Rabbit Care After Spay/Neuter Surgery

After surgery, your rabbit will need some special care until he/she is fully recovered.

• First, your rabbit will need to be in a nice, quiet, darkened room. As your rabbit recovers, provide a dimly-lit area or partially-covered cage, so he can be left alone to rest.
• Avoid picking up your bunny to allow the stitches to heal. Remember, your rabbit will be sore for several days.
• Make sure your bunny is off the cage wire and on something soft like towels or fake sheepskin. For outdoor bunnies, it is equally important that they be off the dirt, which can pollute an incision.
• Keep your rabbit inside for at least five days, or at least on soft, clean material.

Females take longer than males to recover from surgery. Often males start to eat the same night, but females may go nearly 24 hours without wanting to eat. It is important that your rabbit does eat some by the next morning, so "baby" her with little tiny pieces of Red Delicious apple, her favorite wet, cold greens, or hay. Replace the greens and fruit with fresh ones if not eaten within two hours. Also bring your bunny's water bottle over to her, so she is tempted to drink.

If your bunny is a male, by the next day he'll be almost back to normal. With females, it can take nearly a week, but by the next day, she should be eating at least some. Keeping the food fresh will be a big help.

Remember to call your rabbit veterinarian if your rabbit does not eat anything by the next day.