Is It necessary to desex your pet rabbit?

Yes! Like dogs and cats, rabbits greatly benefit from spaying or neutering. These procedures help maintain their health, promote calm and friendly behaviour, encourage cleanliness, and extend their lifespan.

The procedure for desexing rabbits is Spaying for females and Neutering for males.

**Female Rabbits**

The ideal age to spay a female rabbit is five and a half months old. As a female rabbit matures sexually, you may notice behavioural changes that can be undesirable. When hormone levels increase around five to six months of age, the female rabbit may become moody, defensive, unfriendly, and territorial around the living space.

You might also observe a decline in good litter box habits.

Spaying a female rabbit at five and a half months old can prevent these unwanted behaviours.

Female rabbits do not experience menstrual periods like some other animals. The most common cause of bleeding from the genital area in female rabbits is uterine cancer.

Up to 80% of unspayed female rabbits develop deadly uterine cancer, sometimes as young as one to two years old. However, it can occur at any age. Surgery to remove cancer can be very expensive, often costing thousands of dollars. Therefore, it's better to prevent the illness by spaying at the appropriate age.

Suppose a female rabbit is not spayed at the appropriate age. In that case, they may experience an imaginary "phantom pregnancy", typically at around six to six and a half months old. During this time, they may believe they are pregnant, exhibit pregnancy-related behaviours, and create nests by pulling fur from their bodies. It's pretty distressing to witness. Suppose a rabbit is experiencing a phantom pregnancy. In that case, delaying spaying for two and a half weeks is advised, as the surgery can be more complicated and costly during a phantom pregnancy. This highlights the importance of spaying at the appropriate age of five and a half months old.

**Male Rabbits**

The best age to desex is four and a half months old.

As male hormones start to kick in at around four to five months old, they become frustrated and undesirable behaviours may occur, such as urine and poop spraying all over the place to mark territory. They may also mount and hump things.

Furthermore, testicular cancer is a genuine concern for male rabbits. On average, 1 in every 200 unneutered male rabbits develop testicular cancer. By getting your male rabbit desexed, you can prevent these unwanted behaviours and health problems from arising.

Caring for hormonally active, unspayed or unneutered rabbits can be messy and challenging!

In summary, desexing your pet rabbit at the appropriate age is vital for its health and well-being. This procedure prevents unwanted behaviours and contributes to a happier life for your furry friend and you.

The cost for spaying females and neutering males typically ranges from $450.00 to $550.00. Budget for this procedure to be done a few months after bringing your new baby bunny home.

Australian rabbit rescue centres are often filled with abandoned rabbits due to behavioural problems that could have been resolved through desexing.

The desexing procedure is a routine surgery performed under general anaesthesia. It is safe for healthy rabbits and typically completed within a day, allowing your rabbit to return home the same day.

The minimum weight for desexing is 1.2 kilograms. It is also crucial to use a rabbit specialist veterinarian. We can recommend several highly qualified rabbit veterinarians.

Can I keep my rabbit in a backyard hutch?

Keeping your rabbit in a backyard hutch is not a good idea if you want them to live a long and healthy life. Unfortunately, many pet rabbits remain "torched" in cramped and filthy hutches in people's backyards. This is sad because it's not good for the rabbits' health or happiness. When they can't move around and hop as they should, they become unhealthy and depressed... Big hutches are hard to clean and can make a mess of your lawn. Also, keeping your rabbit outside can make it challenging to care for them when the weather is terrible. Most people only interact with their backyard bunnies and clean the hutches when the weather is nice. It isn't fair to the rabbits, who need positive and regular human social interaction and clean housing for their well-being.

Deadly weather extremes kill rabbits

Temperatures over 27°C can cause Heat Stroke, and temperatures below 10°C can cause Hypothermia. Both are deadly for a contained pet rabbit. Old School Theory: Providing an ice brick to keep your rabbit's temperature cool outside on hot days is hard work and unreliable; you would need to do this every few hours to keep your rabbit alive in hot Australian weather. The best room temperature for a rabbit is between 14°C and 22°C.

Living in a BACKYARD hutch is very risky

Deadly spider bites, mosquitoes, flies, and fleas are hungry and sneaky, and they can infect your rabbit with fatal viruses and diseases. Mosquito netting does little to protect your rabbit from determined insects. Predators: A neighbour's dog or a fox can rip an average wooden hutch apart in three minutes; seeing an unknown dog, cat or fox could give a rabbit a heart attack.

HOW LONG DO RABBITS LIVE FOR ?

Wild rabbits typically live between four weeks and one year. They face various risks, Such as attacks from predators like foxes, wild and domestic dogs and cats, and powerful owls, as well as deadly rabbit viruses, parasites, and "starvation" due to inbreeding. Inbreeding and crossbreeding different rabbit breeds can cause the teeth to misalign, leading to the rabbit losing the ability to chew and eat its food. Furthermore, incompatible inbreeding and crossbreeding can cause numerous genetic health issues that shorten a rabbit's lifespan.

It's essential to note that domestic rabbits are man-made designer rabbits born in captivity. Although they're vaguely related to wild rabbits, they lack the learned survival skills of the wild Rabbit. Releasing an unwanted domestic rabbit into the wild is a death sentence for the rabbit.

THE Backyard Rabbit life span

Backyard rabbits usually live for a span of three months to three years. There are many life-threatening risks for the backyard rabbit. These include harsh weather, predators, parasites, and highly contagious and deadly rabbit viruses such as Calicivirus and Myxomatosis. Apart from these risks, Out of sight - out of mind - If the rabbit is not given proper care and twice daily maintenance or is poorly bred with genetic health issues, it will have a short lifespan! Also, It's common to hear stories of pet rabbits being left alone in the backyard playpen for just a few minutes to answer the phone, only to return and find that a neighbour's cat or dog has killed the bunny or frightened it to death via heart attack.

In Australia, the yearly pet rabbit vaccination is essential.

Wild-feral rabbits can cause damage to farmland, building foundations, and ecosystems. Our government releases Rabbit Calicivirus to cull the wild rabbit population. Calicivirus is deadly to wild and pet rabbits,

Calicivirus (bio-warfare) It is released via baited carrots in problematic urban areas and national parks; it then spreads from suburb to suburb via various methods: mosquitoes, flies, fleas, and rabbits to rabbits, contaminated food, grass, weeds, shoes, and even second-hand rabbit cages and equipment.

Unfortunately, rabbit calicivirus does not discriminate between pet and wild rabbits, "deadly to both", and thousands of Australian pet rabbits die each year from this preventable, deadly, highly contagious virus.

Rabbit Calicivirus is a painful way to die and has a 99.99% death rate in infected rabbits. Rabbits can die suddenly without prior symptoms or may suffer from foaming at the mouth, bleeding from the anus, and mouth and convulsions before dying. ( Painfull Internal haemorrhaging is the main cause of death)

With an unvaccinated pet rabbit, you may go to sleep looking at a perfectly healthy rabbit and wake up to a dead one. Calicivirus has no cure, so the best way to protect your pet rabbit is to keep it indoors with you and regularly vaccinate.

Suppose an unvacinated rabbit dies from an unknown cause. In that case, it is essential to consider the possibility of Calicivirus before getting a new rabbit. The deceased rabbit's food, housing, and accessories should be discarded, and you are advised to disinfect all household flooring and furniture the rabbit came into contact with vet-grade disinfectant F10 before bringing home a new bunny. Calicivirus can live for up to six months on contaminated objects.

Australia has multiple strains of Calicivirus, including RHDV1, RHDV1a (also known as K5), and RHDV2. Myxomatosis is another deadly virus affecting rabbits in Australia, but no vaccination is available.

Regular Calicivirus vaccination is essential for pet rabbits, but no vaccine is 100% foolproof. Keeping your rabbit indoors provides extra protection, and rabbits make wonderful indoor pets.

Responsible pet rabbit ownership includes regular vaccinations, health checks, desexing and keeping them as indoor pets.

All bunny rabbits in our care are vaccinated. It is considered that some immunity is passed on to the offspring. However, how much is unknown, so it is essential that you vaccinate your new baby bunny at 10 weeks old and then yearly after that.

Keeping a rabbit in Australia as an indoor pet increases its lifespan potential by 90%

DO I GET ONE OR TWO RABBITS AT THE start?

Getting to know one rabbit before deciding whether to get another is recommended. It is best to have your first rabbit desexed and then consider getting another rabbit after careful consideration.

Starting with one rabbit avoids many complications and allows you to develop a loving bond with your first rabbit. The first rabbit tends to have the strongest bond with its owner, while the second rabbit may be more interested in the first rabbit than its owner.

One rabbit can be content living with humans who spend time with them daily, showing them love and affection. Establishing a routine with set times each morning and night is ideal, as rabbits love routine and look forward to spending time with their guardians.

If you have limited time with your bunny, getting another rabbit after desexing is a good idea; rabbits are social creatures and need regular company.

As social creatures, rabbits require regular company and affection from humans, other rabbits, or gentle household pets. Having another connected spirit in the room with them regularly can bring joy to their lives.

While some households may be suitable for one rabbit, others may be ideal for two. Watching two desexed rabbits in love is delightful.

WHICH Gender of Rabbits Makes the Best Pair?

A pairing of a male and female domestic rabbit is the most uncomplicated and harmonious. To avoid complications, we highly recommend beginning with one rabbit and having it desexed before considering a partner of the opposite sex.

When starting with two young rabbits, "complications" may occur, such as:

The rabbits being sexed incorrectly. Occasionally, even if a very experienced vet or breeder sexed the rabbits at eight weeks old, at this young age, a rabbit could appear to be one sex and become another. Sometimes, the rabbit's sex can only be confirmed one hundred percent when the rabbit reaches three months old.when the rabbit reaches three months old.

If rabbits are sexed incorrectly, and it turns out that you have two males, you may have to choose which rabbit to keep—and then have to rehome the other rabbit because they fight ferociously. Or do you keep the two boys in two separate housing areas forever?

Then there is the possibility that you thought you had two girls, But one is a boy, and one is a girl (it happens), and you end up with an unplanned inbreed-brother-sister litter, hopping with genetic health problems to rehome.

Rehoming an accidental inbred (brother-sister litter) should be done with complete transparency. , E.g. This rabbit may have genetic health issues and a short life span, and you may have to pay hefty vet bills because their parents are brother and sister - full disclosure is the right thing to do.

When bringing a partner home for your first desexed rabbit, If the second rabbit brought home is not of the opposite sex, it may become apparent if the first rabbit shows continuous, unwavering outright disgust towards the new rabbit and continuously attacks it.

Sometimes, your first desexed rabbit may be territorial with a new rabbit of the opposite sex, but it is pretty easy to get around this; we give you bonding instructions, and love will happen!

Bonding same-sex rabbits can be challenging and sometimes impossible, even after desexing.

Can two Male rabbits live together? Even if they are from the same litter and desexed, they rarely get along well, and sometimes, one bully boy may harass the other boy; even after desexing, they may still fight and possibly hurt each other. Sometimes, they will put up with each other and are ok. On rare occasions, they may make peace with each other. Every bunny is an individual!

Can two Female rabbits live together? Yes, they can, especially if they are from the same litter. During the first four to five months of life, they will get along well, But if not desexed at five months old, two female rabbits, even from the same litter, often fight and hurt each other. After desexing, they may still have occasional disagreements. Most often, they find friendship and peace with each other if spayed at the appropriate age.

Purchasing a pet for your children is a big deal; you create memories that will last a lifetime. Suppose you have two or three children who want their very own rabbit. Starting with one rabbit is an excellent opportunity for your children to learn to share. You can consider another rabbit if they can help you maintain one rabbit well.

It is essential to remember that every rabbit is an individual, and there will always be exceptions to the majority. This advice is based on 40 years of experience caring for pet rabbits in Australia and aims to provide the best odds of success and reduce complications.

Can I Use a Harness and Leash with My Rabbit? - no!

Many pet shops sell rabbit leads and harnesses, but using them with your rabbit is not safe or appropriate. Unlike a dog, it is not agreeable or natural for a rabbit's movements to be restricted.

Unfortunately, many online guides on rabbit care are written by people who have never owned a rabbit and provide incorrect information. These guides often include cute rabbit photos to sell inappropriate, unhealthy, and dangerous products for pet rabbits.

Harnesses and leads, in particular, are among the most dangerous products available for pet rabbits. Putting a rabbit in a harness attached to a leash can be deadly.

Although training your rabbit to jump over obstacles in a harness is possible, restricting their movements with a harness can be dangerous. Attending rabbit hopping events can also expose them to parasites, diseases, and deadly viruses.

Rabbits have fragile skeletons. If startled by an unfamiliar noise or the appearance of a strange cat or dog, they will panic and try to escape, often leading to broken bones.

Broken bones can cost thousands of dollars to repair if repairable; a rabbit often dies due to broken bones.

Or, due to the inability to escape the situation immediately by being restrained by a harness and lead, a rabbit can suffer a heart attack and die. A panicked rabbit can also get entangled in the lead, causing a broken neck. Additionally, the stress of wearing a harness can lead to gastrointestinal stasis, a potentially fatal condition in which the digestive system slows down or stops working entirely.

On a positive note, rabbits are intelligent and trainable. You can train them to perform tricks and come to their names with patience and motivation. You can create obstacle courses in the safety of your home without using a harness and lead.

Can I let my rabbit hop around on AND EAT grass?

NO! NOT IF YOU WANT TO PROTECT YOUR RABBITS HEALTH!

Backyard Grass and weeds are unsafe for bunnies to hop on or eat! Although we have a vaccination for Calicivirus, no vaccine is foolproof, and we do not have a vaccination for Myxomatosis.

These viruses are highly contagious and deadly. They travel with the wind via flies and mosquitoes and are lethal in contact with just one spore left on the Grass or weeds by a passing bird or wild animal.

Grass fleas are common on Grass—just one bite from a flea that has sucked the blood from a Calicivirus infected animal, and game over.

Chemical treatments used on backyard grass are also highly toxic for a bunny rabbit.

Regular Grass has no reliable nutritional value. An Australian domestic rabbit's diet primarily consists of oaten hay, good quality, safe hay purchased from a trusted supplier who stores and protects the hay adequately.

You do not want to take any chances with your beloved bunny!

If you decide to feed your rabbit fresh grass or rabbit-safe weeds in small portions as a treat, grow it yourself "in a pot off the ground" or a greenhouse.

Placing a rabbit on its back stresses it ouT!

AND IS DANGEROUS FOR ITS HEART AND SPINE. APPEARANCES CAN BE DECEIVING: Many think their rabbits enjoy being held like babies on their backs because they aren't moving or trying to escape. The rabbit visually appears to be relaxed; This is an illusion! Placing a rabbit on its back removes all free will to move; a rabbit on its back is paralysed and in a state of extreme fear and stress.

A rabbit goes into an automatic fear and stress-induced response where it cannot move when on its back. It is playing dead; this automatic response comes in handy in the wild when in the jaws of a predator. If the predator thinks the rabbit is finished, the predator may release it, and the rabbit may have a chance to escape if it does not have a heart attack first.

Injury possibility: Rabbits have fragile spines. If the rabbit can resist as you place it on its back, it will kick and struggle to get upright, possibly leading to a spinal injury.

Exceptions:

At their discretion, a trained vet may need to place a rabbit on its back for a health check or medical procedure.

As a last resort for the rabbit's safety, a "trained" rabbit handler-groomer may have no other option but to place the rabbit in this position to trim the nails safely; this is not something pet rabbit owners should do! If Bunny's Nails are trimmed regularly from a young age, most accept it as part of life, and nail trimming is not hard to do.

Learning to trim the nails of an experienced rabbit groomer is advised.

Relaxing your rabbit before nail trimming and ensuring you are relaxed also helps.

We offer you the option to learn how to trim nails when you adopt a bunny from us.

INDOOR Rabbits can live with indoor cats

Rabbits can get along well with cats when they are introduced properly. However, not all cats make suitable companions for rabbits. The best friendships form between indoor-only cats and indoor-only bunnies, as long as they are introduced slowly and carefully.

Outdoor cats, on the other hand, are more likely to perceive bunnies as prey to chase and play with, especially when the bunnies are young. It’s important to be prepared to keep them separated if their relationship does not work out. A single scratch or bite from a cat can be fatal to a rabbit. Pictured are Cornelius the cat and George the bunny.

Prior to bringing a pet rabbit home

Consider whether you are prepared to provide appropriate care for a bunny for eight to ten years.

The initial expenses include purchasing a health-checked, "well-bred" properly bred baby rabbit Starting with a well-bred rabbit, the right housing food and accessories will save you a fortune in vet bills and avoid heartache.

We have an excellent, complete bunny home care package available for you to buy.

A Calicivirus vaccination and a another health check will be required one month after bringing the rabbit home. the average fee is $120.00

Desexing is essential when they're four and a half to five and a half months old, as it helps maintain clean, calm, and friendly behaviour and can prevent common reproductive cancers. The average cost of desexing a rabbit in Australia is between four hundred and five hundred and fifty dollars.

After the initial expenses, the average ongoing cost of caring for a well-maintained rabbit is approximately three dollars per day, which equates to one thousand and nintey five dollars a year. This cost includes food, toys, health checks, Yearly vaccination, and preventatives but does not cover unexpected vet bills. Starting with a healthy rabbit from a reputable and experienced breeder is essential to minimise the likelihood of unexpected and substantial vet bills.

DAILY PET RABBIT CARE NEEDS

A rabbit must always have an unlimited supply of hay, two water sources, a clean water bowl, and a glass pet drinker for backup. Rabbits can not be without these two essentials ever! They do not fast!

DAILY ROUTINE: 1. Provide food and water top-ups twice morning and night.

Brush once to twice daily; brushing is required to avoid a fur blockage in the gut. Being self-cleaning animals, excess loose fur may be ingested.

2. Feed healthy rabbit-safe supplement foods in the advised portions, morning and night, and hand feed some of the supplement foods for extra love. We provide you with a comprehensive list of rabbit-safe and healthy supplement foods.

3. Cleaning: To maintain a clean living environment for your furry friend, a quick daily spot clean of their home with a dustpan and broom and a once-a-week total cleaning of their living area is required; this takes about ten to fifteen minutes. Change the litter tray - the toilet every two days.

4. Rabbits, being social creatures, rely on human companionship for their well-being. To establish a solid and affectionate bond with your bunny, spend a little time with them in the morning and as much time as possible in the evenings, even if it is just simply being in the same room. Rabbits love routine, so spending time with them and feeding them at the same time each day is ideal.

RABBITS ARE ENCHANTING PETS AND A JOY TO CARE FOR.