Is it possible to "band" a buck to neuter ?
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HOWsMom
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Is it possible to "band" a buck to neuter ?
I grew up with cattle, so we used bands to castrate the young males.
Is this possible for rabbits ?
Their 'bits' don't dangle like a bull so I'm not sure.
I have googled it, and I've gotten very mixed information - everything from "never ever do this" to "this is how it's done, and it's easy".
We have 2 bucks that are strictly pets, one who is fairly aggressive and has taken to spraying (he'll be a year old in a couple weeks, and this is a new thing). There are precious few vets around with ANY experience with rabbits.
Is this possible for rabbits ?
Their 'bits' don't dangle like a bull so I'm not sure.
I have googled it, and I've gotten very mixed information - everything from "never ever do this" to "this is how it's done, and it's easy".
We have 2 bucks that are strictly pets, one who is fairly aggressive and has taken to spraying (he'll be a year old in a couple weeks, and this is a new thing). There are precious few vets around with ANY experience with rabbits.

George (black Dutch), Chaos (Broken Chocolate Mini Rex buck) & Mischief (Broken Chocolate Mini Rex doe)
Fionn (REW Mini Rex buck) & Ballach (Brk. Black Mini Rex doe) - not shown
Also home to 1 dog, 1 cat, 1 guinea pig, several degus and fish, some kids and a husband
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Re: Is it possible to "band" a buck to neuter ?
HOWsMom wrote:I grew up with cattle, so we used bands to castrate the young males.
Is this possible for rabbits ?
Their 'bits' don't dangle like a bull so I'm not sure.
I have googled it, and I've gotten very mixed information - everything from "never ever do this" to "this is how it's done, and it's easy".
We have 2 bucks that are strictly pets, one who is fairly aggressive and has taken to spraying (he'll be a year old in a couple weeks, and this is a new thing). There are precious few vets around with ANY experience with rabbits.
Here is an earlier thread about the subject of castration:
castrating-rabbits-t4057-30.html?hilit=band castrate#p171995
I've heard mixed info as well. If you're looking for a non-surgical method you might be out of luck. I may be wrong but I get the impression you and your family are attached to your bucks. Based on that assumption, I think you might rather wait for this phase to hopefully pass. You guys seem like you might take it badly if that option messed up your rabbits.
Dealing with young bucks is just one of those prices you have to pay sometimes. Or the price is a few hundred to a vet.
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Dood
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Re: Is it possible to "band" a buck to neuter ?
No
Rabbits are unique in that their inguninal canal does not close so the vet must suture it shut to ensure the bladder or intestines don't herniate out as the testicles are no longer there to prevent this
They also have a substantial muscle attached that allows them to pull up the testes, horses and dogs have a similar muscle, and banding is NOT permitted in these species because of the pain associated with constriction of these muscles
Banding is only done on animals with pendulous testes and at a very young age and part of the reason it works is because they are RAPIDLY growing and they quickly out grow the band and the testes drop off
Rabbits are unique in that their inguninal canal does not close so the vet must suture it shut to ensure the bladder or intestines don't herniate out as the testicles are no longer there to prevent this
They also have a substantial muscle attached that allows them to pull up the testes, horses and dogs have a similar muscle, and banding is NOT permitted in these species because of the pain associated with constriction of these muscles
Banding is only done on animals with pendulous testes and at a very young age and part of the reason it works is because they are RAPIDLY growing and they quickly out grow the band and the testes drop off
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Re: Is it possible to "band" a buck to neuter ?
I was hoping some knowledgeable members would respond to this topic. I was pretty sure it wasn't a feasible idea, but lacked the confidence to post about it.
Kenosha and Dood:
Kenosha and Dood:

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Re: Is it possible to "band" a buck to neuter ?
Also from a logical perspective; if it were possible (i.e., successfully castrate a buck via banding; not just the ability to put some rubber bands around his testicles) we as a community would probably heard about it a lot more than just the "word on the street" anecdotal stories.
And not to sound condescending; but house rabbit people would have been all over that method as a cheap, non-surgical, way to neuter bucks if it existed.
And not to sound condescending; but house rabbit people would have been all over that method as a cheap, non-surgical, way to neuter bucks if it existed.
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HOWsMom
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Re: Is it possible to "band" a buck to neuter ?
Thank you.
That was my thought, but as I said, I'd found mixed information when I looked it up.
That was my thought, but as I said, I'd found mixed information when I looked it up.

George (black Dutch), Chaos (Broken Chocolate Mini Rex buck) & Mischief (Broken Chocolate Mini Rex doe)
Fionn (REW Mini Rex buck) & Ballach (Brk. Black Mini Rex doe) - not shown
Also home to 1 dog, 1 cat, 1 guinea pig, several degus and fish, some kids and a husband
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Re: Is it possible to "band" a buck to neuter ?
I've talked to people who have done it. It can be done. Whether it's safe is questionable and whether it's ethical is just as questionable. Overall I'd only do it in a situation where I am turning this potentially nice personal pet (not to be sold) into dog food for recent behavior changes if he doesn't improve. Maybe. There are things I'd rather put an animal down for than cause the amount of discomfort or physical alteration needed to make them a good house pet.
http://s1321.beta.photobucket.com/user/takakageri/library/
Failing might just mean you are trying to climb instead of swim https://youtu.be/evathYHc1Fg
Failing might just mean you are trying to climb instead of swim https://youtu.be/evathYHc1Fg
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HOWsMom
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Re: Is it possible to "band" a buck to neuter ?
akane wrote:There are things I'd rather put an animal down for than cause the amount of discomfort or physical alteration needed to make them a good house pet.
You are 100 % correct

George (black Dutch), Chaos (Broken Chocolate Mini Rex buck) & Mischief (Broken Chocolate Mini Rex doe)
Fionn (REW Mini Rex buck) & Ballach (Brk. Black Mini Rex doe) - not shown
Also home to 1 dog, 1 cat, 1 guinea pig, several degus and fish, some kids and a husband
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karebru
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