When Will the Effects of Neutering Kick In?

[KatieG]

Hello everyone! I’m new to the board. Anyways, I have two rabbits, Jack, who is maybe 4 years old and is a harlequin dutch. I also have Flopsy, a pretty lop eared rabbit. Ayways, I just got Jack neutered a few days ago. The surgery went great. But my question is – when will the effects start kicking in? For example, he still stinks when he gets excited. Will this ever go away? I know I have to wait at least 3 weeks to put Jack and Flopsy together. I think they will get along though. They are in separate enclosures of course, but they like to lay next to eachother (through the wire gate). It’s so cute!

Thanks!

Katie

[Beka27]

welcome here!

some changes you might see immediately, some can take 1-2 months as the hormones slowly dissipate. some behavioral things may not fully go away. for example, oftentimes altered rabbits still like to chew and dig. those behaviors are very rooted in their natural instincts, but you may see it lessen in frequency or severity.

so do you mean spraying when you say “excited”?

edited:  i just reread and saw that your bun is 4 years old.  in some cases where rabbits are altered later after puberty (past one year usually) it’s possible that the behaviors may not change .  at that point they may be set into their personality.  there’s really no way to know for sure until you wait out the first couple months tho.  that is good that you are going to wait at least 3-4 weeks to begin bonding.

[KatieG]

Well, I don’t think it’s spraying because I never see any urine (although I have seen him do that before with Flopsy around). What I mean is, when I go in to see him, he is so happy to see me and runs around circles. He emits an odor is similar to human BO I guess. Gross! When I pick him up I sometimes notice he has…well…a bunny erection? lol it’s gross.

 His isn’t as bad when it comes to digging. But Flopsy – that rabbit is crazy! She digs all of her litter to one side of the cage and really tears up the carpet. She also nibbles a lot.

[Beka27]

oh! okay. i don’t really have experience with that. my first bun was an unaltered male (i believe) but i never offically “checked” his sex and i never experienced anything like that. i would give it some more time. the neuter was successful right? the vet was able to remove both testicles?

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

Maybe he needs his anal glands cleaned. They sort of open them when they are getting ‘amorous’. That would explain the smell

You can read how to do it here :https://binkybunny.com/BUNNYINFO/MonthlyMaintenance/tabid/64/Default.aspx It’s not that hard I would wait until he’s more healed and the stitches have been removed. That’s great he’s not a ‘sprayer’ I took a spray (from a neutered bun) in the face the other day at a shelter and that was pretty gross!

Oh and Welcome!

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