Rabbit usually don’t get dirty and able to clean its body by grooming itself. But there some occasion that your bunny get dirty because of their environment and their usual grooming can clean itself. Should your pet rabbit become dirty and can’t clean itself, it will fall to your hand to clean your pet rabbit, lest your rabbit might get sick. For further information regarding the rabbit sickness symptom, Read “12 Symptoms That Your Rabbit is Sick”
By nature, the rabbit doesn’t like to get wet. It means, unless necessary, don’t bathe your rabbit with water as it will be stressful for your rabbit. So, make sure that there are no other ways to clean your rabbit except to wet bathe your rabbit. To keep them getting wet during weather, you can keep your rabbit pet indoor (inside your house). Please read this article should you need Tips To Pet A Rabbit in Your House, How to Let Loose Your Rabbit at Home Safely and this Easy Ways to Rabbit-Proof Your House. These articles will help you to live indoor with your rabbit pet and provide you with some tips to have fun with them while able to protect your furniture and your beloved pet rabbit.
Now back on the main topic, here are 7 Easy and Safe Ways to Bathe Your Pet Rabbit at Home for Beginners.
1. The Condition for Rabbit to Get a Dry or Wet Bath.
Your rabbit only needs to take a bath if your rabbit has a messy bottom. Its usually occurs when the rabbit having a runny stool or urine leakage. It is unsanitary and uncomfortable should your rabbit has a messy bottom and you really need to give your rabbit a bath to clean those messy bottom.
2. Lay Your Rabbit Down With Its Belly Up
To help you clean the messy and soiled rear area easily visible and accessible. You can let your rabbit sitting on your lap by bunching up a towel or make the rabbit lying down the rabbit with its belly up on the floor. If you lay your rabbit down on the floor, cushion your rabbit back and neck so your rabbit will be supported well should your rabbit suddenly start kicking. You can make the rabbit become more calm, relaxed and reduce the chance of panicking by stroking your rabbit smoothly and talk soothingly.
3. Apply Baby Cornstarch Powder
Put the baby cornstarch powder all over the affected areas, swipe and rub it gently into the messy part of the fur down to the skin. The baby cornstarch powder should coat the dry pop and make it fall out the skin easily. Please keep in mind to not a powders that contain talc, as it is a respiratory irritant, and can even cause cancer in rabbits.
4. Brush The Poop Remaining Pieces
There should be only a few stubborn pieces that rubbing won’t get out, so use a fine-toothed flea comb to pull them out. Comb it very carefully and try not to pull too hard, as rabbit skin is very delicate, and can tear easily.
5. Clean Up The Remaining Powder
Once you are finished and no more poop remain, pat gently your bunny’s bottom to get off any excess baby cornstarch powder. If you need to, you can use a small handheld vacuum to clean the powder remain. Use the vacuum to pick up whatever falls off to clean up the area as well.
6. Give your Rabbit a Wet Bath
If dry bath doesn’t clean your rabbit properly. you should have to provide a wet bath for your rabbit. Most likely, your rabbit will not like to take a bath due to the reason I have mentioned above, the wet bath can be a tough procedure, and you will require you to be very careful. Rabbits don’t like to be into the water and can get shocked if they are to put into it. So please keep in mind, unless it is absolutely needed, you don’t need to give your rabbit a wet bath. Here is the stop on how to give a wet bath for your rabbit:
- Use a bathroom sink or small basin and fill it about 2.5 inches of lukewarm water. Pour a mix of a hypoallergenic and non-medicated shampoo in a tablespoon. Please use a shampoo specifically intended for rabbits, and not the one used on people.
- Slowly and steadily. Lower your rabbit’s rear into the water. Gently wash the solution over the affected areas, then rinse with lukewarm water.
- Dry off your rabbit’s rear. First, use a soft towel, please be careful and not rub too it too hard. Then use a blow dryer, set on the low temp to finish drying. Keep one hand close to the rabbit’s skin so you can feel if the air is too warm and regulate it accordingly.
- Clip fur away from the irritated skin, then apply a soothing balm.
7. Check Your Rabbit Pet to Vet
After you have cleaned off your bunny, go to the vet for an examination. There might be a reason why your rabbit get messy rear except they might have a health problem. Should there is no problem with the examination, then its ok. but hey, better safe than sorry.
8. Clean Your rabbit Regularly
Better to make your rabbit not get a frequent wet bath, here are some tips on how to keep your rabbit neat and healthy:
- Brush Your Rabbit Regularly
Rabbit fur is soft yet quite sturdy. You can use a soft brush and comb through your rabbit’s fur to remove any loose hairs include some dirt and other tiny debris like small tufts of fur sticking out of the coat. Brushing your rabbit pet regularly will help to keep your rabbit’s coat looks shiny, clean and more fluffy. By brushing your rabbit regularly, you will bond with your pet rabbit as rabbits really love being brushed tenderly. Its recommended brush your rabbit more frequently during shedding period, which occurs about every 3 months
- Trim The Rabbit’s Nails
Your rabbit’s nails will keep growing, You should check them once a week to see if they need trimming. Your rabbit nail usually needs to be clipped about every month. Nails that are too long become uncomfortable for the rabbit and can cause injuries to their toe, nail, or foot, even gait issues.
- Clean Your Rabbit’s Eyes
Watch your rabbit’s eyes to keep an eye out for watery eyes or eye discharge. In addition to being a sign of other problems, discharge on your rabbit’s cheeks can cause the skin there to become chafed and have the skin peel off. If you notice anything, a clean tissue should be enough to wipe this away. Just be careful not to touch your rabbit’s actual eye. If there is a lot of gunk, or it seems like your rabbit has a lot of tears, take it to the vet to make sure there isn’t a more serious problem.
- Clean The Rabbit’s Ears
Regularly check your rabbit’s ears. Should you find there is some waxy that buildup in your rabbit ear. You should remove it by softly rubbing the ear with a cotton swab. Be very careful when cleaning your rabbit ear and make sure you don’t push the wax into the ear and do not reach into your rabbit’s ear canal. If you have a problem with wax in the ears, your vet may also recommend some wax removal products that you can apply. Make sure you use a cotton ball and not a smaller swab like a q-tip. If your bunny twitches or jumps during cleaning, you can accidentally push it into the ear, puncturing an eardrum and causing your rabbit to go deaf, be careful.
Should you have some problem on how to properly clean your rabbit ear, consulting and ask your vet to teach you how to clean your rabbit ear might be the safer method.
- Clean Out The Scent Glands
Rabbits mark their territory using scent glands under their chin and around their anus. The ones on the rear can get some buildup, which can be uncomfortable for your rabbit and can get quite smelly. First, lay down your pet rabbit on its back to get a clear view of its rear area. Then dip the cotton swab into warm water or some mineral oil, then gently dab around the gland to loosen and clean the build up
There is the 7 Easy and Safe Ways to Bathe Your Pet Rabbit at Home for Beginners. I hope this article will help in giving your pet rabbit a bath, and how to reduce the frequency of your rabbit have to take a wet bath.