Hormones and Rabbit Personalities

Question
Hi,
I had a female house rabbit, ( she lived 7 1/2 years, and had health issues that shortened her life ), I had her spayed at about 5 months old.  I believe it was the Vet. that told me that with a female rabbit their hormones stay in their bodies for several months,..( I think they told me , like 11 months ), after they are spayed.  I was told that with a male rabbit, after it is neutered the hormones stay in it's body only about a month.  Is this true ?  I loved my female bunny, and thought it was very untrue that males rabbits make better pets, ( as I have read this on so many web sites ).  I thought this was an unfair judgment to female rabbits, as I could not have asked for a better, sweeter bunny. But just curious about the issue about the hormones staying in the females so much longer after they are fixed, ( altered ).  Thanks

Answer
Dear Rachel,

Estrogen is a fat-soluble hormone, and it does reside in the fatty tissues for a longer time than testosterone lasts in the male, in general.  But that's not necessarily an insult!  :)  It just means we females are better at managing our hormones, if you consider it that way.

And it's certainly not true that males make better pets just because their hormones go away sooner after a neuter.  I have an unspayed female (who will lose only her uterus soon; we're keeping her ovaries) who has the most wonderful personality you can imagine. And I've known plenty of neutered males who were jerks.  Personality depends on hormones, too.  But there are so many factors that it's just not predictable by sex of the bunny.

If you read that males make better pets on web sites, then those were probably *breeder* sites written by people who breed rabbits, but have no clear idea what their true personalities are like. To know that, you have to live with them as companions, as you and I do.  Not just breed them in cages and see them on a daily basis pretty much when you feed and breed them.  :(

So I'm with you.  And I'm sorry for the loss of your bunny.  I hope such a caring, perceptive "mom" will some day find it in her heart to adopt another needy bunny.  (I have some cute adoptables!)  ;)

Take care, and happy new year!

Dana