needing of advice

Question
QUESTION: do you know if it is possible that my minature rex rabbit got meaner because when he got neuterd the vet forgot to take off one testicle? do you think that that is unacceptable and that i should begin taking him to a new vet? my rabbit chews on everything do you have any advice on bunny proofing? also, he has been shedding since september to the point where it can be lightly pulled from his skin in big clumps. i was told it is called molting and it would stop in a few weeks but its been a few months. is this normal do you know? thank you, Karen

ANSWER: Dear Karen,

If your bunny had a cryptorchid, or undescended testicle, that the vet did not remove, then he might still be suffering hormone rages.  Please ask the vet whether *two* testicles were removed.  If not, then further surgery might be needed to remove the one still up in the body cavity (which can be *very* small and hard to find, so you'll need a very experienced rabbit vet:  www.rabbit.org/vets ), since it could become cancerous in addition to causing behavioral problems.

For advice on aggression management if the bunny is just grumpy, please see:

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/aggression.html

and for bunny proofing:

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/rabbit-proofing.html

Rex rabbits generally do not shed much, but they do moult occasionally.  If this has been continuous, please see:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/furloss.html

I hope this helps.

Dana

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: hi, i just wanted to let you know that when i did notice the thing that i thought was an extra testicle, i did bring him to the vet (this was in September). She said that she must have had a long day and that usually she does one side first so she must have done the wrong side first. I mean, i have been going to her for so long and she has never messed up like this. So i would like to believe he had a 3rd testicle but that is also crazy. So she removed the extra testicle and said that he should get nicer within a month and the reason why he got meaner is because his hormones were out of whack. But I guess he never really got nicer and I just think it could be because she forgot to take one off.

Also, do you think I should bring him to a vet (probably a different one) about his shedding? it has been continuous. Thanks so much for your help!

Answer
Dear Karen,

It mioght just be his personality to be grumpy, so I *strongly* urge you to read:

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/aggression.html

to manage and change his behavior.

The shedding may be a congenital thing, and if his skin is normal, there may be nothing you can do.  Many domestic rabbits have disrupted shedding cycles due to artificial lighting and to their own inbreeding, which has changed the natural cycle.  The best thing you can do is groom him well and hope for the best, as per what I sent you before:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/furloss.html

You can take him to the vet to ask, but I have a hunch the vet may say the same thing.

Good luck,

Dana