Neutering your Rabbit
Why castrate a male rabbit? / Why spay a female rabbit?
MALE RABBITS
Castration involves the removal of both testicles. The operation can be performed from 4 months of age.
The Advantages
- Aggression is significantly reduced towards other pets and owners.
- The scent marking or urine spraying can be modified.
Neutering enables both sexes to be housed together which provides companionship and social interaction between your rabbits. This is a very important part of the normal behaviour that would be exhibited in the wild.
FEMALE RABBITS
Spaying involves the removal of the uterus and ovaries. The operation can be performed from 4 months of age.
The Advantages
- The most important advantage is that uterine cancer is prevented. This is now a common finding in doe’s over the age of 4 years (up to 80% are affected).
- Pyometra (a life threatening infection of the uterus and womb) is also prevented. This condition requires emergency surgery which can be quite risky.
False pregnancy is also quite common in entire female rabbits and is prevented by neutering. This is a syndrome where the rabbit thinks she is pregnant, symptoms include severe hair loss and behavioural abnormalities.
