# Male rabbit with swollen, hard testicles + other q's



## Sommrluv (Aug 11, 2011)

I'm hoping to not make this too long. I'm new to rabbits, my husband is not (4-H'er, grew up with all sorts of critters). We'd been considering getting meat rabbits for a while, and had decided last month to go ahead. We have two hutches, were looking online to see if anything came available. 

A local who had dutches had advertised his for a steal ($65, plus two hutches & two cages, Bottles, etc). The ad was posted late at night and my husband responded early in the morning before I awoke, and went and brought them home. 

I'm not 100% sure I would have purchased them, two don't look like belted dutches at all to me, and one of the girls is dreadfully thin, missing fur all over. They are clean of mites, ticks, and have healthy appetites and are mostly friendly, but skittish in their new environment. 

I misunderstood the hubby and when setting them up in their temporary new digs (transferring them to our larger hutches so I can make repairs to the ones they came with) I accidentally put the two males together. In quick time, a fight ensued. I'd never actually SEEN a ball of fur roll around before. I separated them, and one looked untouched, the other had blood on his.....wee-wee. I kept an eye on the "bitten" one and he seems fine. That was Saturday. Fast forward to late Monday, and I'm trying to spend 30 minutes 3x a day to get them used to me, and handling them once a day. I'm looking over the unharmed Buck, and it looks like he has hard ridges on his very swollen testes( one was pink and softer initially). They are extremely hard and wrinkly to the touch, and look discolored. I showed my husband and he said it looked to him like it was an old injury. I put pulvex on it and returned him. As of yesterday evening, it looks worse (both testes are hard now). 

I feel badly, he has a sweet disposition and I know I'm scaring the heck out of him when I put the pulvex on his (probably hurting) testes. After a couple of moments in my arms, he just lays on his back and will let me do it. (that or I've been suckered into pleasuring rabbits now) 

We're only looking for meat rabbits here, not pets, so I'd prefer not to have to take him to the vet.  It'd be a different situation if I knew him as a proven breeder. But, I have two males and only need one. Can I treat with antibiotics or is it a lost cause? Even if I save him, will he "shoot blanks"? Is it possible he's suffering and I'm not seeing it? In that case, I'd like to put him down. I'm assuming that if he does have an infection, I should discard him and not feed him to the dogs or myself, etc. 

Also, the one unhealthy-looking girl has a bad temperament, and a scratcher. Reformable? Or not worth it. 

Thanks for any help/advice. It's appreciated.

-Summer


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## Sommrluv (Aug 11, 2011)

Please, any thoughts? I've googled everything I can think of and can't find any references at all.


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## ~Wind~ (Aug 11, 2011)

Because he is for meat purposes I think you have a few options. 1. Cull him as you really only need one male when starting out. 2. Take him to the vet for an assesment (not a great option money wise for meaties) 3. Continue to monitor him... Not being able to see him in person its hard to say whats going on. Could be a number of things... Infection/Abscess due to the fight/bite... Edema, If he is sore the swelling could spread from lack of movement... 

As far as how it would affect his fertility, if it was only one testicle the odds would be better, but if it were me I would probably cull him from my breeding program unless he was an amaizing pedigree rabbit whose bloodlines were criticle to your breeding program 

I'm not a vet or anything just kind of thinking out loud.


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## Sommrluv (Aug 12, 2011)

Thank you, Wind. I really appreciate your input.

It's funny, I don't have much of an issue killing animals when their purpose is for food, or putting an animal out of it's misery. But OH, the guilt when I know it's my fault because of my mistake.


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## Ms. Research (Aug 13, 2011)

Sommrluv said:
			
		

> Thank you, Wind. I really appreciate your input.
> 
> It's funny, I don't have much of an issue killing animals when their purpose is for food, or putting an animal out of it's misery. But OH, the guilt when I know it's my fault because of my mistake.


I think anyone who seriously raises animals for any reason feels that way.   When it's our fault that an animals gets hurt, that's the WORSE feeling in the World.   

Hope all turns out for the best for you!


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## Sommrluv (Aug 13, 2011)

Of course, now DH sees how nice he is and is suggesting we keep him and treat him, as a pet. Something like a "chicken mascot", since the chickens seem to like him.

DH isn't one to feed non "working" animals. Unless you count our three dogs, of course. LOL

I'll keep giving him vitamins and the other little rabbit remedy stuff I picked up, salving him up, and see if it makes any difference. He's eating, drinking, playing.


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## Ms. Research (Aug 13, 2011)

Sommrluv said:
			
		

> Of course, now DH sees how nice he is and is suggesting we keep him and treat him, as a pet. Something like a "chicken mascot", since the chickens seem to like him.
> 
> DH isn't one to feed non "working" animals. Unless you count our three dogs, of course. LOL
> 
> I'll keep giving him vitamins and the other little rabbit remedy stuff I picked up, salving him up, and see if it makes any difference. He's eating, drinking, playing.


Chicken Mascot?  Good to hear he doesn't upset the chickens.  Upset chickens means NO EGGS!  So I guess DH has to feed this rabbit since he is working being the "Chicken Mascot".  

Takes a while to get to know any animal.   Also glad to hear he's eating, drinking and playing!


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## Sommrluv (Aug 15, 2011)

I think he's doing worse. He's stopped playing and just sits in the corner. I gave him a day off yesterday from the salve (it was also POURING) no way would I have been able to do it without getting him soaked. The three times I went out yesterday he just looked sad. He was bopping about a bit, though.

I picked up him today and he actually CROSSED his little legs so I wouldn't touch him. It's much more yellow & red now, it looks like there is possibly puss under the surface.   

Any info on humane rabbit euthanization? Is there anything I can just feed him so he won't be stressed?


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## Sommrluv (Aug 16, 2011)

Thank you for the answers, we put him down yesterday because he started to show obvious signs of pain.


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## Ms. Research (Aug 16, 2011)

Sommrluv said:
			
		

> Thank you for the answers, we put him down yesterday because he started to show obvious signs of pain.


My condolences for your loss.   But I think you did the right thing. I would have done the same thing.  

How are the rest of your rabbits doing?


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## Sommrluv (Aug 17, 2011)

Everybody seems just fine. Not warming up to me as much as I had hoped, but I don't think they were handled much at their own house.


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## Ms. Research (Aug 18, 2011)

Sommrluv said:
			
		

> Everybody seems just fine. Not warming up to me as much as I had hoped, but I don't think they were handled much at their own house.


Glad all is well.  It does take time for bunnies to warm up to you when the previous owner did not handle them.  Keep trying, spend as much time as you can handling them, petting them, or just talking to them.  Treats help a lot too!  Shame some people just think they are ornaments or look at them with dollar signs in their eyes.  

Good Luck!


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## ~Wind~ (Aug 18, 2011)

I try to pretend my rabbits are just ornaments so that when it comes time to send them to freezer camp I wont be so sad. But unfortunatly it never works, most of them end up with names and run to the doors of their cages when I walk by to get pet or held. I dont know how anyone can resist the cuteness of a rabbit.


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## Ms. Research (Aug 18, 2011)

~Wind~ said:
			
		

> I try to pretend my rabbits are just ornaments so that when it comes time to send them to freezer camp I wont be so sad. But unfortunatly it never works, most of them end up with names and run to the doors of their cages when I walk by to get pet or held. I dont know how anyone can resist the cuteness of a rabbit.


That's not what I mean by "ornaments".  Someone who has NO contact but just supplies food and water to an animal all for the money or status, etc.  Allows someone else to do the complete job but takes full credit for their animal's success.  A good breeder is fully involved, hands on, with every detail of that animal.  Especially meat breeders.  Though you might get attached to those going to "freezer" camp, you still allow that bunny to grow by giving them those pets.  A well adjusted animal is better meat wise than a stressed out animal.  It's just common sense.  

So no I don't look at people who don't fully connect emotionally with animals going to "freezer camp" as "ornament" keepers.  I apologize if you took it that way.


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## ~Wind~ (Aug 19, 2011)

Oh no, I was more just meaning I dont know how anyone could not get attatched even if they dont want to lol.


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