Rabbit is one of favorite pet along cat and dog. They are really energetic, fluffy and sociable creature that makes them really lovable. Please keep in mind that it means rabbit need to have constant attention and care, which mean rabbit is not low maintenance cost pet and not for an owner that cannot spare some of their time and attention for them or a pet suitable for kids because rabbit need to be handled with care. Should you can commit to pet and take care for them, you can read this guide to buy a healthy rabbit for new owner and easy steps to adopt a rabbit for beginners to help you choose the suitable rabbit as your pet.
As an energetic creature they are, rabbit sometimes can be quite clumsy and get dirty. While they can groom themselves or with the help of other rabbits that helps them get clean. It is better to prevent it by keeping their habitable place clean. Should rabbit get dirty and simple groom won’t make your rabbit clean and looks healthy, you might need to bathe them, which you can further read it in this ways to bathe your pet rabbit at home for beginners article for further insight.
Should your rabbit only get its feet dirty, especially its hindquarter feet, there is no need to give your rabbit a bath, instead you can clean it by wiping their feet. You might need to clean your rabbit feet when you find their feet get dirty. Especially if rabbit feet become yellowed due stomping and absorb the urine. This Tips to Clean Your Rabbit’s Dirty Feet will give you tips on how to clean your rabbit’s dirty feet.
1. Lay The Rabbit on Your Lap
Rabbit don’t really like to be held, so please don’t lay them on your arm with its belly up, while your rabbit will appear calm, but with one random stimulation or get startled, your rabbit will struggle and might possibly hurt itself in process. instead, lay them on your lap. Soothe your rabbit by stroke them until they become much calmer before start to wipe their feet.
2. Clean Your Rabbit Feet for Light Dirt
Prepare a few wet clothes that have been wetted in warm water. Hold the rabbit still on your lap. Gently wipe off any dirt off, and then with the dry kitchen towel, pat your rabbit’s feet dry. You might need to have a towel on your lap for the rabbit to sit on so that your clothes don’t get soaked.
3. Clean Your Rabbit Feet for Heavy Dirt
Should your rabbit have thick dirty dirt in its feet, you might want to try this method if the first method didn’t quite help. Fill the water spray bottle with water and vinegar on a scale of 50:50. Spray to dampen the area to be cleaned and then rub cornstarch into the area until it is tick like a toothpaste. Let it dry and then brush out. For stubborn stains, you may have to repeat the process a few times. Hopefully, your rabbit feet becomes much cleaner.
4. Clean The Rabbit Habitable Area Regularly
Especially when you let your rabbit live outdoor, You can make your rabbit feet not to be dirtied frequently by clean regularly their habitable area daily. Don’t let the habitable area of your rabbit become to damp because of their urine or riddle by their own poop. Clean it regularly.
While you can minimize the dampen are by potty train your rabbit pet. Rabbit poop will likely remain scattered around the habitable area even if your rabbit has been potty trained, so sweep it away daily to keep your rabbit from stomping it and become it hardened in their feet pad due to rabbit energetic behavior.
3. Trim Your Rabbit Nail
To protect your rabbit feet, you might need to trim your rabbit nails too as it might discourage your rabbit to scratch things or dirt with its feet and eventually dirtying his feet again. Rabbit’s nail will never stop grows and will start scratching and digging to hinder the nail growth. but eventually, it will fall to you to trim your rabbit nail to make him less comfortable. If you don’t know how to trim your rabbit skillfully and afraid you might hurt your rabbit, you ask your vet to trim your rabbit nail for your and ask them to teach you on how to trim your rabbit nail.
Should you do decide to trim your rabbit’s nails on your own, be sure not to trim past the pinkish area of the nails. The pinkish area contains the blood vessel that runs through the middle of each nail. Trimming on the pinkish area would be very painful for your rabbit and will cause a bleeding.
Proof Your Rabbit Habitable Area
While cleaning your rabbit area is one way to keep your rabbit’s feet clean. You also need to proof rabbit habitable area, whether you put your pet rabbit at the indoor habitable area or outdoor habitable area. By proofing your rabbit habitable area, you not only you will protect your thing, furniture, and your rabbit from damaging your belonging (and get hurt in process while don’t know the danger of it), it also will make your rabbit feet protected, and even if their feet get dirty, at least you know the material your rabbit feet get dirtied is not the unknown one, so you will have idea on what cleaning method best for it should it happen. For more further guide and insight, please visit this “easy ways to rabbit-proof your house” article to help you further.
Don’t Cut the Rabbit Feet Pad
Especially the rabbit hindquarter feet, some may suggest an easy way to remove the dirt and stain by cut a bit of its feet pads. Do not do that!
Rabbit feet pad is the thickest fur that lumps together and becomes hardened. This pad, while seems easy to absorb liquid or make the dirt formed inside of it, it protects your rabbit feet from many elements your rabbit may stomp really hard due to its expressive behavior. (Like stomping because feel annoyed. etc)
While it the rabbit might like not feel hurt and seems an easy way to clean a harder stain or lump of dirt in his feet, Rabbit need its feet pat to protect their feet and will feel really uncomfortable when does not have their feet pad. Even if you will take care of your rabbit pet by placing them in the safe hygiene habitable area, it is still not recommended. Rabbit feet pad might not even grow again to protect its feed. Please don’t hurt your rabbit by doing this easy yet irresponsible way.
I hope this “7 Tips to Clean Your Rabbit’s Dirty Feet” article will give you insight to properly take care of your rabbit. Keep them happy and your rabbit will be with you for a very long time and be bonded with you.