03-27-2008, 03:33 AM
You're most welcome, I figured pictures would be an easier way to explain what I'm talking about along with an aid for what to look for if you intend on buying these things.
I hope this thread is mature *looks shifty*
Female rabbits can be spayed as soon as they're sexually mature. That's generally around four months, but most vets would prefer to wait until she's 6 months old. So it's always good to ask how old the bun is when you buy her.
With males...it's basically as soon as their testicals drop. This should be a fairly obvious occurance when it happens. Usually it will happen at around three and a half months. But again it depends on the vet, some wait as long as five months old before they'll actually do the procedure. When you get your bunnies you should ring around and find a vet that's worth something and then ask them about what their policy is on neutering bunnies.
Now on the subject of vets, I cann't stress enough how important a vet is, even if you never use them for anything other than imunizations, neutering and dentals (and let's hope that's all you'll ever need them for). As common as rabbits are...they are still classed as specialist animals. See in vet school you're taught about cats and dogs, then virtually every other animal is an extra course. So when dealing with finding the right vet for you keep this in mind. I've taken my rabbits to.... ummm... *counts* four? Five? vets all whilst trying to find one that I am happy with. Don't be afraid to go in and say "Hello, I'm thinking of registering my bunnies here but first I'd like to ask you a few questions if that's alright." Pretty much all vets will welcome this and it will also show them that you know what you're looking for and aren't afraid to take your pets elsewhere if you're not pleased.
Now previously I mentioned that it'll be pretty obvious when your buns testicals drop. Well this is because you should handle your rabbit regulary. Remember that rabbits are prey animals so they won't like being picked up at first, likely as not. There are of course exceptions, my sisters buns, all four of them have no problem being handled and never have. But on a weekly basis you should both groom your pet and check them over. I used to lay on the bed with Charm and brush his fur, then stroke him, making sure to feel all over him to see if he was gaining or loosing weight. Examine his toes while he was relaxed with me, then tackle his mouth, afterwards give him a treat. This not only helps you get familier with your pet and provides you with the first indication of any illness, but it will also help you and your buns bond. Grooming is a social activity that buns do with other buns. It builds friendships and it works with humans and buns too. Eventually your bun will learn to trust you more. Mine now let me pick them up and hold still long enough to let me properly eximine them. Charm even lays happily for his weekly baths.
Baths: Not recomended for rabbits unless they REALLY need it. Charm has no front teeth so can't groom himself, the result is poo gets mushed into his fur and a shower. But that should be a last result. There are brushes (Make sure you get a soft bristle one) and combs for rabbits, as well as pet grooming wipes (dog, cat and rabbit wipes are all good to use on bunnies), then there's cornflour you can use for more stubborn stuff. And THEN there's bath. Now there's special bunny shampoos you can use or if you go down to like 99cents shop and get a very cheap shampoo, that'll work too. See cheap shampoo is cheap because of how mild it is. So it's safe on babies and pets. I recomend pet shampoo though. Even though Charm has his own special pink human shampoo and conditioner and smells oh so yummy every week :P *is such a bad example*
Baths and showers are not to be undertaken lightly. Keep savlon handy and just strip down to your underwear. You get sompletly soaked, so just go into the water with your bun who will shred your skin. Savlon is a life saver, the ammount of tubes of Savlon I have at home? :shock: Buns don't like baths, but my charm is used to showers now, so long as I can keep him tranced. I'm not even going to try desty. She can have dry baths with cornflour should she need it.
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