Oh yes the dreaded smelly scent glands, not much unlike skunk odor. Ewe, icky. That is a very cute story! Yes rabbits will not let you forget about treat time.

OK so WHO cleans those glands in the wild anyway????????????

Urgh…this was another thing that made me suspicious about my supposedly ‘rabbit savvy’ vet. She knows nothing about anal glands. And honestly, I wish I didn’t know about them either.
(tries to lift up Mimzy’s back foot and gets the bunny butt and the stink eye) Sooo…how often do these things need cleaning…if you can FIND them? >_<

Apparently monthly!  I have yet to do this or trim Edson’s nails.  I took him to the rescue to do it 2 months ago.  I don’t think I can find those things either!  I can’t get Edson to go on his back like they can.  I’m due to go.  I ‘m such a chicken about this.  He gets all shakey legs when I even TRY to brush his legs! Ugh!

Good grief! 0.o I’ve had Mim for 7 months and I’ve NEVER done this! >_< Wouldn't I be able to tell if he had dirty glands? Wouldn't he smell bad all over or something?

Mimz, not always. Sometimes big chumks of hard black stuff collect in them, clogs up things and it is not comfortable for your rabbit. It takes a bit of prodding to find them, but once you are shown it is easy. I’ll take some pictures if you like. The video thing isn’t working out too well unfortunately.

Oh that would be wonderful, could you? ^^; Oh my poor bunnies, I hate to think a butterfingers like me is going to have to do this to them, but there’s no other way I’m afraid.

Hey no problem! I’ll try to take some tomorrow. Hmm…Bonsai or Daffodil….I think I’ll show both of them one has black fur, the other white.

Oh yes those stinky things …. Not a nice job but hey if I can do it anyone can …. It takes a while to get used to doing it but once you have done it a few times …. tis pretty ok.   I generally take Luey outside, wrapped up in a towel … its easier to do there as he is too scared to move LOL.  I also brush him and do his nails whilst I am there also.  He will not let me near him when he’s inside …. Oh holly no not in the world.

I flip him on his back … he stays still for me (thank goodness).

I only did Luey a few weeks ago … so I have a reprieve for another few weeks.

Dawn xx

Woa wait…how come in all my bunny net-surfing years have I NEVER heard of this as a regular thing? xD

Binkles is over 4 years old now, has never had it done, and doesn’t smell. oO

…well I mean, okay. If she puts her butt on top of your nose, you can smell something. But I mean…if ANYONE put their butt on my nose, I wouldn’t expect a field of honneysuckles..

I’m not sure why you haven’t heard of it….I think bunny husbandry is a fairly new thing and is making leaps and bounds in the past years…As care gets better and better they live longer and longer.
Anyways maybe its a fairly new thing…But trust me, get a good look at those glands and you’ll see they could use a cleaning…Check out the monthly maintenance section on this site for instructions,….Put some tissues up your nose!

Aren’t those scent glands in bunnies?  I just wanted to clarify b/c cats/ dogs have more internal anal glands.  W/ cats/ dogs, you need to actually express the gland in the anus…very unpleasant.  Another thing I found w/ my cats is that when I completely revised their diet to diabetes food…the anal juice got way less stinky.  I haven’t noticed this specifically w/ the bunnies…but then again I haven’t completely revised their diet.  Also the crud in there does vary in appearance.  In some bunnies is looks like ear wax (that’s how Jessi’s looks).  What a coversation…only bunny people would go into detail about gross stuff.

Yes I think they are the scent glands…. :s

Isn’t that drawing great! LOL

yes thats a cute drawing!  i hadn’t ever checked baby buns anal glands but when i took her to the vet pre-surgery my vet showed me.  this was the same time i read about it here too, but it really helped to have the vet show me.  baby actually was a bit plugged on the one side… looked like a flattened, dried cecal but i guess it was waxy build-up?  any ways, since then i check her from time to time.  she sure hates it.  she makes these whimpery noises that break my heart to hear coming from her.  i haven’t dared to check pinky’s yet.  i value my life.  lol.  altho i have successfully picked her up the past FOUR times now.  and by successful i mean, she doesn’t struggle like its the fight of her life and gash me i places i didn’t know she could reach.  progress!

LOL yeh, that reminds me bbm, Rupert hasn’t had his cleaned yet…. :s