Rabbit Web Discussion Board

I am a fairly new rabbit owner. I teach preschool and decided to get a rabbit for my classroom pet. I got \"Honey Bunny\" in May, and when I took HER to the vet in May, he told me she was about 3 months old and was definately female.
Well.....as I have figured out, vets in my area seem to be completely CLUELESS about rabbits. Around September, I noticed (what I thought were HER) genitals that were red, swollen, etc. I have several books and I identified what I thought were female parts and I concluded that she was in heat. Since then, the \"parts\" have been swollen some, and are bigger and more swollen at times. About 3 weeks ago, while SHE was out running in the classroom, she found the door that leads to the hallway and found her way in another classroom that also had their pet bunny roaming free (this had never happened before-we were afraid to put them together, since we KNEW the other one was a male). When I found HER, she was mounting the other bunny\'s head and I pulled her off, and was shocked to see what I thought was a PENIS!! Yuck!
SO.....SHE/HE went back to the vet (a different one from the first time) to get a nail trim and the vet tech pushed on HIS belly and his penis popped out again.
My question is this---is it NORMAL for a male to have swollen red \"parts?\" They look like a \"V\" shape and at the moment are smaller. None of the vets in my area are able to tell me anything! I am really afraid of having him neutered here, since they aren\'t even able to tell me basic information. Will they swell at certain times? How long will this happen (how long are they able to breed?) and should I be worried? Honey is a great pet and is wonderful in our classroom. SHE (I have to keep referring to her as a female for the kids sake runs free for most of the day (with the doors kept shut, now) and the kids pet her and she even goes home with some of them on the weekends. She is very gentle and I haven\'t had any other problems with her in the classroom. I have noticed her/him rubbing his chin on things in the classroom. HE/She is very clean in her cage and only uses the bathroom in one corner (never outside of the cage).
Another little concern>>>>>>>>>>>HE/SHE eats well, (I feed him \"Wild Harvest Rabbit food from Wal-Mart-it has some seeds, corn, and pellets in it. I give him plenty of hay, paper towel rolls and chew toys and about 3/4-1 cup of veggies a day-carrots or broccoli mostly) but sometimes has what I call \"squishy poop\" which is not watery, but is not quite the little pebble looking \"normal\" poop. What could cause this? I try to find a cause for it-too much or too little of something, but I just can\'t crack the case. What do you guys think? Have you ever had this happen before?
Sorry this is so long, this is my first posting. I hope someone has the patience to read and respond to me!
Thanks!

Kelly:

It sounds very much like what is going on with Honey Bunny is that \'he\' is a buck with a split penis.

This is a genetic defect (hypospadia) where the urethral canal does not close completely during embyonic development. (This condition can also occur in human males as well.) Bucks with hypospadia are often confused with does. It is not until the sexual urge takes over or when the owner suddenly finds their \"girl bunny\" has grown testicles, that the truth comes \"out\".

I would have Honey Bunny neutered as he will still develop the tendency to spray or even become aggressive.

The \"squishy poop\" is normal. Rabbits excrete what is commonly known as \"night feces\" or cecotropes (not just excreted at night). They aren\'t noticed too often, because rabbits tend to consume them. This really is not a disgusting habit, but nature\'s way of allowing the rabbit to gain as much nutrition from the food he eats. (Kind of like a cow chewing her cud.)

Good luck with Honey Bunny.

Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com

Charlcie,
Thank you so much for your reply. I am printing it out and taking it to school tomorrow! I am nervous about neutering, though, since none of the vets here seem to be very competent when it comes to rabbits. Honey has become so loved by my students and staff, I would not be able to take it if something happened to him because I put him through surgery! The cafeteria ladies even bring him vegetables!
Are male rabbits neuterings fairly routine? It is quite expensive in my area, I think. What is the average cost?? How old do they have to be??

Neutering is a routine procedure. I would, however, look for a vet that has a pretty good experience and knowledge of rabbits. Because pet rabbits are becoming increasingly popular, this shouldn\'t be too hard.

The cost of neutering varies from area to area. I\'ve seen lows of $25 and highs of $75. I\'d look to expect something in between.

As to age, sooner is better than later. It is safe to neuter the buck at about 3 1/2 months. You normally don\'t get into problems until the rabbit approaches 6 years, but then by that time many of the benefits of neutering don\'t have as great an impact.

I\'m sure Honey Bunny will be fine.

Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com

Charlcie Wrote:The cost of neutering varies from area to area. I\'ve seen lows of $25 and highs of $75. I\'d look to expect something in between.

It cost me $160 to get my rabbit neutered!!! The vet told me it was because of the anesthesia they used? Have you ever heard of that???

WOW!!!

I am aware that different anesthesias do have different costs, but I think $160 is pretty darn high!

Of the 26 anesthetics and anesthetic reversal agents used in dogs and cats, 22 are compatible for use in rabbits. There are 3 anesthetics used for rabbits that are not used in dogs and cats, but since there are 22 that can be used cross-specie, I really don\'t know why such a costly anesthetic would have to have been employed.

Every vet has their own table of charges for services. Some charge more than others. Sounds like your vet is one of the pricier ones.

Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com

Petey\'s surgery was $75, and of course that included stitches removal. Boy, $160 does sound like a lot! I think alot of men have been neutered for less than that!!!!

LOL. That was VERY funny!

Charlcie

I don\'t remember exactly how much I paid, but it was pretty close to $160, and I shopped around and every vet hospital in our area was about the same price. I think a lot depends on where you live. My country relatives pay their vet a lot less for pet care then we pay in the big city.

I called around when I thought \"Honey Bunny\" was a girl, and I think the highest price was $147, and the lowest was $94. I\'m hoping that a male neuter is less expensive, like dogs and cats. I\'m thinking about starting a penny drive at school....LOL. Just kidding.
Do rabbits act different after neutering? Should I plan on keeping Honey at home for a while after the surgery? Do they keep stiches for a week like dogs?? I think Honey is around 9 months old. Since his \"parts\" are a little different looking, Im hoping a neuter will remove the wierd looking part! After the neuter, will his manhood continue to \"come out?\" I REALLY HOPE NOT!