Rabbits reach sexual maturity at about age six months.  It varies somewhat by breed.  Spaying is the surgical procedure carried out on females in which their mature organs are removed, neutering involves removing the testes of the male but not the penis – neutering is not the same as full castration.

There are pros and cons to the procedure for either sex.

Since one of the most common cancers female rabbits can suffer from is uterine tumors, removing the uterus can eliminate the problem.  No organ, no possibility of cancer in that organ.

At the same time, as in dogs, removing it drastically reduces the production of estrogen, which plays a role in causing tumors elsewhere in the body.  The uterus doesn’t produce the hormone, but when it’s gone the body responds by lowering the amount generated.

Spaying also prevents false pregnancy, which occurs in females from time to time.  In false or pseudopregnancy, the female’s body acts as if it were pregnant, producing drastic hormonal changes.  The rabbit responds by nest building, milk production and other behaviors that may be unwanted.  Stress is often higher and the rabbit may respond to familiar people and pets aggressively.  Spaying eliminates the problem.

Similarly, removing the testes of the male substantially reduces the amount of testosterone flowing through the rabbit’s body.  Neutering erases the possibility of testicular cancer and lowers the prospect of tumors elsewhere though to a lesser degree than the female.  At the same time, it reduces the likelihood of aggression, especially where males are aound a female.

For both the male and female, removing the sex organs reduces marking behavior.  Marking occurs when the rabbit urinates (and sometimes defecates) to “claim” territory, and to keep others away.  The result can be stained carpets, failure or refusal to use the litter box, and other problems.  Spaying or neutering may not eliminate it entirely, but it lessens the chances.

On the other hand, spaying and neutering are not completely without possible negatives.

Like any surgical procedure, it entails some risk.  Though millions of spaying and neutering surgeries have been carried out, they haven’t all been carried out by your vet.  He or she may or may not have done any.  Finding a vet knowledgeable about rabbits, or willing to treat them, is more difficult than finding one for a pet dog or cat.

The procedure is certainly very similar to that performed, say, on a cat.  But if your vet is qualified to treat your rabbit in general, he or she may not have the experience to spay or neuter your pet.  It’s possible to have it performed by someone more experienced with rabbits, but most people prefer to have their pet treated exclusively by one vet, even when they work in the same office.

Also, a lot people will want to breed their rabbits.  Ususally, that’s an undertaking best left to professionals, or at least those with experience.For the best outcome, it is not as easy as it seems.  But it’s an option that some will want to leave open.

The best approach is to get as much relevant information as possible about the procedures, the risks and then choose.  Just as you would for your cat, dog or any other loved one.

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Rabbits are fascinating creatures, not least becuase they seem at first blush to be so common. But, in fact, rabbits come in several dozen breeds and exhibit behavior that is surprising to anyone who hasn’t owned on.

There are approximately 50 different breeds of rabbits recognized by the America Rabbit Breeders Association and there are more types of rabbits. But, of course, as a professional association concerned with keeping things orderly they have fairly strict standards. Snowshoe hares aren’t among them, for example. Hey wait, they argue, we’re interested in only domestic breeds. Fair enough. But do the rabbits know the difference?

But all those breeds have one thing in common that is something they are NOT: they’re not rodents. Though similar, rabbits are Lagmorphs. Sounds like something out of a science fiction book, doesn’t it? Rodents are Rodentia.

They have an interesting way of maturing, too. The average rabbit that is well cared for can live for about 10 years, whereas humans live for an average of 75 years. The life expectancy of rabbits varies depending on the breed. Yet a human isn’t sexually mature at 3 3/4 years (75 divided by 20, which is 10 years/0.5 years), while a six month old rabbit is. They grow up fast, don’t they?

Their gestation period is just about a month and, as everyone who has ever watched a cartoon knows, they have lots of babies. Baby rabbits are called ‘kits’. But don’t confuse ‘kit’, as in rabbit baby, with ‘kit’ as in tool bag. They don’t like it when you try to pry beer bottles open with their teeth.

those teeth never stop growing, either, unlike human teeth that shift but don’t lengthen after adulthood. That’s not usually a problem, since they like to gnaw on just about anything they can get their hands on. Or, more accurately, their teeth on. Oh, maybe that is a problem where you live?

But they’re not just mindless chewers. Rabbits are a lot smarter than some people think. Rabbits can be trained to use a litter box and can sometimes even perform clever tricks. One Japanese man raised a rabbit called Oolon (after a type of tea). The rabbit could balance small objects on its head as it walked (or hopped) along. Quite a feat when you consider that most humans can’t do that, especially if they have to hop.

Rabbits are quite affectionate, too. Part of that head balancing ability may come from a rabbit’s tendency to tuck its head under an owner’s chin. Of course, you have to get along fairly well for a long time to get it to relax enough to do that. Rabbits are somewhat high strung. Or, maybe they’re just particular.

The stress they feel comes about whenever they sense danger. That is very easy for them to do since their eyes have almost a 360 view of what is around them. Set on the sides of the head, they geta peripheral view of almost 180 degress on each side. But because of the arrangement, they do have about a 10 degree blind spot directly in front just below the nose.

So, if you stand in front of your rabbit and lecture them about something they did wrong, don’t assume they’re stupid or stubborn. They may just not be able to see you. Of course, with those ears they don’t have any excuse for not hearing. They may just be ignoring you. Rabbits are pretty smart critters, after all, and they know your boot was made for chewing even if you don’t.