Once your bunny reaches their hormonal stage (typically 6 months), we strongly recommend spaying or neutering if breeding isn't in your plans. Here's why this matters:

Your sweet bunny's personality can go through dramatic changes as hormones kick in. Some may begin mounting, spraying urine, or developing nipping behaviors. Their previously perfect litter box habits might suddenly deteriorate. Many become territorial over their living space, toys, and even their favorite humans!

Female Hollands may experience false pregnancies where they pull out fur to build nests and sometimes even produce milk. You might notice increased vocalization with grunting and thumping, along with new destructive chewing behaviors.

I should mention that not every intact Holland will display all these behaviors - some might just occasionally mount things, while others remain their perfect angelic selves! In our experience none of our intact adults bite (that's typically an extreme case we hear about from pet homes where territorial or hormonal issues weren't properly addressed).

The benefits of spaying/neutering far outweigh the drawbacks. The only real concerns are the cost (which varies widely by region) and the minimal anesthesia risk when performed by qualified professionals. This leads to my most crucial advice: always choose an experienced exotic vet for rabbit procedures. Regular dog/cat veterinarians without small animal expertise should never alter your precious Holland Lop - that's when anesthesia complications typically occur.

Quality exotic veterinary practices have the specialized knowledge and equipment that rabbits require for safe procedures. Reputable clinics will actually decline to treat animals they aren't properly equipped to handle. Check out the link below to locate an exotic vet in your area.