A baby bunny can be accurately sexed just a few minutes following birth so any bunny sold after weaning should be extremely easy to sex.  The only difficulties which are likely to occur are in males which have a condition known as 'split penis' in which they appear to have a female 'slit'.  However, once they reach puberty, they are very clearly not female....(!)

NEUTERING

This is a decision to be taken by responsible and caring rabbit owners.   

We strongly recommend that male bunnies are castrated as soon as they reach puberty, ie usually between 12-16 weeks and that girl bunnies are spayed at 6 months of age.  Neutering will then prevent undesirable hormonally-triggered behaviour such as male bunnies spraying urine and females becoming grouchy and territorial.

This decision can be based upon different factors:

PREGNANCY PREVENTION

A buck and doe can reach sexual maturity at just 3 months of age so it is essential that you monitor the development of your male rabbit(s) to ensure there is no risk to your doe.

If you own a male and a female bunny who live together or might come into contact with each other by accident, then it is essential that one or both of them are neutered.   The male castration is a very simple operation and we would personally recommend that he is castrated rather than his girlfriend.  Spaying the female is a more complex operation which could follow later, if desired. 

It is a simple procedure to castrate a buck and costs anywhere between £16 - £40 on average.  The female spay is more complex and is more expensive.   It is worth speaking to several vets for their opinions, quotes and to enquire about their experience of operating on rabbits.

If we sell a mixed sex pair then we always emphasise the need for the male to be castrated and will show you what to look for on one of our own bucks.  As soon as the male's testicles descend and are filled, then this is the time to book his appointment with the vet.  After castration, he can remain fertile for up to a month so please separate him from any females he might come into contact with.  

Where this might be difficult, we have heard of innovative solutions - such as wrapping both sexes in 'nappies' thus preventing any genital contact between the two partners!!

We also insist on showing the difference between males and females so you can be certain which gender bunny you are adopting:

PREVENTION OF SPRAYING

Castration will prevent a buck from spraying urine - however, please do not assume that ALL  un-neutered bucks are going to spray as this is certainly not the experience of many owners including ourselves with our house-bun, Giles.  However, we only have to glance towards Wellington and he'll direct a good earful towards his female human! 

If your buck is prone to spraying then you can ensure you avoid positioning his hutch at eye/hair level where a quick squirt can leave you drenched in smelly urine.  One of ours has a special knack of aiming for mouths - so we have re-positioned his hutch at ground level where it is not a problem and his spraying has now ceased!

PREVENTION OF UTERINE CANCER

While there are few, if indeed any, medical advantages in castrating a buck, spaying a doe does have definite medical advantages.  Unspayed and unbred does are prone to becoming overweight (although spayed females can also become fat without adequate exercise).  

Spaying will also prevent uterine cancer which is said to be fairly common in older rabbits.  Some reports quote up to 80% of older does contracting the condition although this is not necessarily matched by the experience of Veterinary Surgeons or rabbit owners.  We have only ever heard of a few cases of uterine cancer and only one case in a doe aged under 4 years.  However, the risks must be considered and an informed decision made.

Spaying will minimise or totally eradicate phantom pregnancies in does.

It is sometimes suggested that castration can lead to a longer life-expectancy but there are mixed views on this and these seem to relate largely to the lower risk of males being killed through fighting, rather than castration conferring any health benefits.

BEHAVIOURAL REASONS

Neutering can have benefits for owners who want to litter-train their bunnies.  

During the main breeding season, there can be a temporary breakdown in litter-training, with bucks beginning to spray while both males and females might deposit their droppings outside their tray as they territorially mark 'their space'. 

If you have a sexually-frustrated buck, then you might find he starts circling your ankles, mounting your arms and legs and trying to mate with shoes, cushions, soft toys - anything he can!!

As for females, un-spayed females can become quite stroppy and begin to fling their food bowls or litter tray around and become quite grumpy.  

Neutering can resolve these potential problems - however, they often simply pass and your bun will return to his/her docile self, sprawled out on your lounge floor craving fuss and attention.

 IT IS NEVER ADVISABLE TO TRY TO RESOLVE NATURAL MATING INSTINCTS IN A FEMALE BY SAYING "Oh, I'll just let her have a litter to be kind to her".  IN PRACTICE, THIS MAY SIMPLY WORSEN THE SITUATION AND CAN BE IRRESPONSIBLE IF THE YOUNGSTERS DON'T HAVE GOOD HOMES TO GO TO, OR ARE SOLD TO THE 'LESS-REPUTABLE' PET STORES. 

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