Indoor or Outdoor?

Question
Hi Kelly,  I just got some wonderful information from Lee, however, he is not available to ask a follow-up question to.  He recommended some good things, one of which he suggested that we try to bring our new bunny (that we just built an outdoor hutch for) indoors if we possibly can.  We do handle our bunny a couple times a day (AM and PM) and play with her about 1/2 hour each time.  My question is this, "We have two animals that live inside our home with us; a small cockapoo dog and a cat (who is outside during the day but inside at night).  I don't think my husband would want the rabbit to be inside, but it is an option.  She's showing some cage aggression and my question is, "Are there any ideas to eliminate this type of behavior without getting the rabbit spayed or moving her inside?"  We live quite a distance from the nearest rabbit vet but I will take her to get spayed if that is the answer.  Will this type of behavior disappear once she is spayed or will it just help it?  Do all outdoor rabbits exhibit this cage aggression because of less social interaction?  Any thoughts would be helpful.  Thank you so much!

Answer
Hello,

It may or may not disappear with spaying. Moving her cage will not make a difference as the aggression is unrelated to the cage itself. Indoors or outdoors, it will not change a thing. Rabbits thrive in both conditions well. HRS people may disagree, but 12+ years of successful breeding experience with happy healthy rabbis proves it to be true. Since you prefer to keep her outdoors, I will focus my answer with that in mind.

Rabbits are territorial by nature, and it is common to have a rabbit lunge at you once you enter his/her cage.

Aggression is a combination of behavior, hormones and genetics. Since she has not been mistreated and handled regularly -- genetics and hormones are what you need to be looking at.

Spaying will solve the hormone problem, but it will not change any innate characteristics. Some breeds are more aggressive by nature and all rabbits are territorial by nature. Spaying may reduce the aggression drastically or not at all.  It usually does make at least some difference in personality though.

That being said, spaying is a personal decision in regards to rabbits. It may or may not make a significant difference in aggression. Bear in mind it is a major surgical procedure on a female. It is very invasive and has more risks than neutering. Also, you'll often hear people say that spayed and neutered rabbits live longer. In reality, that information is derived from dogs and cats. I have never seen the research data from rabbits. When you hear those facts quoted, always ask for the source of the statistics.

I'm not going to persuade you either way on whether or not you should spay your rabbit. I believe it is a personal decision and you will be a great owner no matter what you decide. I just think everyone should be informed and know the pros and cons before deciding.

Good luck! I feel I skipped around a bit. If you need any further clarifications, feel free to ask!