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My rabbit was neutered. How do I care for him safely post-surgery?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Small Animal | Rabbit | Male | neutered | 6 months and 25 days old | 3 lbs

Is it okay to put underwear (little girl diaper ones) on my rabbit after he's been neutered to keep him from tearing out his stitches? Also, how do I give him his medication? Should I keep him in his playpen (small area) to make sure he doesn't move around lots? And do I have to be constantly monitoring him?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on September 11th, 2018

I suggest you ask your vet how they plan to do the surgery. They will be able to give you better answers to your questions since we are not privy to their procedures. All I can tell you is what most vets do. Most veterinarians do not leave stitches on the outside of the incision any more. They will likely be only under the skin so you may not have to worry about the stitches. The medication he would take after surgery is usually a liquid and you would just squirt it in his mouth. Your vet can show you how to do this. Yes, you should keep him in small area for about 7-10 days to minimize his activity. You should constantly monitor him for the first 12 hours after surgery. After that you should just check on him every 6 hours or so to make sure his is doing OK. Hope this answers your questions. Best wishes.

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    Answered By Lauren Kennedy, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on July 3rd, 2017

    Rabbits usually heal very well after being neutered. It should take about 1-2 weeks until the incisions are completely healed. During that time he can stay in his regular enclosure. Just make sure it keep it clean and dry. If you have other rabbits I would suggest keeping them separated until the surgery site has completely healed. Also be sure you are feeding him some hay and occasional fresh veggie as well.

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    Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 22nd, 2018

    It's best to wait 10 days after the surgery to let him outside, but it should be fine to have him in a hutch now. He shouldn't be able to run and jump too much in the hutch, which is what we worry about when they are healing. Below is a link to more information about rabbit neutering that may be helpful. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/neutering-in-rabbits I hope that helps and Honey-Bonny recovers well.

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