bathing is definitely to be done ONLY AS NEEDED. in this case, i think it was needed. the concern is when people are bathing their bunnies just to bathe them, when they really don’t need it. bunnies, just like cats, are very good at grooming themselves, but sometimes things are just beyond their ability, especially when it comes to conditions they are kept in.
i think i told you about when i got my Max right? over the the summer i rescued him from a woman who ran a shelter from her home. wonderful woman, beautiful bunnies. she had 15-20 that were in a warren-like group. she housed them indoors at night (or in less than ideal weather), but during the day they had access to a safe, outdoor area. outside they would poop and pee wherever, inside they were perfectly box-trained. when it went to get Max, i held him. his dirty lil feet messed up my shirt, but i didn’t care, i loved him from the moment i laid eyes on him. when we were driving home with him, Mike expressed concerns about fleas since he was kept outside at times. we agreed that even tho it’s not an ideal thing to do, i would give him a bath when we got home.
it started as just a foot bath. his feet were dirty… i had to wash betw/ his toes and this “gritty dirt” floated to the bottom of my tub. i checked his fur in the bathtub, and i didn’t see anything, but i gave him a quick scrub thru the rest of his fur just in case. i only used warm water. i dried him toroughly and then brushed him very well. his fur that was klind of dull before, was shined up instantly. i still saw no fleas, but i decided to house him in another room in Meadow’s old petstore cage overnight (with a plastic bottom and litterbox) to make sure his litter habits were good and that i did not see any fleas or anything on him.
his feet stayed brown for a few months afterwards. they were stained and i knew it would not all comes off right away. but over the months his new fur has come in, and his feet are now a pristine white, just like Meadow who has never stepped foot outside.
i think you absolutely did the right thing. rescuing is not always easy or perfect in the situation, but i’m glad you did it. i would try and groom him with a brush frequently over the next couple weeks and see if you can brush out some loose fur.
i am very concerned about the rescue where you got this bun, and the pair before him. i think you said the owner is a friend? if she is a friend, is it possible for you to express your concerns to her? i would like to have the feedback if it were me. i’m also worried about others who might be adopting from her. spayed and neutered house rabbits are supposed to be virtually odorless, and if she’s marketing them as great house rabbits, i think some adopters will be very disappointed when they get their bun(s) home. she may want to rethink her approach to the rescue, or find other indoor accomodations…