# Netherland Dwarf - Neutering ?



## JuicyJossy (Jan 23, 2013)

Hi.
I have an almost 2 year old male Netherland Dwarf rabbit. I have recently read that if they are not snipped they have a high chance of developing cancer and therefore I am looking into getting him snipper.
I have a reliable vet, he has previously neutered my mother in laws chinchilla so I know he is good with small animals.
I would just like some advise as to whether you think that it is a good idea to get him done or not. He currently lives with 2 male guinea pigs (controversial I know but they have been together over a year and a half and no problems so far) so I am not getting him done so I can intro a female, just to lower risk of cancer. My main question is, do the benefits outweigh the risks ?

Also, I have recently moved to a new house, he is solely an indoor rabbit, free range of the living room all day, but we have moved in with my uncle and his cats are more hunters that mine who runs away from him so if order to let him have some running around time I want to put him in a secure large run in the garden (we previously didn't have a garden). So I was wondering, what are the average prices to immunize a rabbit against miximitosis and other things ?

Thanks for any help !


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

you NEED to seperate your rabbit from your pigs im afraid.
neither animal will gain any benifit from being with one another. they both speak different languages and have very different body languages too, a normal part of a rabbits body language is mounting, and if a rabbit were to mount a piggy it could crush their pelvis, leading to some very expensive vet bills, and even death.
rabbits and piggers also have very different dietry requirements, rabbit pellets are lethal to piggers, and long term feeding of pig pellets to rabbits can lead to poor health and early death.
also happy rabbits run about and binky and kick out, an accidental kick from a netie is enough to break a dogs ribs, imagine what that could do to your pigs?
and lastly, rabbits are natural carriers of bordatella, which poses no harm to rabbits, but is lethal to pigs
have a read here
Guinea Pigs & Rabbits - Rabbit Retreat Forum

keeping rabbits with guinea pigs is no longer controversial, it is a huge no no. rabbits need rabbit company and pigs need pig company.

as for neutering, aall rabbits should be spayed/neutered due to the massive amounts of hormones they have other wise, which can cause them to be extreamly territorial, spray pee(mark) everywhere, lunge, and become VERY sexually frustrated, and to prevent cancers.

also even house rabbits should be vaccinated against moth myxi and VHD as you can bring them in on your shoes/hands/clothes, and flying insects can get into your house and infect them too


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## Guest (Mar 17, 2013)

What Miss said basically.

I have known people to lose a shed of 30 pigs in 24 hours due to Bordatella, and unless you do a nasal swab on every rabbit and preform a necropsy on any pig that dies then you have no idea is Bordatella is an issue or not. It is a piggy back illness, so the first sign you could see is a dead pig I'm afraid 

Neutering is fairly straight forward these days with a rabbit savvy vet so I wouldn't worry too much if you trust your vet, I've had two nethie does spayed without issue.

You will also need to spay the doe that you decide to bring in, as they have the highest risk of cancer and it is much easier to bond rabbits without all the hormones rushing around..

Vaccinating is around £40ish for the combination vaccine, but the price varies from vet to vet.


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## geordiegaviino (Mar 26, 2010)

B3rnie said:


> What Miss said basically.
> 
> I have known people to lose a shed of 30 pigs in 24 hours due to Bordatella, and unless you do a nasal swab on every rabbit and preform a necropsy on any pig that dies then you have no idea is Bordatella is an issue or not. It is a piggy back illness, so the first sign you could see is a dead pig I'm afraid
> 
> ...


Does she not risk causing stress to both the Rabbit and the Pigs by seperating them if they have been together so long?


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## JuicyJossy (Jan 23, 2013)

I am not interested in separating them, when the rabbit is away from them for even 5 minutes they will squeak non stop and look for him. This is not what I asked for advice on, as I said I am keeping them together !


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

if you truly cared about their welfare you would, the pigs could very easily be killed by your bun, without him even meaning it.

this is a public forum, people are going to comment on what you post regardless of if you want to hear it or not


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## Guest (Mar 17, 2013)

JuicyJossy said:


> I am not interested in separating them, when the rabbit is away from them for even 5 minutes they will squeak non stop and look for him. This is not what I asked for advice on, as I said I am keeping them together !


In that case you risk loosing your guinea pigs....simple..
I know one person in particular that had your attitude, she lost 12 pigs in 2 days, ALL to bordatella...

geordiegaviino, yes it will cause temporary stress, however this will be preferable to dead pigs


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