind parents back, I do hope they understand that you wanting to spay/neuter your bunny is what any responsible person should do.

Keep us updated.  So what’s your plan on saving $$ for the surgery?  Good Luck with that, but it sounds like you are a pretty determined person, and so I have no doubt you will find a way.

[cookie627]

well i am determined to get Cookie neutered. thats for sure. well is there a vet near naperville that is experienced with bunnies but is cheap to neuter?

[x liddo bunny x]

neutering is cheaper than spaying. ive called many places and it looks like neutering is usually 50 bucks cheaper. but the most expensive ive seen is 361.50 – -" thats somewhere in glendale. i think. sigh…. thank goodness there are cheaper ones. =P

oh, i am turning 21 next week and i work so every paycheck, i take out about 10 dollars. right now i am borrowing my boyfriend’s money. he offered to pay for them but they are my bunnies and i feel that i should do it myself. (secretly he wants my emo that he now nicknamed Goki) – -" what a silly guy.

my parents know i am going to do it because they understand that regardless what they say, if i think it is the best thing to do, i will stop at nothing to do it. so they know but they will never know how much. muahahahaha. that and my dad will let me finish the nic cube condo if they stop pooing everywhere besides their litterbox so now i have to neuter them to prove my dad that they are very smart little babies. =P

 

 

oh, Update on my bunnies. i think one of them might be a boy so i separated them today. emo has a pretty big Pink bulge on the private area and started to hump mochi today so i had to put emo in a big box. i feel so bad so right now i am trying to find a spay and neuter clinic that can see my bunnies asap to limit the time they have to stay apart giving enough time for after the operation as well. hope it goes well.

[Lucy]

Xiddobunnyx-

well- i understand the whole strict parents thing… I’m originally from Burbank, and moved out to Chicago for school. It took a huge fight before I could do that. My parents are hard core Italian Catholics. So, granted I”m not from an asian household, but totally understand your situtation. At least they let you get bunnies… I told my parents about 2 weeks I got Fujoe about him and I was so scared to tell them (they were in burbank and i was in chicago!!) and it took me even longer to tell them about Patina- about a month. Because they were going to kill me for getting a second one. They were upset with me getting Fujoe fixed ($350) but it helped him aggression and distructive nature. Well worth the money, and eventually my parents understoond also ( I stopped complaining about the biting and chewing).

good luck- it’s so hard when you’re still living at home. I hope you can find somewhere that can do it for cheep… MooBunnay should be able to help you there. Also, do a post on craigslist, someone might now of a place and then you can check it out to see if they are good or not.

Cookie627-
So you’re not too far from Chicago- your actually in a subburb that is south west of the city if I’m not mistaken. What I would do is go to the sites i gave you earlier and call their offices and start calling different vets and getting price quotes. Do you have access to a car? would you be able to drive up to the city if one of the shelters gave you a good vet who was cheap?

[BinkyBunny]

Posted By xliddobunnyx on 04/18/2007 7:16 PM

oh, i am turning 21 next week and i work so every paycheck, i take out about 10 dollars. 

 oh, Update on my bunnies. i think one of them might be a boy so i separated them today. emo has a pretty big Pink bulge on the private area and started to hump mochi today so i had to put emo in a big box. i feel so bad so right now i am trying to find a spay and neuter clinic that can see my bunnies asap to limit the time they have to stay apart giving enough time for after the operation as well. hope it goes well.

OHHHHHH!!!!  You’re over 18, well, then for goodness sakes, you absolutely can do what you want. I guess I just think that when people speak of their parents not approving, I think they are under 18.  (but the whole thing  you were talking about – coming from an asian home really makes even more sense)   So now my whole tune has changed.   You’re an adult, you can do what you want,  and  though I know it would be nice if your parents could trust that you are making the right decision, but ultimately that is their loss in enjoying a wonderfully bright trustworthy daughter.  You should tell them that if they don’t trust you, that they must not trust themselves in having brought up such a great daugher.      They should give themselves big kudos and be proud of themselves because look how you turned out.    

You know you are doing the right thing and so ultimately you can feel proud of yourself.

Regarding Emo & Mochi –  Though same sexed bunnies will hump each other to establish dominance, if what you saw were testicicles or penis, then I guess there is no question at least with him.    But just because Mochi was the one being humped doesn’t necessarily mean Mochi is a female, (as again, it could be a dominance thing!) but it was smart of you to separate them!   They can get pregnant sooo quickly, and so I hope it was all in time.

[x liddo bunny x]

i cant see testicles so i may be wrong however i am still going to separate them because if i dont a fight may break lose. i dont want either of them injured. but regardless they are both getting spayed/neutered as soon as possible.

as for me and my parents, they sure can definately count on me being a trustworthy daughter. there are just somethings that i think are my decisions that i can do on my own so i will do it but i will always eventually tell them as soon as i find the chance. usually before i do it but i dont go into too much detail on how its done or the price. but i do mention how much it will help. i told them that as soon as they are litter trained i can trust them running around with my parents adn they will be very loving company to them. my parents are pretty old and are retired so they have alot of time on their hands, so they will like that. =P

TO PEOPLE UNDER 18:
but as some advice to people who are younger than 18, it is best to develop trust with your parents and doing many things without telling them can make them trust you less and till you are 18 you need to understand what you can and cannot do without asking others and your parents still have time to teach you so dont think you know just because you are close to 18. let your parents be parents till all their time is up. its the least you can do. besides, you have another 60-70 more years of your life to do what u want. =P

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