We have a 5 month old bunny...

Question
We have a 5 month old bunny (Rex, I think) we adopted from the local humane society 3 months ago. She has gotten used to her litterbox and, until 2 days ago, has had very few accidents. Now all of a sudden, she's urinating and pooping lots more than usual outside of her cage. Her stools are a bit softer than usual, though not runny. Appetite is normal, though she doesn't seem to be drinking quite as much water as usual. She is due to be spayed soon, for what it's worth. Is this a urinary tract issue? Do you think she needs to be seen by a vet? Thanks for any help you can offer!

Answer
Dear Mary,

If your bunny is eating normally and acting as if she's happy and not in any pain, then I suspect this sudden change is the onset of puberty, and she's starting to mark her territory.  Her spay's coming not a moment too soon!

Be sure your vet is familiar with rabbits, and has a lot of experience with their special surgical needs:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/spay.html
www.bio.miami.edu/hare/opcare.html

If you aren't sure about your vet, you can use the list linked here to find one experienced with rabbits:

www.rabbit.org/vets

I hope this helps.  Please write back if you have any other questions.

Dana