Neutering my male but not spaying the female?

[Romeo-Girl]

My male rabbit had little babies with my friend's female... I was going to keep two of them if the two I'm interested in are females. Could I possible just get Romeo (my male) neutered and leave the two females unspayed and they'd all get along? Or do females fight amongst themselves too much? If he's neutered, will they just not get along with him because they're not spayed? I know the best suggested pair is neutered male(s)with spayed female(s) but until I can afford to get the two girls spayed (it'll probably be around $240 to spay; neutering is $120), would they be alright to bond with neutered Romeo and each other?

 

[Maureen Las]

Thefemales most likely will be temperamental and difficult if not spayed; they may even be dangerous to the neutered male and each other once they are into puberty

Your intentions are really good... possibly check with a humane society who has rabbits to see if they can help you get a good quality rabbit spay/neuter vet at a reasonable cost.

or ask your vet if you could pay for these surgeries over time (I know it is a lot of money!)

in the meantime I would keep everyone separated but in the same room so they are familar with each other...
if the 2 females are now very young you can keep them together until they begin to have tiffs with each other

 

[Romeo-Girl]

Thank you. I plan on keeping them together until they're five months old--which seems to be the range of age where they start getting hormonal. I'll hopefully have enough to have them spayed by that time and can think about getting them done.

 

[Tweetiepy]

Where are you in Canada? There's a list of rabbit savvy vets on the first page and you might find one that charges less

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Spaying and neutering is the way to go--definitely will mitigate most undesirable behavior of males, and yes, females. The most attitudinal rabbit we ever had was a small female.

 

[Romeo-Girl]

Tweetiepy wrote:

Where are you in Canada? There's a list of rabbit savvy vets on the first page and you might find one that charges less

British Columbia, but I'm not comfortable telling my city -- especially because it's so small.

 

[funnybunnymummy]

You don't have to disclose your city, but I'd put BC in your profile since not everything available in eastern Canada is available here and vice versa.

Definitely get your boy neutered first, then see how it goes with the girls while you save up. With luck, you should be able to save enough to get them both spayed before they start seriously fighting.

Hope that helps!

Rue

 

[Colorguarder08]

I'd def sugguest getting the male nuetered BEFORE getting the females.

 

[Aulyvia]

i have a male and female. i had my male first and wanted to get him a friend. i didn't want to take a risk of bonding 2 males and i didn't want to have litter of buns. i got my male fixed for 50$ with the help of the spca in my area. got him a girlfriend afterwards (no fixed) they've been in the same cage ever since. i havent had any problems. it's been 4 years and everything is good.

get the male fixed of course and i'd say see how it goes. try to talk to a rescue in your area it might help if you can save a few hundred dollars

good luck

 

[Romeo-Girl]

Colorguarder08 wrote:

I'd def sugguest getting the male nuetered BEFORE getting the females.

Why do you suggest this? They're not going to be in contact with the male until he's neutered anyway, so I don't really see the problem. And the babies are ready by April. 14th so I really don't have time to save up $120 to get him neutered AND buy a second enclosure for the new ones.

 

[Romeo-Girl]

Aulyvia wrote:

i have a male and female. i had my male first and wanted to get him a friend. i didn't want to take a risk of bonding 2 males and i didn't want to have litter of buns. i got my male fixed for 50$ with the help of the spca in my area. got him a girlfriend afterwards (no fixed) they've been in the same cage ever since. i havent had any problems. it's been 4 years and everything is good.

get the male fixed of course and i'd say see how it goes. try to talk to a rescue in your area it might help if you can save a few hundred dollars

good luck

Thank you for your input. I wish I had an SPCA here and maybe that would work! I don't know of one that's near my area. My tiny town only has two animal shelters, both in which only take in stray/abandoned animals and have to get them spayed/neutered at the local vets. Only one vet in my town, as far as I know, can and will do rabbit spay/neuters. Which is probably why his prices are so high, there's only two or three vets in the town, and he's the only one that also does rabbits... people have no choice but to go to him, hence why he can keep his prices so expensive.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Try seeing if there are any vets in nearby cities or towns. It can be worth the drive for a more affordable vet as long as the vet is still rabbit savvy. Sometimes even with the cost of a hotel for the night can still be cheaper with a vet in a different town.

The vets around here are pretty expensive, but that's what you get in a big city. When I got Amelia spayed in January, it was about $380 with the exam, spay and medication. This seems to be pretty average for the costs. I do think that some vets in nearby towns are a bit cheaper, but the quality of care can be a bit less. Personally, I would pay more and know they are in good hands than go somewhere a bit cheaper and be worried about the care.

 

[funnybunnymummy]

Romeo-Girl wrote:

Colorguarder08 wrote:

I'd def sugguest getting the male nuetered BEFORE getting the females.

Why do you suggest this? They're not going to be in contact with the male until he's neutered anyway, so I don't really see the problem. And the babies are ready by April. 14th so I really don't have time to save up $120 to get him neutered AND buy a second enclosure for the new ones.

Because accidents happen. We see it all the time here at RO. Buns can breed through the bars of a cage and it only takes a minute. Better to have him neutered ASAP, IMVHO.

Hope that helps!

Rue

 

[Romeo-Girl]

I'll keep them out of the same room then. Besides, the babies won't be mature enough to breed anyway. By the time they are, he should be neutered.

 

[Boz]

I know you got your answers but I thought I'd just throw in my experience.

I have a neutered male, spayed female and an unspayed female living together. However they've fallen apart due to the two females fighting. I think if the unspayed female was spayed she wouldn't try to dominate the spayed girl. They are back together now but every once in a while they seem to get in a "disagreement".