Bunny Care Guide: Should I Desex/Neuter/Spay My Rabbit?

Yes. Yes you should. Double Yes if your rabbit is a female. Even though it is a good idea, and some might say entirely necessary for does, desexing rabbits is a relatively new trend, and in order to get the procedure done you should find a veterinarian who is familiar with rabbit physiology. Spaying a rabbit is more complicated than many other small animals due to the fact that rabbits have a great deal of intestines in the way.

However, those issues aside, here are the reasons to spay or neuter your rabbit:

Boy bunnies (or 'bucks' as they are known in the rabbit keeping world) benefit from neutering for much the same reason that dogs and cats and other animals do. They are less aggressive, more likely to snuggle, and less chronically obsessed with sex.

Girl bunnies (or 'does') should be desexed due to the fact that an intact doe will often develop cancer. The rates of cancer in unspayed females are ridiculously high. Some estimate that the rate may be 80% or more.

Both male and female rabbits may start the delightful process of spraying to mark their territory at around four months of age, when sexual maturity hits. Suddenly your tiny cuddle bunny turns into an aggressive monster, guarding his or her cage jealously, and marking your house for good measure too. It goes without saying that urine sprayed from your bunny onto your carpeting and walls does not smell spring fresh.

Spayed bunnies are generally more relaxed and calm than their intact friends. Sex drive in rabbits causes all sorts of mad behaviors, and you may very well find that having a bunny that just wants to go out and get busy with anything that moves soon becomes rather tiresome, especially when he or she misinterprets your foot as being a rival seeking to foil its romantic ardor.

Desexing your bunny is an excellent way to ensure that you never get any surprise litters.

Desexed rabbits are also far more likely to be welcoming towards a new companion. It is good for rabbits to have another rabbit to live with, but the process of getting bunnies to be friends can be difficult, even more so if the bunnies are intact and following nature's commands. Bonded rabbits are friends for life, and provide great joy and comfort. Rabbits are notoriously picky about who they bond with however, so make the task easier for yourself and get your bunny fixed.