# Neuter cage set up



## annabelle00 (Jan 15, 2014)

I want to get Dusky neuter in two weeks once I get enough money to cover his neuter costs and anything extra that could pop up.

In the mean time does any one know how I would go about setting up his cage? In regards to keeping things clean and making sure nothing could open up the incisions...this would be the first time I have EVER gotten an animal neutered/operated x.x

He's been spraying and pooping like crazy and only on me or in my room all my bedding seems to be collecting orange and white dots 

His current set up is a 3 x 2 x 2 C&C which I plan to change later. He's got a hidey box in the corner with a grass mat on top, a hay box of similar size which makes kind of a step he likes to use, his litter box which is near it and his toys. He has the run of the house as well.

Any set up suggestions for a neuter would be great! Also anything I should do/get for pre and post neuter.

Would it be better to use a litter box without a grid when recovering from a neuter? 

Didn't really want to get him neutered as he is really well behaved except for the spraying and peeing and pooping on the bed.


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## Bville (Jan 15, 2014)

I don't know what your vets policy is on giving rabbits food and water right up until their surgery, but I've read that because of they way their digestive system works, they do not have the ability to vomit so eating before getting anesthesia is not an issue for rabbits like it is with other animals. I gave my bunnies food and water right up until I took them over and I gave the vet their hay, pellets, and some greens for after surgery. The quicker they start eating again afterward, the better.

When I had my rabbits neutered the vet told me to keep them in their cages and not let them run around for a few days. I also took out their hidey boxes so they weren't jumping up on top of them. I asked for pain medication for after the neuter to help them recover.


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## Azerane (Jan 15, 2014)

Yep, I would agree with taking out the hidey box and not letting him out to run around. Don't want them stretching and breaking open the sutures.

I would think that keeping the grid on the tray would be better because then he won't be sitting in his litter and it won't get up into the incision.


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## Imbrium (Jan 15, 2014)

annabelle00 said:


> In the mean time does any one know how I would go about setting up his cage? In regards to keeping things clean and making sure nothing could open up the incisions...this would be the first time I have EVER gotten an animal neutered/operated x.x
> 
> His current set up is a 3 x 2 x 2 C&C which I plan to change later. He's got a hidey box in the corner with a grass mat on top, a hay box of similar size which makes kind of a step he likes to use, his litter box which is near it and his toys. He has the run of the house as well.



I know it's easy to get over-protective about spay/neuter surgery... but in all honesty, you're over-thinking it a bit .

I made a 3x2x1 high temporary NIC pen for my girls when they were spayed, as they had a massive condo and 120+ square foot run normally. His current cage will be fine post-neuter as long as it doesn't have any levels/ledges in it and you remove anything he could jump or climb on.

I don't think it matters if you have a grid in the litter box or not. I had my 3x2x1 split into two halves for the first day (so I could monitor each girl's eating/pooping independently), which meant two smaller litter boxes that I didn't bother to make grids for. After the first day, I took out the divider and gave them their bigger litter box (which already had a grid - I left it in and they were fine). The only thing you might want to change with the litter box is getting a shallow one if his current box has high sides. You could get a cheap cat litter box with sides around 4'' tall (which is what I did) or you could cut a big notch in one side of a higher-sided box so that the entry point was lower.

Oh, and *always* give food and water right up until you take him in (I also packed a "sack lunch" for my girls to be offered afterward) - sometimes receptionists incorrectly give the cat/dog info (ie fasting), which is extremely dangerous for a bunny!

Also, make sure they send you home with pain medication (metacam or whatever) - it's not always given with neuters and from what I've heard, not all males really need it... but better safe than sorry! _[If I had boy parts and someone cut them out, I know I'd want some painkillers for a couple days, lol.]_ The leftover meds are really great to have in a first aid kit anyway.

As far as cleaning and such, my girls wrecked their temp enclosure like the little tornadoes they are. When the surgery is done properly, the incision is small, clean and dry - it's nothing like an open wound, as the vet seals the cut area together afterward. You don't have to do anything special; their area doesn't need to be any cleaner than you'd normally keep it. Hay and such strewn on the floor won't upset their stitches.

He may be reluctant to eat for the first 24-36h, as they tend to feel nauseous from the after-effects of the anesthesia. When my girls didn't want to eat, I was told to offer their favorite fruits and "let them have whatever they want, just for today" (rather than sticking to the strict limits normally placed on fruit). As long as he's not ultra-sensitive to sugar (which would be obvious even when feeding him the usual 1 tsp fruit per 2 lbs body weight), there's no reason not to let him have a bit extra - like a kid getting ice cream when they have a sore throat.

The first day or two, he'll probably be a bit lethargic... however, within 2-4 days, he's liable to be bouncing off the walls and desperately begging to be let out so he can run around. The hardest part of getting a bunny fixed is saying no to their pleas when they want to be let off of restrictions early!

The very first post in my blog has links to my threads regarding my girls' spays - it may help you to skim through those threads, as there's some good info in them. Neuters are less invasive than spays and males recover more quickly, but they still have a lot in common with spays when it comes to post-surgery care and potential issues.


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## annabelle00 (Jan 17, 2014)

Just making sure everything is right and I've got everything before I have him neutered xs 
I've got him a pet bed to replace his hidey box. He really enjoys digging and I have a phone book gonna have to remove that too I guess.
I've got some Benebac pet gel and will be getting some critical care soon. 

Thanks for the info!! It helps to have someone who has experience!


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## Imbrium (Jan 17, 2014)

I don't see any reason why the phone book would need to be removed. I gave my girls small toys and some packing paper to shred while they were recovering - a bored bunny is more likely to get restless and start tearing around the tiny cage. Ripping up a phone book is a great stationary activity to distract from the fact that his space is so limited 

Don't forget a syringe in case you have to syringe the critical care! Most grocery stores sell them very inexpensively; 5-10cc is a good size. You might also see if you can find some no-chew vet wrap (or better yet, ask if you can get a small amount from your vet - a couple feet is more than enough) and make sure you have a gauze pad around. If he's constantly licking at the incision (or worse yet, tries to chew at it), a gauze pad held in place with vet wrap that's wrapped around his abdomen is infinitely less stressful for bunny and owner alike than a cone of shame!


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