Well…. baths are ok as long as you make sure that he’s completely dry (lots and lots of towels and a hair dyer on the low setting) but they’re really not recommended unless ABSOLUTELY necessary. It’s stressful for bunnies, and it’s incredibly important that they are dried off completely afterwards. Also, you have to be careful when choosing the shampoo you’re going to use, you need to make sure that what you’re using won;t irritate his skin or make him ill if ingested, so that definitely rules out human shampoo. I would recommend that you just do “spot cleaning” with warm water and a wash cloth if you feel he’s a little messy.

I can see how his paws and tail might get messy, but how do his nose and ears get dirty? silly bunny. 

Oh, and since you’ve already checked him out, you’ve probably made sure that he’s fine, but if his butt is dirty, make sure that it’s just dirt and not poopy butt – if he’s having diarrhea or not eating his cecals it could be a sign of tummy trouble.

Hmmm I don’t know about the cat shampoo. I’ve never bathed Leroy. You could call your vet and ask if that would be safe for your bunny, but I don’t want to say yay or nay on that… I’d still just recommend spot cleaning only.

I have a white bunny with black spots. My carpet needs to be cleaned and Oreo’s white fur can start looking pretty dingy. I found a dry shampoo on Dr Foster & Smith’s website called Pet Sensations Premium Dry Small Animal Shampoo. It comes in 2 scents – raspberry & cool cucumber melon and only costs $5 or $6. They also sell it at Petsmart. I use the cucumber melon one on Oreo whenever I notice his fur looking dirty or sticky. All you do is rub it in and brush it out. It leaves his fur soft, bright white and smelling good and since it is a dry shampoo you don’t have to worry about him being wet especially since he is an outdoor bunny. Hope this helps.

I favor the spot cleaning with the wash cloth only or the dry and brush shampoo. Since it’s an outdoor bunny, you would be really risking a health problem by getting her wet all over. Probably the spot on the ear and nose is from cleaning herself with the paws that were dirty already.

Definitely watch for the poopy butt.
Wishing you good luck and speed in getting your own place so your bunny can be inside with you.

Oh, what else you can do is clean the litter pan and cage more frequently. It may be moisture in the air is making the soiled litter stick. Use some fresh hay on the floor of the cage to kind of absorb and clean the underside of bunny, which she can munch on. Try a very absorbant litter too, so it doesn’t cling.

Absolutely NO bath unless he can stay in for 24 hours after the bath-no question.

You can use cornstarch and do a dry bath or change litter more frequently-but it’s winter and he’s outside-it’s not ok to bath period-ok?

A bath would be okay as long as you used a gentle rabbit shampoo, towel dried him completely once you were finished, and then kept him indoors for a bit to make sure he was dry. But you have to realize that if he lives in the dirt all the time, he’s just going to get dirty the moment you put him back out there. I would recommend you clean his cage thoroughly and keep it out of the dirt. Offer him plenty of hay and warm straw to bed in and don’t let him roam unattended (if he currently is). It’s good that hopefully in the future you will be keeping him nice and safe inside!

A bath would be okay as long as you used a gentle rabbit shampoo, towel dried him completely once you were finished, and then kept him indoors for a bit to make sure he was dry.

I have to respectfully disagree and plead you don’t wash him-even when towel dried or dried as much as you can-it’s NOT dry enough to go outside!!

Baths are NOT ok for an outdoor bunny in the winter-period

It’s not generally ok to bathe an indoor bunny…one outside in the cold-do not do it-please? 

The reason KK is saying this is because of another  of koops post  - the  bunnies are currently outside and it’s COLD right now. Michigan brutal cold. And we all know that bunny fur takes forever to completely dry even indoors.    I used to have to give Bailey bunny butt baths, and would dry as much as possible and there would STILL be some damp areas for a long time after. It was okay because she was in a warm house.

Well if you read my post I clearly said that she would have to keep him indoors for a while to make sure he was dry.

I hope though, that these bunnies come inside soon. It’s so darn cold and I can’t imagine all of the good attention they’re missing out on by being outside!

I’d have to agree with K&K – if there is even a little bit of dampness on your bunny in those kind of temperatures it could cause some very serious problems. Its of much higher priority right now that your bunny stay warm, and that you keep thinking of possibilities for bringing them indoors, rather than to be doing baths at this time.  Maybe considering grooming with a brush instead?

Buns (which I’m sure has been stated before..) are like cats, they clean themselves. Baths are only needed IF they are covered in dirt/dingy, which being an outside bun seems like yours needs it more than in inside one. As far as shampoo goes..I’m not sure. Make sure she/he is completely dry, though; especially being outside.

my bunny is an outdoor bunny too!i thought i was the only one..haha ayways i never gave my bunny a “BATH” but i do have those spray/mist bottles that i use to clean him up but normally i only brush him.thats all he needs

Well if you read my post I clearly said that she would have to keep him indoors for a while to make sure he was dry.

Rowan-
I did read you said you would to keep in for a while-did you read mine that he woudl need to be in for 24 hours? Do you know the temperatures this bunny is outside in? It is fine to say ‘I don’t know’ it is not fine to give advice that could be particularly harmful as your advice was. This rabbit is outside in below freezing temperatures in Michigan with windchill to factor in and a lake effect. Rabbts do not do ok in cold like that when dry. To boot Giving a bath-even a spot bath-on an indoor rabbit is serious business. The advice you gave was very potentially harmful and this is why I disagreed. Like I said it is fine to say you don’t know but please refrain from providing feedback on health matters if you don’t know, as this could be harmful.

 ETA-Rowan I don’t want to sound harsh, I know you were well meaning and good intentioned in providing that advice; the fact is providing advice in health matters when you aren’t sure-can have really bad results.

Koopabunny-I know you are wanting to bring them inside soon permanently but as of now they are outside-even bringing them in for short periods is going to mess with how they keep themselves warm (they adjust to the warm temp and have to get used to freezing again) and I’m very concerned that you did get him wet against all advice. How is the bunny doing now?

I think too, KK – when you live in these climates you become acutely aware of how bitter the cold can be. When La Chatte was still alive, I hated for her to be out in this weather – but she insisted – she had been a street cat before we adopted her and she was fiercely independant. Hated using the litter box inside. I could only persuade her in the most bitter of Montreal winter, Like January to stay indoors with the box. I could never imagine bathing her and having her outdoors.

As to the buns…I can’t imagine THEM being out in this weather. Cripes, My scarf freezes up from my breath in a minute or so, so you don’t even need moisture present before you go out to freeze up!