Q:
I have just had my male lop neutered on vet’s advice as he was spraying me and getting very aggressive. Will this now calm him down? When can I expect to see a change in him? Also since having him neutered he keeps trying to mount my arm and have his wicked way.
A:
Yes, neutering makes a big difference in these behaviors. Un-neutered male rabbits are full of hormones and want to find a female to mate with. They will often run circles around you, they will mount your leg, your arm, the family cat or dog — it just goes on and on. They will spray urine to mark their territory and will have bad litter box habits. They can become aggressive, especially when you enter into their rabbit cages or living areas, as they want to protect them and let everyone know they’re theirs.
Once a male rabbit is neutered, the hormones will die down over a couple of weeks and these behaviors usually go away. Your rabbit will do very well using a litter box and normally will stop the grunting and lunging when you enter his pen, as long as he has a big enough living area. The smallest living area I suggest for a small- to medium-sized rabbit is 4 feet by 4 feet, and he should come out to a larger area for daily playtime.
It is important to find a veterinarian who knows rabbits. There are lists online, plus it’s good to call and ask how many rabbits the vet sees a week and how many spay and neuters they do a week. Plus, what the before and after instructions for surgery are, and if they provide take-homes pain medication. Two tips I’ve picked up over the years are that a rabbit should never be fasted before surgery (unlike cats and dogs), and take-home pain medication should always be provided.
Read more:
Directory Of Veterinarians
12 Common Rabbit Behaviors That May Puzzle You
By: Caroline Charland
Featured Image: Via By Africa Studio/Shutterstock
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