Unable to Neuter Rabbit but I want to get him a companion.

[Deansmomma]

So I have a almost 16 month old Flemish Giant, Dean. I had planned on getting him neutered but after a medical emergency the vet advised against it due to affects anesthesia may have on his brain. I had also planned on getting another flemish giant and get that one spayed/neutered as well but I never did after Deans incident. I really want to get him a companion but its recommended that both rabbits be spayed/neutered. If I get another rabbit and only spay/neuter them, would it be okay? Or would he be aggressive with a male and try to hump a female? If not, what about a cat/dog? And what breed would be best? I got him during quarantine but just recently picked up softball so I’m busy alot and don’t want him to be alone when school starts back up in the fall.

[Wick & Fable]

In terms of what rabbit breed would be best, there are no valid patterns in bonding success nor temperament that is going to make one breed better than another. Any breed is going to probably have equal variability in bonding compatibility, as it comes down to your rabbit’s personality and the personality of the other rabbit which ultimately defines whether a bonding will eventually be successful.

If you get another rabbit and spay/neuter them, this guarantees you don’t get pregnancy– that’s the only guarantee. It is possible he’ll be very aggressive and hump both males and females (humping is a dominance behavior; females do it too– it’s not just a mating behavior), but that possibility is there regardless if he’s neutered or not actually. What makes bonding with a hormonal rabbit notoriously difficult is that there are strong hormones backing up the aggression and mating needs, and that’s typically something that cannot be diminished via the bonding process as we see with two fixed rabbits. Additionally, the presence of a hormonal rabbit has been known to bring about hormonal behaviors in fixed rabbits, so even if your rabbit is ‘chill’, other rabbits may react in ways that will also make a difficult bond.

As someone who volunteers for a rescue, I’ll also say it will be difficult for you to try and adopt a rabbit if you inform them you plan to bond them with your unneutered rabbit– the foreseen difficulty/plausibility of a bond forming, and paired with that the likelihood of trying to return the adopted rabbit, is perceived as high, so you may be turned down by rescues.

I would suggest a dog/cat. In terms of which is ‘better’, I do not know, but there are articles online for both in terms of best way to introduce them and what temperament you want in the cat/dog (ex. evidence of low drive, such as not chasing squirrels and birds).

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[LBJ10]

I wouldn’t say it is impossible, as there are always exceptions to the rule. But Wick is correct, it would be extremely difficult to successfully bond him to another rabbit. Hormones have a way of getting in the way… even if he is “chill” when he is alone. You just never know how he will react to another rabbit and how that rabbit would react toward him.

[DanaNM]

Would you be open to having two rabbits as neighbors? I agree that bonding would be very difficult, but he might still benefit from having another rabbit as a neighbor (although litter box habits would likely get worse!).

There are cases of unspayed females being bonded with neutered males, but I have never heard of unneutered males being bonded. Their hormones just make them too crazy. Even with a tolerant bun, the unneuetered bun will tend to mount excessively, which can be stressful for the other bun.

Some solo buns like having a “stuffy” as a friend (a stuffed animal), that they will cuddle and groom, so that might be an easy option to try in the meantime. You just have to keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t chew the stuffy too much. 🙂

I’m also curious about not being able to neuter. Not to second guess your vet, but neutering is typically a very fast procedure. It may be worth getting a second opinion if you feel that your vet isn’t very rabbit experienced.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

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