Rabbit neutering involves removing the reproductive organs. Vets recommend neutering as it prevents unwanted pregnancies (thousands of bunnies are born each year and many end up in rehoming centres), but it’s also vital for the health and welfare of pet rabbits. It reduces the risk of certain cancers, enables them to live in groups or pairs, and prevents unwanted behaviour like urine spraying and aggression.

If you're looking to bring home a bunny, or you may have one already, this is everything you need to know about rabbit neutering.

Rabbit Spaying

Neutering a female rabbit (doe) is referred to as “spaying”. The procedure involves making a small incision into the belly of the female rabbit and removing the uterus (womb) and ovaries. The rabbit is under a general anaesthetic during the procedure and will have a patch of fur shaved off around the incision site.

There are many reasons to having a doe neutered:

• Preventing reproduction: a female rabbit comes into season more than 10 times a year and could have litters of rabbits (kittens) almost constantly throughout her life. There are extra costs to consider when having a litter plus you’ll need to find homes for them all.
• Behaviour: unneutered (‘entire’) female rabbits become territorial when they reach sexual maturity (4-6 months) which can cause rabbits living in same sex pairs to fight. They’ll bite, scratch, kick, or growl at other rabbits and even their owner. When a doe is pregnant, she becomes even more territorial and aggressive. A spayed rabbit is less territorial, meaning she’s more relaxed and friendly.
• False pregnancies: a neutered female is less likely to have a false pregnancy.
• Health: a neutered rabbit has a longer life expectancy because neutering reduces the risk of them developing uterine cancer. Up to 80% of unneutered female rabbits develop cancer of the uterus before they age of 5 years, which leads to a painful and early death. There’s also the risk of an unneutered female rabbit developing pyometra (an infection in the womb/uterus), which is often fatal.

Rabbit Castration

Neutering a male rabbit (Buck) is referred to as “castration”. The procedure involves small incisions in the scrotum to remove the testicles. The benefits of having a buck castrated includes:

• Behaviour: removing the testicles decreases the production of the testosterone hormone, which is responsible for territorial and aggressive behaviour. A castrated rabbit is calmer and more relaxed.
• Spraying: male rabbits spray urine over their territory, like tom cats. This usually includes their rabbit companions and their owners. If you castrate a rabbit, it will no longer spray.
• Litter training: castrated rabbits are easier to litter train.
• Health: although rare, there is a higher risk of unneutered rabbits developing cancer in their testes and prostate gland. A rabbit castration will eliminate the risk.

Pre and Post-Operative Neutering Care

Before your rabbit undergoes the neutering procedure, you should continue to feed them as normal - rabbits should never stop eating. Also make sure they have constant access to fresh clean water. If your rabbit lives with a companion, take them along too so that they’re not separated.

Your rabbit will be able to come home the same day as the procedure - as soon as the anaesthetic has worn off, they start eating and they’ve been given pain relief. You’ll need to restrict their activity for the next seven days, and keep them indoors so that they’re warm, clean, and dry.

They’ll need to wear a medical body suit to prevent them or their companion from interfering with their wound. Your vet will provide you with pain medications to give to your rabbit at home. They should be eating and drinking as normal and will need to see the vet immediately if this isn’t the case. A male rabbit will be back to normal activity within 24-48 hours, whereas a female rabbit can take 2-4 days.

All surgical procedures that require a general anaesthetic come with risks, but the overall risk is low especially when the correct pre-operative care has been followed. There is a small risk of complications after the operation, such as wound infections, but most can be easily resolved, and the chances of this is low with the correct post-operative care.

When Can I Get My Rabbit Neutered?

Small female rabbits breeds are sexually mature from as young as 3.5 months, medium and large breeds around 4 months, and giant breeds at 6-9 months. Neutering is generally performed on female rabbits over the age of 4 months.

In male rabbits, the testicles have descended by the time they’re 2 months of age, so male rabbits can be castrated from 3 months. There’s no upper age limit, so you could let your rabbit have a litter before you neuter your rabbits. You may also acquire an older rabbit that has not yet been neutered.

How much is it to Neuter a Rabbit?

The cost to neuter a rabbit varies between veterinary practices and is affected by location and quality of facilities at the practice. A rabbit castration costs on average £80-150, whereas the cost or a rabbit spay can be up to £250. Males are cheaper to neuter than females because the procedure is quicker and comes with less risk of complications. Some animal charities offer lower prices to those receiving income support.

There are minimal risks and many benefits to neutering rabbits. You won’t have to worry about an unwanted pregnancy, it’ll reduce antisocial behaviour like aggression and spraying, and it reduces the chance of developing certain cancers. Both male and female rabbits are more relaxed, affectionate and playful after being neutered.

Everypaw Rabbit Insurance

Here at Everypaw, we want to help you keep your bunny healthy and in tip top shape. So, when it comes to your young rabbit’s care, Everypaw’s Rabbit Insurance could be just the cover to look after your little thumper.

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