What Rabbits Do You Have? Show Off Your Rabbits Here!

[SternRose]

I know a lot of people who've got their rabbits fixed and the died on the table or after wards

 

[Sapphire02]

My rabbits have their own yard 20´ x 60´ completely closed in with sides dug down into the ground and a screen roof overhead. They have a secure house to sleep in and I close it up every night and open it in the morning. I like my rabbits to have other rabbits for company and not be overrun with offspring. It is your choice to not spay or neuter. I respect that. I am sorry to hear of some pets not making it through surgery. I have to wonder why that is happening. They cannot be done too Young as their heartrate is very high. The vet should know that. Personally I have not experienced any problems. Anyway, it´s your option to neuter or not.

 

[Hanna8]

SternRose, not sure if your question is directed at myself or Sapphire02, but I can go ahead and give my rationale. I keep house rabbits. They are litter trained and allowed to hop about as they please while I am home during the day. Keeping them locked up may be the simpler option, especially if you have that many, but that is not what I want out of my rabbits. I want them to be able to interact with me as they please and to be able to have a fellow rabbit companion since they are such social animals. To live that way peacefully, getting them fixed is pretty much a must. And it dramatically increases the average lifespan of females, who are extremely prone to uterine cancer if left unspayed. I lost a rabbit to that once, and I do not want to repeat the experience.

Unfortunately, a lot of rabbits have died from the procedure, but the numbers that do are very low now with vets who know a lot about rabbits. Generally around the same as mortality rates for dog and cat spays and neuters, which are considered safe procedures. High mortality rates seem to be associated mostly with veterinarians who are not very rabbit-savvy. Rabbits can only handle certain kinds of anesthetics. Administering types not appropriate for rabbits is a main cause of death on the operating table. As for deaths a few days after, they are usually due the effects of stress caused by inadequate pain management. Of course, there are other risks, as with any procedure, but a health screening with blood work before the surgery can (and probably should) be done to ascertain that a rabbit will not fall victim to the vast majority of them (basically, the ones that can be caught through reasonably extensive screening). These advancements in our understanding of rabbit health are relatively new so there are still plenty who are unaware of them, vets and rabbit-owners alike. It is definitely important to find a vet who is in the know about these major advances in rabbit health to perform the procedure because otherwise, yes, the risks are uncomfortably high.

 

[SternRose]

SternRose, not sure if your question is directed at myself or Sapphire02, but I can go ahead and give my rationale. I keep house rabbits. They are litter trained and allowed to hop about as they please while I am home during the day. Keeping them locked up may be the simpler option, especially if you have that many, but that is not what I want out of my rabbits. I want them to be able to interact with me as they please and to be able to have a fellow rabbit companion since they are such social animals. To live that way peacefully, getting them fixed is pretty much a must. And it dramatically increases the average lifespan of females, who are extremely prone to uterine cancer if left unspayed. I lost a rabbit to that once, and I do not want to repeat the experience.

Unfortunately, a lot of rabbits have died from the procedure, but the numbers that do are very low now with vets who know a lot about rabbits. Generally around the same as mortality rates for dog and cat spays and neuters, which are considered safe procedures. High mortality rates seem to be associated mostly with veterinarians who are not very rabbit-savvy. Rabbits can only handle certain kinds of anesthetics. Administering types not appropriate for rabbits is a main cause of death on the operating table. As for deaths a few days after, they are usually due the effects of stress caused by inadequate pain management. Of course, there are other risks, as with any procedure, but a health screening with blood work before the surgery can (and probably should) be done to ascertain that a rabbit will not fall victim to the vast majority of them (basically, the ones that can be caught through reasonably extend I be screening). These advancements in our understanding of rabbit health are relatively new so there are still plenty who are unaware of them, vets and rabbit-owners alike. It is definitely important to find a vet who is in the know about these major advances in rabbit health to perform the procedure because otherwise, yes, the risks are uncomfortably high.

Its wasn't pointed to anyone, I'm a breeder I don't recommend it to my buyers unless there buying 2 or more Males and plan to colony raise them with Does. I keep in touch with my customers, and one who did get there bucks neuters, died. I would never get my rabbits fixed not even my pet ones, but that is just me.

 

[SternRose]

My rabbits have their own yard 20´ x 60´ completely closed in with sides dug down into the ground and a screen roof overhead.  They have a secure house to sleep in and I close it up every night and open it in the morning.  I like my rabbits to have other rabbits for company and not be overrun with offspring.  It is your choice to not spay or neuter.  I respect that.  I am sorry to hear of some pets not making it through surgery.  I have to wonder why that is happening.  They cannot be done too Young as their heartrate is very high.  The vet should know that.  Personally I have not experienced any problems.  Anyway, it´s your option to neuter or not. 

I plan to have a Colony pen for my rabbits soon, but Mini Rex's I have foundtendnot to be friendly with others. I had 2 sisters living together and I almost lost both due to fighting,

I do plan to have the next generation in a colony pen in the next year or so

 

[Sapphire02]

I don´t know what a colony pen is since I am new in the rabbit fancy. It sounds great since it is for a colony! I wish everyone´s rabbits were looked after like that. Maybe you could put a photo of the colony pen when it is finished.

 

[Kroelies]

Wow, the lack of knowlegde about rabbits here shocks me...

Rabbits are social animals and should be kept in pairs or in groups. And a pair is a male and a female, as 2 males or 2 females usually end up fighting (especially if they're kept in poor housing). Also each rabbit has their own personality, so make sure they match.

Keeping rabbits alone makes them miserable, unless you spend time with them all day and night long. I understand why people don't spay their female rabbits, because the procedure is more risky, but seriously if you've got a good vet - and as a responsible owner you make sure to find one - there's no reason not to neuter your males.

/rant over.
Here's pictures of my babies

 

[SternRose]

A colony pen is likea house for rabbits. Its a pen for multiple rabbits.

I know a lot about rabbits. Not all but a lot. Yes rabbits are social, but I also know my rabbits to know that my Mini Rex's are NOT friendly to other rabbits! My other breeds yes, I can have multiple rabbits together. My Mini Lop was in a trio with 2 un-Fixed bucks, she is hard to breed and went a long time with the bucks.

So before you start calling people out, actually get to know the whole situation.

 

[Kroelies]

You are giving people the very wrong advice to keep rabbits seperate and to not neuter males.

A small correction to my previous comment: The best rabbit combination is a neutered male with a female. Let the rabbits have a quick "date" before taking them home, to see if they get along. The best place to get a rabbit would be a shelter, as the people there have lots of knowledge about bonding and they know the rabbit's personality.

Small housing (sadly common with breeders) makes rabbits unfriendly. Complete males only want sex, resulting in a fighting or miserable couple. Female rabbits fight with each other because of hormones and territory. This is all basic rabbit knowledge.

There's very very few exceptions, but all rabbits can be bonded.

 

[RedRidge]

I think everyone would be wise to change or drop this subject. It's beginning to sound like house rabbit society crap which is very scary and dangerous advice.
So, onto the next subject...