Spayed Bunnies Rock!!!!

[skunklionshow]

As all know, Jessica got spayed in late June.  She’s like a different rabbit.  She’s really warmed up to me…or in the very least she is more accepting of my forced pets, hugs, and love.  She is much more social w/ not only me but also the cats.  Not to mention, her litterbox skills are excellent now!

I never thought I would see such a change in my bunny.  She’s become slightly less evil.  She’s still the same w/ my hubby (she’s always loved him)….but I notice a major difference.  Her grunting, lunging, and biting has pretty much ended.  Jessica’s evil reign seems to have ended!  Boy, I sure hope I’m not jinxing myself!

Thanks everyone!  This is the best return that I have ever gotten on an investment!!!!!

[Hedi]

We saw the same thing in our Carrera. And actually she borderlines obsessive on her litter box skills! She leaves no territorial poos at all anymore!

Personally, the litterbox habit change was enough to get all my buns fixed but its nice to know that it helps calm them down and makes them much more happier in the end.

[MooBunnay]

Grace is getting spayed soon, and I’m hoping it will help her with her cage territorial-ness. I’m not sure how much of her grunting and lunging is due to being blind and things startling her, and how much of it is her being territorial! I also don’t know how many of the poops around are her marking – and I’m still trying to figure out if she actually DOES know where the litter box is (not meant as a sarcastic remark! I am not sure how well she can see – the doctor said she is 100% blind, and in that case, I don’t really know how well buns know where things are without using their eyes…) either way, I don’t mind picking up the poops, and her lunges don’t really scare me!

[Hedi]

Moobunnay- where did you say you got Grace at? Do you know any of her history?

I remember on here learning that rabbits see in shades and see best at dawn and dusk. Each time they are let out they retrace their steps to keep a mental map in case they would need to get away from a predator. Do you think that part of her problem is having no "mental map" of her surroundings? How do you orient a rabbit who is blind?

Hopefully after you get her fixed then you can bond her. If she had a buddy I am sure that would make a difference. Hopefully the other bun would understand and would help her along.

[Gravehearted]

I’m so glad to hear how much Jessica has calmed since being spayed. Many buns are territorial, messy about using the box and sometimes even aggressive before they are spayed. i think all the hormones running rampant kinda drive them bonkers.

I always think of how many less bunnies would be dumped at shelters if more people spayed and neutered their buns.

[MooBunnay]

Grace was apparently found dumped on the side of the road in the Angeles forest – poor lil’ thing She is very obviously a domestic bun as she has no resemblance to a wild bunny, so its very obvious that someone dumped her. I don’t know who in the world would dump a teeny baby blind bun in the forest….anyways, miraculously, someone driving by spotted her sitting underneath an oak tree (she doesn’t move around a lot, she’s very scared in new situations, thank GOD or else she would have hopped onto the road!!) and picked her up. She’s been living with that person for about 2 years, and that person now is moving into a no animal apartment, SO I got lil’ miss gracie-poo and she startles easily, and grunts and goes to bite me, but she obviously isn’t cruel intentioned as she has not once broken the skin, and I know she could if she wanted!

[BinkyBunny]

Yeah! The change can really be amazing for bunnies whose main issue is territorial hormone stuff, so it sounds like that’s basically all it was for Jessica. However, she may still rely on some old behaviors as a habit.

[skunklionshow]

Per my experience w/ special needs pets and children (hope no one took offense to that lumping)….

Many blind animals/people rely on their mouths to identify their surroundings (i.e. kids not really adults).  Just like babies that put everything in their mouths to establish identity and relationship w/ objects…remember that babies have very poor site during the oral stage.  B/c dimensionality, etc. is impaired oral exploration is very common. 

For animals when one sense is impaired they often see biting as 2 fold.  It helps w/ identification through taste and sense and it helps keep bad people/things away.  I recommend making use of other sensory skills, ie. using various taps to identify that you are going to pet her, feed her, enter her cage, etc. 

I one had a blind/partially deaf kitten w/ neuro impairments.  She only lived for about 5 months, but her life was very full during our fostering.  I used to drum, sing, and tap to talk w/ her and give her instructions (vibrations and some tones can be heard and felt). 

Good Luck w/ Gracie Baby!

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