The Importance of Spaying or Neutering Your Rabbit

The Civilized Rabbit is a Sterilized Rabbit

So you brought home a little bunny. You acquired all the accoutrements he or she could possibly want or need according to 21st century companion rabbit care. He or she should be very happy. Actually, you aren't sure whether you have a girl bunny or a boy bunny. Rabbits can be hard to sex when they're young but sooner or later, there are two very distinct indicators of the presence of a male, and in rabbits, they are usually quite pronounced.

So that being established, now you think to yourself, 'well I don't have to get him or her altered, I am only going to have one rabbit.' Let me say, I hope you do get him or her a rabbit buddy. Rabbits are highly social creatures, and, in the wild, which is in Europe as rabbits are not found in America except for the tiny pygmy rabbit, they live in groups of dozens or hundreds in large underground warrens. So a single rabbit must get lots of human attention to satisfy his social needs and even then rabbits like to have a buddy to snuggle. Don't you?

Well, still, you're thinking that you don't need to get your rabbit altered. It can be expensive and hard to find a vet who is experienced enough to handle this delicate surgery. Save yourself the mistake that so many others have made in waiting too long to get their rabbit spayed or neutered. Left to develop strong mating, nesting, and territorial instincts, hormones kick in around age 5-6 months and after that, for some behaviors, there's no turning back.

Females will develop nesting behaviors which present with digging. They will also aggressively guard their sleeping or nesting bed. Chewing becomes an important behavior as the rabbit matures; he or she wants to shape their space and put their chew marks upon it. This could be your baseboard or furniture that is suddenly a victim of rabbit graffiti; lots of little nibbles done in bas-relief style. Or it could be your carpeting. Rabbits love to pull grass blades out of the ground and indoors, your carpet is the next best thing.