Cost To Get A Rabbit Spayed Or Neutered – Survey Data

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I asked hundreds of real rabbit owners how much they actually paid to get their bunny fixed (spayed or neutered). I got responses from throughout the United States and even a few other countries. Here is what I found out.

The average cost to get a rabbit spayed or neutered in the United States is $273.97 with a median price of $205. The actual cost to get a rabbit fixed varies widely, with rabbit owners reporting a range of $75 dollars over $600 dollars! It cost 20% more to get a female rabbit fixed than a male.

Let’s dig into the data I collected and see if we can figure out why the cost varies so much.

Click Here for my article about finding a great Bunny Veterinarian.

~Stacey

Cost Of Rabbit Spaying Vs Neutering

First let’s make sure we’re using the same terminology and share a common understanding of how the process works.

A surgical procedure to make it so a male rabbit can’t make babies or so a female rabbit can’t have babies is referred to as having the rabbit altered or fixed.

When female rabbits (called Does) are fixed it’s called being Spayed.

When male rabbits (called Bucks) are fixed, it’s called being Neutered.

For both spaying and neutering, most veterinarians suggest that you wait until the bunny is at least six months old before having the procedure. Some vets will do the procedure as young as four months, but you should check with your local vet for their advice.

Spaying is a much more intrusive operation than neutering and is, therefore, more expensive.

All of the prices I’m going to talk about in the rest of this article are for spaying a female rabbit.

The cost to neuter a male rabbit will generally be 10 to 25% less than the cost of spaying a female rabbit. It is a less intrusive operation to neuter a male rabbit than to spay a female rabbit.

Rabbit Spaying Cost Varies By Location

We had rabbit owners from 17 different States in America report actual costs for spaying their bunnies.

I dug through the data looking for trends between States and various areas of the country. Honestly, there was no real trend except that areas with a higher cost of living also had more expensive spaying procedures.

We actually had multiple people report from the same States, and even within a single State, the prices varied widely.

For example, in the State of Texas, we had costs reported as low as $100 and as high as $450!

The one general trend that I did see is that having your bunny fixed by a veterinarian in a more rural area was significantly less expensive than the services offered by their city cousins.

Increased Cost Of Rabbit Alteration By Added Services

A number of the very high prices reported also included a note that the price included additional services that the rabbit owner seemed to believe were part of the spaying procedure.

These included, but were not limited to “a full blood panel” and “additional pain medications”.

Honestly, I’m not a veterinarian, and I’m not intimately familiar with these other bunny owner’s specific situations. With that said, I don’t know if these additional services are necessary.

We even had two rabbit owners tell us that the cost was higher than expected because the veterinarian found teeth issues that they decided to deal with while the rabbit was already under anesthesia.

Now I know that teeth issues with a rabbit can be deadly, and should be dealt with promptly. I also know that anesthesia has some inherent dangers for all living things so fewer times put under anesthesia is a good thing.

All that said, in the future, I’ll have my vet check my rabbit’s teeth before the operation so I can approve any additional work before it’s done. I encourage you to do the same.

Likewise, please make sure your rabbit is eating lots of hay. It really helps prevent not just teeth problems, but digestive tract issues that could also lead to an expensive visit to the vet.

If you want to learn more about the importance of feeding hay, here is a “Getting Your Rabbit To Eat More Hay” article that I wrote.

Is It Necessary To Get Your Rabbit Spayed Or Neutered?

If you’re frugal like me, you’re probably in sticker shock right about now.

You’re also probably asking yourself if it’s necessary to get your rabbit fixed, so let’s just take a few moments to think about that.

Getting your rabbit fixed isn’t necessary, but it does present some very desirable benefits and potentially avoids some future medical complications that can be heartbreaking and very expensive.

Fixed rabbits have fewer behavioral issues (think ‘marking their territory’), are less aggressive towards other animals and even humans, and have few health problems that are associated with the reproductive organs.

Most people believe that fixed rabbits live longer, and I agree.

They also don’t have litters of baby rabbits, which can be a very good thing. After all, they do breed like rabbits. 🤣😂🤣😂

You’ll have to make the final decision for yourself, but if you are going to have more than one rabbit or your rabbit is going to free-range inside your home, then you should probably carefully consider it.

On the other hand, if your rabbit is going to be living solitary outside in a hutch, then you might choose not to have them fixed.

Keep in mind when buying a rabbit, a bunny that has already been fixed is often more expensive. However, in the long run, it may be cheaper to pay extra upfront instead of paying for the veterinarian later.

Saving Money On Rabbit Spaying Or Neutering

To find a veterinarian who will spay or neuter your rabbit for less, you are going to have to some doctor shopping. That means making some phone calls and just asking them what they charge.

Be sure to ask if there are any additional charges, or suggested services that are going to increase the bill.

Because prices to get a bunny fixed vary so much, before I took a new pet rabbit to get fixed, I’d probably call every vet within driving distance. I would, however, make double sure that I called certain kinds of veterinarian offices.

To save money on getting your bunny spayed or neutered take the time to call many veterinarians in your area for quotes. Often rural veterinarians, local bunny rescues, or local rabbit breeders will either be able to offer cheaper bunny alternation or to suggest others who could help you.

I wrote an article about how to find a great rabbit veterinarian that you might find helpful.

~Stacey

Rural Veterinarians

As I noted above, more rural vets generally performed the procedure much more affordable. All of the near or sub-$100 prices reported were in rural areas.

I live in a rural area and have a number of friends who are vets. They all are great people, who love to help animals and their people. Just keep in mind that in this rural setting, their primary business is going to be large animals.

Be sure to ask any rural vet about their experience with rabbits before making a trip to the country.

However, if that drive to the country can save you hundreds of dollars, it might be worth the trip.

Animal Rescues / Shelters

Many of the bunny owners who reported lower costs to get their rabbit fixed mentioned that they got the procedure done at either a local rescue or shelter.

Such organizations have a passion for reducing unwanted furry babies, and many have a vet on staff to offer such services at a discount.

Other organizations don’t have anyone on staff but do have relationships with local vets and they might be able to point you in the right direction.

Look for local animal shelters on Google, and be sure to see if you have a local chapter of the SPCA who might also be helpful.

Reach Out To Local Bunny Owners

Get information from real bunny owners just like I did for this article.

The big world is a lot smaller now with the internet and social media, so use that to your advantage.

Google for the local 4-H Club, and find the “Rabbit Leader”. That’s an adult who helps new kids learn about caring for and showing rabbits at local fairs.

That rabbit leader might be able to point you towards the most reasonably priced vets in your area.

Next, try Facebook. Just search for “_______________ Rabbits” where the blank starts very local and then grows more general.

You will very likely be able to find a group of local-ish rabbit lovers who might be able to help you find the right vet.

First, fill in that blank with your City. Then your County. Finally Your State. If you don’t find the right group that way, be sure to try nearby cities and counties.

Conclusion on The Cost To Get A Bunny Fixed

Well, armed with real data, it’s obvious that the cost to get a pet bunny fixed can vary wildly from one veterinarian clinic to the next.

Remember that you are the customer, and don’t be afraid to call and ask for the price (the entire price) before scheduling an appointment.

If this is the first visit to a vet with your new bunny, this is your first and best chance to identify the medical professional who is going to be part of your and your bunny’s life for many years to come.

Keeping in mind that most vets won’t fix a rabbit until its 6 months old and start shopping for your new rabbit doctor early.

Not only will this early start take the pressure off of picking a vet quickly, but it will also ensure that you can make an appointment far enough in advance to get the work done at the right time.

And don’t let cost be your only deciding factor. This person and their staff are going to be part of your life for a long time.

Most of the time, they’ll be there in times of joy, but it’s likely that at some point they will be there with you during some of life’s most difficult moments.

A few extra dollars might make being with the right person the perfect decision for you and your bunny.

~Stacey